Tile Installation & Prep FAQs

The Tile Store sells tile — we do not install it — but our team fields installation questions every day. Here is a plain-English primer on prep, materials, and best practices to discuss with your licensed installer.

Does The Tile Store install tile?

No, we are a tile retailer, not an installation company. We are glad to talk through your project and general best practices, but for the actual work we always recommend hiring a licensed, insured tile installer.

How do I find a licensed tile installer near me?

Ask for referrals from neighbors and general contractors, verify licensing and insurance, and ask to see recent large-format tile work similar to your project. Get itemized written quotes from at least two or three installers before committing.

How should a subfloor be prepared for tile?

The substrate must be clean, structurally sound, dry, and flat, since porcelain will not bend to cover dips or humps. Installers typically use self-leveling underlayment or patching compounds to flatten the floor before setting any tile, and flatness matters even more with large formats.

What is the difference between thinset and mastic?

Thinset is a cement-based mortar that cures hard and handles moisture, weight, and large-format tile, which is why it is the standard for floors and wet areas. Mastic is a premixed organic adhesive best limited to small tile on dry walls, and it should never be used in showers or on floors.

What is a tile leveling system?

Leveling systems are clip-and-wedge or screw-cap spacers that hold neighboring tiles flush while the mortar cures, preventing lippage, the raised edges you can feel underfoot. They are close to essential with large-format tile like 24x48 planks and panels.

How wide should grout joints be?

Many rectified porcelain tiles are installed with joints of roughly 1/8 to 3/16 inch, while non-rectified tile usually needs a wider joint. Follow the tile manufacturer's minimum and your installer's judgment, because joints that are too tight leave no room for normal size variation.

What are expansion joints and does my tile floor need them?

Expansion joints are flexible gaps, filled with caulk or a movement profile rather than grout, that let a tile installation expand and contract without cracking. They belong at the floor perimeter, at changes of plane, and at intervals across large areas, which matters in South Florida's heat and humidity.

Can you tile over existing tile?

Sometimes, if the existing floor is solidly bonded, flat, and properly prepared with a scarified surface and suitable primer or mortar. Keep in mind it raises the floor height at doorways and appliances, so many installers prefer to remove the old tile, and yours should assess the specific floor.

Does flooring need to acclimate before installation?

Luxury vinyl and laminate should sit in the installation space, typically for about 48 hours, so the planks adjust to the room's temperature and humidity. Porcelain tile is dimensionally stable and does not need acclimation, though mortar and grout have their own temperature requirements.

Why should tile be dry laid before installation?

Dry laying means arranging tiles from several boxes on the floor without mortar to check the layout, blend natural pattern variation, and decide where cuts fall. It catches awkward slivers at walls and lets you distribute the veining in marble-look and wood-look tile evenly across the room.

How much extra tile should I order for cuts and waste?

Order about 10% more than your measured square footage to cover cuts, breakage, and pattern matching, and a bit more for diagonal or herringbone layouts. Every product page on thetilestores.com has a calculator that converts your room size into boxes, so overage is easy to build in.

How long after installing tile can you walk on it?

As a general rule, stay off freshly set tile for about 24 hours so the mortar can cure, then allow additional time after grouting before heavy traffic. Your installer will give exact timing based on the specific mortar and grout used.

What is shower waterproofing like Kerdi or a waterproof membrane?

Tile and grout are not waterproof on their own, so showers need a waterproofing layer behind the tile, either a bonded sheet membrane such as Kerdi, a liquid-applied membrane, or a foam board system. This layer is what actually keeps water out of your walls, so never let anyone tile a shower without it.

Do large-format tiles need special installation?

Yes. Formats like 24x48 and 48x48 demand a very flat substrate, a large-notch trowel with back-buttering for full mortar coverage, and a leveling system to control lippage. Experience with large-format porcelain is one of the best qualifications to look for in an installer.

Should I install tile myself or hire a pro?

A confident DIYer can handle a small, simple floor in a dry room, but showers, large-format tile, and anything requiring waterproofing or substrate correction belong with a licensed professional. Tile is unforgiving: redoing a failed installation costs far more than doing it right once.