Reclaimed brick, laid herringbone
An entry floor in reclaimed brick, set herringbone and carried right through to the stairs. Old brick is never twice the same thickness, so every piece gets bedded by hand to keep the surface flat underfoot.
Home / Tile and floor installation
Tile and floor installation in Gatineau and Ottawa
This is the core of the business. Porcelain, marble, mosaic and natural stone, on floors, walls, stairs, entryways and commercial washrooms.
What's included
Flat first, then tile
Setting tile is what we do every day, and everything else the business takes on grew out of it. A tile floor is only as good as what is underneath it. Old subfloors move, basement slabs are rarely flat, and a wall that is out by half an inch will show in every joint once the tile is up.
So the first thing we do on any floor is find out how far out it is, and fix that. Levelling compound, uncoupling membrane where the slab or subfloor needs it, then tile.
What we install
- Large-format porcelain and slab
- Marble, travertine and natural stone
- Mosaic, hex, penny round and picket
- Wood-look plank porcelain
- Herringbone, chevron and basketweave layouts
- Heated floor systems under tile
- Stairs, landings and entryways
- Commercial washrooms and lobbies
Prep we do before any of it
- Self-levelling compound where the floor needs it
- Uncoupling membrane over slabs and plank subfloors
- Crack isolation where there is movement in the concrete
Gallery
Floors and walls we have set
Dark marble-look shower with a bench
Large porcelain slabs in a dark marble look, with the bench built in and tiled on every face. The veining carries around the corners instead of stopping at them.
Grey marble-look floor, whole main floor
One tile run through the entire main floor, no thresholds between rooms. The slab was ground flat first, because on a floor this open any dip shows.
Wood-look plank carried into the shower
Plank porcelain run from the room straight into the glass shower, same tile, same direction. It looks like wood and takes water like porcelain.
Book-matched porcelain floor
Two slabs opened like a book so the veining mirrors across the middle, with a square drain centred on the join.
Large-format white wall, tight joints
Big white panels set with the thinnest joint the tile will take. Flat walls and a levelling system, otherwise a sheet that size shows every lip.
Greige tile stacked vertically
Stack bond instead of a running bond, so the joints line up top to bottom. It is less forgiving than offset tile, and the bench had to pick the lines up on the way around.
Floor laid with a border detail
A border run around the edge of the room and mitred at the corners, so the field tile reads as a panel rather than running into the wall.
Large-format grey around a tub and window
The slab is wrapped around the tub deck and returned into the window reveal, so there is no trim and no change of material at the opening.
Commercial washroom in mosaic
A black, white and grey mosaic taken wall to wall in a public washroom. Commercial work means a tighter schedule and an inspection at the end, and the layout has to clear the fixtures exactly.
Photos are from our own jobs. Tap any one to see it bigger.
How we do it
Step by step
I
Check what is there
Straightedge on the floor, moisture on a slab, and a look at the subfloor or joists. This decides everything that follows.
II
Level and uncouple
Self-levelling compound where it is needed, then an uncoupling membrane so the tile is not locked to a floor that moves.
III
Dry-lay and snap lines
We lay out the field dry, find the centre and decide where the cuts go before any mortar comes out. Cuts belong at the wall, not in the doorway.
IV
Set with full coverage
Back-buttered on large format, right trowel for the tile size, and we pull tiles to check coverage as we go.
V
Cut for the detail
Hex into hardwood, mitres at outside corners, returns into jambs. Hand-cut where a metal strip would look cheap.
VI
Grout and seal
Grout the next day, then seal the stone or the grout if the product calls for it.
What changes the price
What a price depends on
- 01Square footage, and how many small rooms versus one open area
- 02Tile size. Very large format and very small mosaic both cost more to set than standard
- 03Pattern. Herringbone and chevron mean far more cuts than a straight lay
- 04How far out of level the existing floor is
- 05Whether we are tiling over concrete, plywood or an old floor
- 06Heated floor, and which system
Per square foot pricing is easy to quote and easy to get wrong. We would rather come see the floor.
FAQ
Questions we get asked
Can you tile over my existing tile?
Sometimes. If it is solid, bonded and flat it can work, but it raises the floor and that causes problems at doors and transitions. We will tell you honestly which way is better for your floor.
Do I need an uncoupling membrane?
On a concrete slab or a plank subfloor, usually yes. It is cheap insurance against cracked tile and grout, and it is the difference between a floor that lasts and one that does not.
What is the difference between porcelain and ceramic?
Porcelain is denser and takes water less. It is what you want on a floor or anywhere wet. Ceramic is fine on a dry wall or a backsplash.
How long does a floor take?
A typical main floor is a few days including prep and grout. Levelling adds a day because it has to cure before we set anything on it.
Can you do heated floors?
Yes, under the tile. The electrical hook-up goes to a licensed electrician.
Do you do commercial work?
Yes. Washrooms, lobbies and common areas.
Get a free quote
Thinking about it? Just call.
Tell us what room it is and roughly what you want. We come measure, you get a written price, and there is no charge for that.
819-775-1613