110 degrees magazine - Index

110 degrees magazine - 110° Magazine - July 2007 - Through the gates of Hell - Index

ABODE [INSTALLING TILE FLOORS]
INSTALLING
TILE FLOORS
You can transform the
appearance of a room by
42 www.110mag.com July 2007
replacing inferior floor
coverings with a new tile
floor. Eric shows you the
steps for doing this at home.
by Eric Metz
Images by Russell Byrne
I’m in the business of solving people’s floor-covering
needs. I became interested in flooring 15 years ago
when my father-in-law met Leonard McCurley, owner
of McCurley’s Abby Carpet and Floor at a filling station
and told Leonard that I needed a job. I started working
as an installer the next day.
Everything changed one day when Leonard and I
were returning from a big job in San Jose. We had
worked hard and Leonard saw that I had blisters.
“I haven’t had anyone work blisters on their hands
for years,” Leonard told me. “You’re front office material.”
Perhaps he told me that because of my soft
hands. However, I like to imagine that it was because
he became aware of my energy and commitment. Last
year Leonard made me a partner in the business.
One of the things I’ve discovered about myself is
how much I like making people happy. I love the look
I see in the people’s eyes when they see the results of
our efforts!
The fact is that a new floor really can transform a
living space. Replacing worn-out or outdated carpeting
in a family room, kitchen, or bathroom with new
tile flooring will radically change the appearance of a
room. Plus, tile is so convenient! It is impervious to
scratches and stains.
If you are handy with tools and want to save some
money, you can install a tile floor in a room by following
the five steps outlined below. If you choose to do
this you should rent a wet saw, which is the preferred
implement for cutting tiles to the right length. Ace
Hardware is a good source for renting saws.
1. CHOOSE STYLE, SIZE, COLOR, AND
TEXTURE
The first step is to select the perfect tile to match
the décor of the area to be tiled. The advertised “shelflife”
on this stuff is 25 years, but in fact tile never
fades. That being the case, make sure that you select
something you will love because you’ll probably be
living with this and walking on it for decades.
Tile flooring is available in a variety of colors,
textures, and quality. Don’t rely on your judgment
while simply looking at tiles arranged in a supplier’s
showcase. Take some likely tile samples home with
you. Lay them on the surfaces to be covered and see
how well the colors and textures work within the
context of the spaces where they will be used.
Also, pick out the tile size to create the effect you
desire from the room. Tiles come in standard sizes of
12, 18, and 20-inch squares. After picking out the tile,