Frequently Asked Questions

When you see cracked grout, that is just a symptom of a problem with the initial installation. The most likely culprit is a lack of movement joints. When installed properly, grout should never crack unless there is a much larger structural issue. There are also different types of grout, some more flexible than others. Traditional cementitious grout is a lot more rigid and porous than the more modern acrylic or urethane-based grouts. One of the most popular upgrades we offer is a grout upgrade where we use these more flexible and less porous grouts.

In short, it can. Cement based grouts have come a long way in the past 5-10 years. They are much stronger and more stain resistant than they were even ten years ago. They are still cement based though and cement is very porous. To help prevent staining it needs to be sealed. Sealer helps to close the pores, making it harder for dirt and other materials to penetrate the surface causing it to stain. Before we leave a jobsite, we seal cement based grout with a very high quality sealer. The issue is that sealer breaks down over time. There is no predetermined timeframe in which the sealer will last. It needs to be resealed when it needs to be resealed. A good rule of thumb is to reseal it every year or two just to be safe. Nowadays we have other types of grout. There are acrylic and urethane based grouts that are much more dense once they are cured. They are so dense that they would not even accept a sealer if we tried to seal it. This means that they are incredibly resistant to staining and require much less maintenance compared to cement based grouts. Thus they are very popular upgrade amongst our clientele.

I truly wish the answer was yes. Unfortunately if your shower is leaking, it is due to a fundamental issue with the installation. Grout is not waterproof. Tile is not waterproof. Sealer does not prevent water from getting below the tile. If you are experiencing a leaking shower, your best course of action to prevent further (potentially severe) damage is to stop using the shower entirely and have the entire shower replaced.

The TCNA (Tile Council of North America) has no approved method of replacing just the shower pan. As Certified Tile Installers we adhere to the standards set by the TCNA board of experts. The reason is because your shower is a system. It is supposed to be fully waterproof, from the drain all the way up the walls to above the shower head. This way any water that gets behind the tile (and it will get behind the tile) will not get into your stud cavity, but will instead find its way down the walls and to your drain. There are some companies that will claim that they can remove the first row or two of tile along with the pan and install a new waterproof material and fix your leak. The issue here is that once you cut through the tile or grout joint and remove that first row or two and you have the studs exposed, even if you install a waterproof board. There is no way to waterproof behind the tile that wasn’t removed. Water can and will eventually wick up and around that “seam” and into your stud cavity. It may take 5 years or it may take 5 months, it may be a couple drops or it may be a concerning amount of water. There is no certainty in this method. There is no way to guarantee this kind of work so we don’t do shower pan replacements.

That depends on your individual situation. Tile is a luxury. The installation materials are expensive and the tile itself is expensive. A knowledgeable and reliable installer is expensive. Tile takes longer than other options to install, so your shower and or bathroom will be unavailable for an extended period of time. Considering these variables, an acrylic or fiberglass shower stall might be a better option as they are less expensive and can be installed in as little as a day. For those that can afford a properly installed tile shower, they are unmatched in beauty and durability. A tile shower can last generations when installed properly and is a functional piece of art. Tile is an extremely green choice from it’s manufacturing all the way through to it’s end of life. Tile doesn’t deteriorate like other products, it’s a stone. A tiled shower also increases the value of your home more than an acrylic or fiberglass system.

In short, it depends. There are many variables with every job that can greatly affect the price. One of the biggest variables is the size and type of tile. For instance, a classic 3”x6” subway tile will take much longer to install than a 12”x24” tile. Therefore, the price will be higher. A ceramic or porcelain tile is much easier and faster to cut, plus it doesn’t require sealing like a natural stone such as marble so it is less expensive to install than natural stone. The most cost effective tile to install is a porcelain or ceramic 12”x 24” tile. A classic tub surround with 12”x24” tile starts at almost $6,000. A standard 3’x 5’ shower with 12”x 24” tile and a tiled pan starts at almost $13,000.

The biggest issues with tile come from improper installation. There are no required licenses or testing of any sort to install tile. Many people who install tile learned from those who taught them. Unless those people sought out higher education on the proper techniques, they were most likely doing it wrong but never knew. What some people see as “normal wear and tear” are failures. Your tile should never crack, your grout should never crack, and your shower should never leak. One of the most common causes of cracked tile and grout is lack of proper movement joints. Your house swells and contracts just like everything in life. How much varies on the temperature, humidity, and all sorts of things. The wood that your house was built with swells at a different rate than your tile. If this is not accommodated for then your house will squeeze your tile installation until something gives and cracks, usually your tile or grout. Some people even experience tile tenting, give that a Google. The solution is quite simple, we must leave a minimum of 1/8” around the entire perimeter of every wall and floor with no hard materials in it. On floors it can be covered by baseboard or other moldings. If the gap is visible, we fill it with 100% silicone that matches the color of the grout or tile. Silicone remains pliable so it’s a great option for your movement joints. Be wary of people who use “grout caulk” or latex acrylic caulking. It is much easier to apply since it is water soluble but it will crack over time unlike 100% silicone.

Porcelain and ceramic tile are extremely easy to clean, they do not stain, and they are extremely scratch resistant. Natural stone on the other hand, if not maintained properly, can be easier to stain and is softer so it can scratch a lot easier. There is no denying the beauty of natural stone and some people don’t mind a little maintenance and find the normal wear to be part of the beauty of natural stone. Grout is considered the hard part of tile to keep clean. If you do not keep up with cleaning and resealing cement based grout, it can stain over time. Urethane and acrylic based grouts are much less likely to stain but still require cleaning. If ease of cleaning is a major factor for you, then a larger format tile is your best option. The larger the tile, the less grout there is to clean.

