5 tiling trade secret

1. Floor leveling with DryPack. You have one shot at creating a strong leveled base beneath your tiles. In 98% of the cases a DryPack is the way to go, the final result is everything, it is cost effective and in both labour and material in the short and long term. That is why it is our #1 tiling secret.

2. Licensed tile installers practice safety, have been through rigorous formal training and have strong work ethics. They comply to the building code act and are constantly learning new skills and improving on their skills to deliver outstanding quality work. Unless the work is free, you are taking a risk with a non certified tile setter.

3. Not all tiles are made equally, all tiles have a bow, it's normal. However some bows are so severe that we strongly recommend not buying them no matter how much they cost. Severely bowed tiles will create lippage, where  two sids are lower or higher than the other two. You can find the bowed side by looking down at all four edges and find the bowed edge or show a sample to your installer prior to purchasing your tiles.

4. Marble tile are the foundation of the industry. Marble can be a challenge to work with if your installer is not experienced cutting marble. Marble can break easily during cutting due to the natural vein lines. However, once installed, marble is gorgeous and strong! Always buy a little more marble tiles to be on the safe side. See tile types here.

5. Heated floors will make you save money on energy. You can save 10-50% on your energy bill.  This is true in almost all cases (depending on how well insulated is your house).  For one, there is no air loss as there is no duct work, but the main reason is its ambient air temperature allowing you to feel warmer at a lower temperature because the radiant heat is lowering the heat loss from your body. This is something worth considering for sure as it is very affordable and will pay for itself. A win, win win situation!

Bonus Secret: Always back butter tile to improve adhesion and stability!