Tile Calculator

hmm, it really depends on the room... for bathrooms and kitchens, go for tiles with low water absorption (BIa or BIb group), so water doesn't ruin them 💧 and definitely slip-resistant ones (at least R10), or you'll be sliding around like on an ice rink! for hallways and living rooms, pick something with high wear resistance (PEI 4-5)... trust me, with kids and pets, this is essential 😉 for outdoor terraces? only frost-resistant tiles (class A) and highly slip-resistant (R11+), otherwise winter will be a disaster...

always, and i mean ALWAYS buy extra: 10% for a straight lay, 15% for diagonal, herringbone or large-format tiles! seriously, nothing worse than running out of tiles near the end of the job... and if you don't use them, you can always return unopened boxes 🛒 remember that cutting always creates waste, and with complicated patterns it can be even more... i once had a client who bought just enough and had to wait 3 weeks for a delivery of missing tiles from a different batch, which of course had a slightly different shade 🤦‍♂️ for patterned tiles or tiles from different production batches, take even 20% extra!

depends on the size of tiles and location... for small formats on a normal wall, a basic unmodified thinset (ANSI A118.1) is fine, nothing special. but if you have larger tiles (above 12x12 in) or radiant floor heating, you definitely need a polymer-modified thinset (ANSI A118.4 or A118.15), otherwise they'll crack... learned that the hard way myself 😢 and for those huge 24x24 in or larger tiles, only a large and heavy tile (LHT) mortar will do, or they simply won't stick! same for terraces... it's more expensive, but worth it! do it right once, and you'll have peace of mind for years... skimping on adhesive is the worst idea ever...

for dry rooms? standard cement grout is fine, no need to get fancy... but in bathrooms, kitchens or terraces, definitely go for water-repellent (hydrophobic) grout, because regular grout will quickly look ugly or get moldy 🤢 for kitchen countertops, where things are constantly spilling, i honestly recommend epoxy grout - it's expensive as hell, but worth every penny! doesn't absorb stains and cleans easily... yes, it's harder to apply, but the result makes up for the effort 👌 i always use epoxy in wet areas and have never regretted it!

this is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing when tiling! seriously... the surface must be perfectly level (max 1/8 in deviation over 10 ft), otherwise tiles will rock and come loose 😱 first clean everything of dust and dirt, check if it's stable and not powdery. if the surface absorbs water like a sponge, you must prime it! for uneven floors, use self-leveling compound, that stuff is a masterpiece invention... and in bathrooms and other wet areas, you MUST do waterproofing, or it'll leak to your neighbor! i once skipped this step in a bathroom... i don't recommend that experience... 🌊

not always... it depends! if the old tiles are firmly attached and not coming loose, you can lay new ones on top, but... you need to roughen them up with sandpaper or a grinder, otherwise the adhesive won't stick. and definitely use a good primer to improve adhesion, a special one for tiles 👍 just remember that the floor will be higher, so doors might not clear... had this with a client, we had to cut the bottom of the doors because he didn't plan for this. personally, i prefer removing old tiles, but sometimes laying over existing ones makes sense, especially when you're saving time...

waterproofing is like an invisible barrier that doesn't let water through... and it's ABSOLUTELY essential in bathrooms (especially in shower areas and around bathtubs!), in kitchens near countertops, and of course on balconies and terraces. most commonly people use liquid membrane, that gray stuff you paint on with a brush or roller... you need to apply it twice! use special sealing tape for corners, and special sleeves around pipes... without this, you'll have leaks and mold sooner or later 😷 my buddy skipped waterproofing in his bathroom to save money... after a year, his downstairs neighbor had mold on their ceiling and the repair cost twice as much as that saving... so really worth doing it properly...

the most important rule - avoid narrow strips at the edges! nothing looks worse than a 1-inch strip of tile along the wall... that's why you should start laying from the center of the room or from the most visible wall. i always make a plan on paper or - more commonly now - dry-lay a row of tiles to see how it will turn out... in small bathrooms, i recommend larger formats laid parallel to the longer side, the room will appear bigger! 🏠 with patterned tiles you need to think about how the pattern will align... once i didn't plan ahead and the pattern didn't match up in the corner - terrible sight 🙈

it depends... with rectified tiles (those with perfectly cut edges) you can go as narrow as 1/16 in, but with regular ceramic tiles better use 1/8 in because they have uneven edges... believe it or not, but with large format tiles or underfloor heating you need wider joints (3/16 to 1/4 in) so tiles have room to expand when they heat up. and on terraces? even 5/16 to 3/8 in! i once used narrow grouts on a terrace and after winter everything cracked... 😭 also remember that wider grouts are easier to fill for a beginner, so if you're laying tiles for the first time, don't try to do micro-joints!

