Tile to Tile Transition....

Often here in Florida when doing a new tile installation we come across
other rooms that already have tile in them that we need to tile up to.
Usually a carpet or laminate area that the homeowner wants to remove and have new tile installed and the new tile we are installing will run into another tiled room (ie: kitchen, bath, hall bath, laundry, etc.).

So my common practice is to direct the customer/home owner to let me install an "Indian Blanket" cut tile pattern to divide those two tiled area's up to really define each area. Also if by chance the grout joints almost align it would look like a failed attempt to line up one tiled area to another new tiled area. Thus this method will break up the direct grout lines.

You could cut the corners off a field tile and install the diamonds side by side, use a few strips of 2x2 mosaic or even a deco tile. This can also be used when two types of tile run into each other in an open area like when trying to divide a straight laid tiled room into a diagonal tiled room.

Here is a recent one we did where the homeowner wanted us to remove the carpet throughout the home and old tile in the front foyer and install a new 20x20 Porcelain tile in their town house/condo at the beach in Tarpon Springs, Florida. They wanted to leave the kitchen tile since it was new and they liked it.

Here are few other examples of "Indian Blanket" door patterns.

.....Example 1.........Example 2.........Example 4........Example 5






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Kitchen Tile Refreshing for a Realtor....

With home sales slow throughout the US some Realtor's are finding
ways to make the homes they are selling more appealing and fresh.

Here's a job I did for a Realtor I do work for in the Tampa, Florida area.

They were trying to spruce up a house to sell so I came up with
this refreshing inlay with leftover Porcelain tile they had from
the back splash extra tile laying in the garage.

I was able to figure out how much old ceramic tile to remove so it would
be symmetrical in the kitchen. I had 3 pieces of the 6x6 tile left over
and a few strips left from the cut 1/2"x1/2" mosaic sheets.

This same house has a full shower gut due to mold and rot from some
leaks with the builder not doing proper waterproofing.

You have to love a Florida shower with no liner or waterproofing!

Cant wait to rip that tile shower out....






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Glass Tile in Bathrooms and Beyond......

Here in Florida we install all sorts of tile sizes, textures, colors and makes.
Porcelain, Ceramic & travertine being the most widely used.

One of the trickiest tile to set would be the Glass Tile. Glass tile are tricky
due to numerous setting reasons as you will see when researching a tile contractor. I would recommend you select a Tile Contractor that is
familiar with setting Glass Tile.

Glass Tile are being used in the Bathroom on the walls and floors
as accent bands and deco's. shower floors, back splashes, pools

Glass floor tiles are usually set on a crack membrane with a white,
fast setting & flexible thinset. You need to set them so there are
no pockets of air trapped under the tiles. An uneven install with
pockets will eventually crack the tiles when they are walked on.

A normal glass tile is no different from polished porcelain in terms of
C.O.F.. Like any gloss tile glass tiles are usually slippery when wet.
If small a format (1 × 1") tiles are used on floors the frequent grout lines
create texture that will slightly inhibit slippage and add more C.O.F..

Glass tile manufacturers Villiglas, Interstyle, Oceanside and Vetrotile
all manufacture glass floor tiles that are made with a textured surface
that provides a high Coefficient Of Friction.

The use of Glass Tile is becoming more popular and discussed more
on Tile Help Forums these days like the John Bridge Tile Forum.

one of the best ways and my favorite way to set glass tile here in Florida
is by using the Laticrete one-step method for setting Glass Tile.




this will consists of using the Laticrete Sanded Grout (1500 Series)
mixed with Laticrete 4237 Latex Thin-Set Mortar Additive.

There is a wide variety of Glass Tile finishes to choose from like glossy, iridescent, etched, metallic or printed, and textures like flat, rippled, relief
or dimpled. And also tile sizes from 1", 2", 4", 5", 6", 8" and even large sized
glass tile 12" up to 24" in size.

with new manufacturing techniques glass tile continues to advance with variations in textures, styles & colors and continue to in the years to come.

So no matter what size, style or color of Glass Tile you choose I'm sure
you will love coming home to the new area you have transformed.

Welcome To Ceramictec's Blog

This informational portal is to provide a informative flooring tips for Florida homeowners interested in “Quality Tile Installations".

We also strive to help homeowners explore the many options available in flooring by featuring quality products from only the best manufacturers.

Remember Do-It-Yourself can sometimes be more trouble than it’s worth, always consult a professional flooring contractor before attempting to DIY.

it can save you lots of time and money and your safety it also paramount.

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What to look for when hiring a Tile Contractor

I have recently came across a lot of homeowners only looking at the bottom dollar amount when hiring a flooring contractor.
Would you rather spend $2000 and it may last a year,
or spend $3500 and get a lifetime of enjoyment out of your purchase?
You would be wise to do your homework when choosing your contractor. In the past few weeks Ceramictec has torn out 2 showers, that have leaked within the year of being completed. One shower was installed by a concrete contractor.
I think he figured putting thin set under the tiles or pouring concrete was about the same.
The homeowners aren’t thinking so now. Just because they did a nice job on your floor, or kitchen back splash, don’t take it for granted that they can do the same with your shower.

Make sure you ask questions.

Ask them if they put a preslope in?
How do they waterproof the shower?
What type of adhesive do they use?
Mastic or thinset?
How do they keep the weep holes around the drain clean?
How do they fasten the liner on the curb?
How many inches above the pan are they nailing the liner?
Are they using drywall or cement board?

These are just a few simple questions that can save
you a lot of Time, Money & Grief in the near future.