This week we've been busy installing 1000sqft of large format 6"X39" plank faux wood tile. This floor has all the best properties of tile with the look of a wood floor. Don't let it fool you though, an exacting touch is required to install this material to a high standard. Every one of these tiles has full thin set coverage underneath, so none of it cracks or fails down the road. We ensure that by "back buttering" every single piece, using a large gauge trowel and installing expansion joints. We also start with a completely clean floor. Like always we rented a machine to clean sheet rock dust/globs, paint and any other carelessness from the other crews. If you want to save some money on your next floor installation, be sure to get your other crews to cover the floor so we don't have to go backwards. This concrete substrate was pretty flat so we didn't have to do to much prep, just some Mapei crack isolation we rolled on. That is the most important part of a large format tile installation...the flatness of the floor. Tile does not bend so every segment has to be regular...no dips, dives or bumps in the concrete. We also use the Lev-Tech leveling system to get a lip free installation. We have a video of the system for you to reference on this blog. Thissystem helps us get a floor that is smooth to the touch not just flashy to the eye. You can see what I'm talking about in the photos below. This isn't rocket science but it takes a bit of conscientiousness and a floor like this is extremely labor intensive. If you're looking for a flooring that will last the lifetime of your home, this is the way to go. These particular clients have Great Danes...so they're thinking for the future. We should finish this early next week, we'll give the thin set a week to set up and we will be grouting with Mapei's Flexcolor single component grout. This floor will truly be maintenance free...Would you spend a little more money on a flooring that you never have to mess with again?