expansion joints? they're like deliberate gaps that allow tiles to expand and contract without cracking... kind of like controlled cracks, but nicely finished 😉 you need to make them along walls (about 1/4 to 3/8 in), at thresholds between rooms, and definitely in large areas (over 250-300 sq ft). in long walls or hallways, make them every 20-25 ft. and if you have underfloor heating or a terrace? then even every 12-16 ft... fill expansion joints with silicone matching your grout color or special profiles. i once did a bathroom without expansion joints and after winter, when the heating was on, the tiles bulged up... disaster! 🤕

for straight cuts, a manual tile cutter with a diamond blade is best - you score and snap, simple! but... holes for pipes or outlets are a different story... you need a drill with a diamond hole saw (dry, not wet!) or an angle grinder with a tile blade. pro tip: when cutting a square hole, first drill holes in the corners, then connect them with straight cuts... it'll be cleaner and less risk of breaking the tile. don't try cutting tiles with a regular drill bit... i did that once and broke 3 tiles before i learned 🤦‍♂️ worth investing in good tools, seriously...

ohhh, that's a classic... almost always it's because of poorly spread adhesive or not enough of it! if it's just individual tiles, you can try replacing them - carefully break the tile, clean the bottom of adhesive and attach a new one with the right amount of adhesive under the ENTIRE surface of the tile. the “dot” method is the most common mistake... adhesive must be under the whole tile! 🧑‍🔧 if a larger area is bouncing, unfortunately you need to rip it all up and redo... bummer, but otherwise it'll only get worse. i once had to tear up an entire bathroom because of this mistake...

first you need to get rid of that old, crumbling grout... get a grout removal tool or just use a screwdriver and dig it out to a depth of at least 1/8 in. then thoroughly clean the joints with a vacuum (important!) and apply new, better grout... i recommend flexible or even epoxy grout in problematic areas. often the cause is a moving substrate, so check if you need to add expansion joints! i had a client who complained about constantly falling out grout, turned out the floor was moving near the doorway and there was no expansion joint there... 🕵️‍♂️ after adding an expansion profile, the problem disappeared!

oh, there are several reasons... most commonly it's an uneven substrate (the tile has no support across its entire surface and cracks under pressure), lack of expansion joints with underfloor heating, too weak adhesive for large formats, or... walking on tiles before the adhesive dries! patience is a virtue in tiling 😇 to avoid cracking, ensure an even substrate (use a laser level!), use appropriate adhesive for the tile format and conditions, make expansion joints, and don't walk on freshly laid tiles for at least 24h... once a client couldn't wait and walked on them after 2 hours... result? replacing 7 tiles the next day...

first step - clean it with something containing chlorine, regular household bleach works great! an old toothbrush (obviously not one you're still using 😂) is perfect for scrubbing grout. if the mold keeps coming back, the problem is deeper... moisture is probably getting under the tiles. in that case, you need to mechanically remove part of the grout and fill with something better - epoxy grout is excellent because it doesn't absorb water. but ventilation is key! without good air flow in your bathroom, mold will always return... i installed a humidity-sensing fan in my bathroom and the mold problem disappeared completely. also worth quickly wiping water off grout after showering, it really helps...

depends what tiles you have... glazed ones (shiny) are factory-sealed and don't need additional protection. but matte porcelain tiles, especially polished ones? you must seal them BEFORE grouting! otherwise, the grout will penetrate the micro-porous structure of the tile and you'll have dark stains impossible to remove 🙀 use dedicated sealants that create an invisible protective layer. with stone tiles (marble, travertine) sealing is essential and needs to be repeated every 6-12 months... and before sealing, tiles must be perfectly clean and dry! i once sealed damp tiles and the result was tragic - white streaks all over the surface...

for everyday cleaning? regular water with a tiny bit of dish soap is completely sufficient... just don't overdo the detergent or it'll leave streaks! avoid like the plague products containing acids (especially on marble and travertine) - they can eat holes in the stone and destroy the grout 😱 for heavy soiling, better use dedicated products for specific types of tiles. here's advice from the heart: all those miracle all-purpose cleaners are mostly hype... better buy a specialized cleaner for porcelain, ceramic, or stone. and one more thing - glazed tiles are much easier to keep clean than matte or textured ones... worth remembering when choosing!

there are several ways... the simplest is special grout pens or paints, available at any big hardware store. before application, thoroughly clean the grout with a brush and dish soap, wait until dry, and apply the product according to instructions... usually you need two coats for best results. i renewed grout this way in my kitchen and it looks amazing, like new! 👍 if grout is severely damaged, better to scrape it out and apply new grout... more work, but the result is fantastic and lasts longer. a tip from experience - if you're renewing grout in a bathroom, buy an anti-fungal additive and mix it with the grout paint, it will last much longer...