There is a measurement for tile called the Coefficient of Friction or COF. It is a measurement of how slippery a tile is when it is wet. The higher the tile’s COF the less slippery it is when it is wet. There are many factors that contribute to a tile’s COF and every tile is different. If you find a tile that you love and want to use for your bathroom or shower floor, you can either call the manufacturer or google that particular tile’s COF.

Tile is a healthy choice, ceramic and porcelain tile is made from natural ingredients and free from toxic chemicals that can make you sick. Tile is the smart choice for a healthy home from the ground up! Tile is a hypoallergenic flooring option, naturally resistant to dust and other harmful pollutants that are known to cause a variety of health issues. Tile is a great choice if you suffer from allergies or asthma. Tile is impervious, meaning it's inhospitable to dust mites, bacteria, fungi, mold and other irritants. Tile is inherently inorganic, emitting zero VOCs. VOC's are emitted by virtually all other types of flooring. VOCs are harmful gases that can cause headaches, nausea, and nose, eye and throat irritation. VOC emissions are also a leading cause of "sick building syndrome".  Tile is also a solid material meaning tile does not contain the binders common to other flooring and wall surfaces- binders like formaldehyde. Tile is also free from PVC, a resin commonly used in other surfaces to improve mechanical flexibility and heat stability. PVC contains phthalates and organotin, both regularly a subject of concern and discussion among health experts. PVC link.

• Tile is a sustainable building material, Certified Green. 
• No other flooring or wall covering choice can compare to tile when it comes to longevity. When installed correctly tile will last for many generations. This combined with tile being a zero-waste manufacturing material made it the most eco-friendly choice when it comes to flooring or wall coverings. 
• Ceramic tile is plastic-free and completely recyclable.
• There are many tile options available that are made from recycled materials.  Find some examples here.
• Tile is Energy Efficient. Tile's inherent thermal mass reduces peak heating and cooling, which helps moderate temperature swings in your home. This means less work for your HVAC system and more energy savings for you.
• Manufacturers of tile have the lowest carbon footprint of any flooring choice! Tile manufacturers typically use materials found within 500 miles of manufacturing facilities, dramatically reducing the energy and emissions that come from long-distance shipping of materials.

Over the centuries, tile has represented the perfect union of art and architecture. The richness of tile adorns our greatest buildings and historical icons. Whether you are looking for a durable surface for your flooring or something with a wow factor, tile can and should fulfill both desires!

Short answer No. Why is this important? When considering a tile contractor to construct and tile your shower or bathtub surround please keep in mind that your shower will have an average of 1100" of water per year, in comparison the average rainfall for Seattle Washington is 36" per year! Make sure that whomever you choose to install your new shower tile has a plan for waterproofing before installing tile!

• Porcelain Tile, porcelain tile is impervious, meaning its water absorption is 0.5% or less. A great choice for any application. Easy to maintain and very durable.
• Ceramic Tile, similar to porcelain ceramic tile is fired clay. Ceramic is not fired as hot and long as porcelain making it a softer product. Ceramic tile also absorbs water at a much higher rate, making it a poor choice for most outdoor applications.
• Mosaic Tile, tiles having a facial area of less than 9 in². Typically mounted on sheets or strips with other mosaic tiles.
• Encaustic Tile, tile decorated with colored clays, inlaid and fired. Often referred to as Cement Tile.
• Marble Tile, marble that has been cut into tile sizes.
• Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs; Large format tile that is gauged to a certain thickness, often only half the thickness of standard tiles and up to 63"x 126".
• Natural Stone, tiles cut from naturally occurring material, travertine, marble etc.
• Feature Tile; tile that is used strictly to make a statement, express your artistic taste and beautify your home. The choices are endless and as unique as you are! 3D tile, metallic tile, stone-look tile are just a few of the options.

• Brick joint or Running bond, Tile installation with each row offset, typically with half its length. (If the side to be offset is greater than 15", a maximum offset of ⅓ is recommended.
• Bullnose, trim tile with a radius on one edge, used for finishing an edge.
• Backerboard; An underlayment material used as a substrate for tile. Some backerboards are waterproof and some need to be waterproofed for proper shower construction.
• Grout; the material used for filling tile joints.
• Honed; a satin surface with little or no gloss.
• Lippage; A detectable change in elevation between the edges of tiles sharing the same grout joint.
• Membrane; An underlayment material, usually in the form of a sheet or trowelable liquid applied to the substrate prior to tile installation. A couple common uses of membranes would be to isolate substrate cracks from the tile and mortar (crack isolation membranes), waterproofing (waterproof membranes).
• Thinset mortar; A blend of cement, sand, and additional compounds to improve adhesion and add strength. 
• Rectified Tile; A tile that has had all edges mechanically finished to achieve a more precise facial dimension. 
• Trim; Various shapes of bases, caps, corners, moldings, angles etc. to finish or trim tile.

• ANSI, American National Standards Institute, a standards development organization.
• ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials International, a standards development organization.
• NTCA, National Tile Contractors Association, Established in 1947, the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) is a nonprofit trade association dedicated to the professional installation of ceramic tile and natural stone.  It is widely recognized as the largest and most respected tile contractors association in the world.
• TCNA, Tile Council North America. TCNA is a trade association representing manufacturers of ceramic tile, tile installation materials, tile equipment, raw materials, and other tile-related products.  
• Coverings, The largest event dedicated strictly to tile. Experience nine miles of the latest tile and stone trends. https://www.coverings.com/
• CTDA, Ceramic Tile Distributor Association,
• CTEF, Ceramic Tile Education Foundation, 
• TCAA, Tile Contractors Association of America.
• TCA Team, The TCA Team, a subsidiary of the TCNA, was launched to address the growing demand for tile installation consultations, inspections and expert witnesses.
• Tile Heritage Foundation, For research and preservation of ceramic surfaces