Tile installation can be done on just about any surface of any room in any house.  Many home remodel projects involve tile installation in one form or another.  Kitchen remodels typically require flooring and backsplash.  Bathroom remodels typicaly require flooring and tub or shower surrounds.  Room additions also require some type of flooring and tile is one of the most popular flooring choices purchased by home owners remodeling or adding on to their homes.

Tile Installation Phoenix

Tile installation is, in my opinion, a form of art. This is why when hiring a general contractor for your home remodeling project, you better make sure you hire FHR Construction Corp.

Installing tile correctly makes all the difference in the world on how the finished product turns out.  Different tiles can be installed in many different configurations.  There is also a world of difference in how the tiles are finished, depending on the material that they are made of.

Tile Contractors Phoenix

Natural stone tile; such as granite, marble, travertine and slate, being the same material throughout the piece, the edges can be ground and polished for the finished look.  This is done on the exposed edges, such as in shower enclosures and visible edges of backsplash tiles.  Many people use special trim pieces, such as pencil rail mouldings, to cover the exposed edges and for a design element in the tile work.  In the case of niches in tub/shower enclosures or the edge of a tub suround, the edges can be mitered.  This is done by cutting the exposed edge of the tile on a bevel or diagonal so that the tile meeting it from the other direction (typically going from the top (or deck) to the side or outside corners of walls) meets it with a very small grout joint at the corner, much like a piece of wood baseboard being mitered to go around an outside corner.

Home Remodeling & Tile Installation Phoenix AZ

Ceramic or porcelain tiles ar a little more limited on their installation, as they do not have the same material going all the way through the tile, as in natural stone tiles.  They are made with a ceramic or porcelain material and then an ‘image’ or color is applied to the suface of the tile.  The edges of these tiles are a different color than the face of the tile.  Therefore, the edges cannot be ground and polished to give it the same look.  Some, not all, ceramic and porcelain tiles offer a bullnose tile, in the same finish as the main tile, that can be used for those exposed edges.  However, there are also other options.  Beveling the edges to wrap around corners is one.  Using schluters, which are trim pieces, usually made of metal or PVC, that are installed with the tile and cover the raw edge of the tile.  This provides a clean, finished look to the tile.  Schluter is often used as a design element to the tile project, as well.  As with the natural stone, trim pieces are often available in ceramic or porcelain tileas as well, such as pencil rail mouldings.

Properly installing tile requires a certain skillset that not everyone has.  Finding a good, quality tile installer is essential to assuring that your tile will look good and last for years to come. Don’t be affraid to ask for pictures of previous tile projects and go look at the job yourself, if possible.  This will help you greatly in selecting a quality tile installation company.