When having tile flooring installed you must have a very strong sub-floor on which to lay them. Without 1 ¼” of plywood sub-floor, the tiles will eventually crack. If you are the unlucky type, this may happen once you are out of your contractor’s labor warranty (1 year in most states).

Your contractor should inspect the floor to determine if it is strong and not spongy:

• With a strong sub-floor- Still request a ½” plywood sub-floor to be added on top of the existing floor.
• With a spongy sub-floor- Ask your contractor about removing the sub-floor and inspecting the joists. Very rarely will joists have to be replaced. If there is termite or water damage, a common technique is to ‘sister the joists’ (run an additional plank along side of it for more support).

Also, blocks (pieces of wood running perpendicular to help stabilize the joists) may need to be added because they were not always used in old construction. If the joists prove to be strong, then the sub-floor was weak. Adding a new 3/4″ sub-floor on top of the joists, then an additional 1/2″ plywood sub-floor on top of that may help. Be sure that your contractor does not line up the ‘seems’ of the two layers, lest the floor may be weak.

Be wary of:

• Tile backer board- (commonly referred to as Durarock; a brand name) this is meant for tub/shower wall applications and does not have the same strength as plywood.
• OSB- (oriented strand board, or wafer board).

Note: When using marble or exotic stone ask your contractor if he is familiar with ‘floating the stone.’ Exotic stones vary in thickness and he will have to sink the thicker tiles deeper into the thin set (glue). If he is not familiar with this, you should be concerned.

Many homeowners buy a house with the intention of making additions or updating it soon after they are moved in. Are you thinking your house needs some renovations, but aren’t sure what? Take a look at some of the choices homeowners today are making when it comes to their homes:

• White interior walls. Many painters find that homeowners are selecting white paint for the interior of their homes.

• Earth tones outdoors. For the exteriors of their homes, homeowners are choosing brown, gray, and other earth tones.

• Large additional rooms. Homeowners are requesting sunrooms, exercise rooms, screened porches, and larger, more detailed bathrooms.

• Tile floors. The most popular type of flooring is tile, though there is a growing, gradual selection of natural materials that can be recycled for floors.

For you forward-thinking homeowners, some hot new features already present in a few homes are starting to slowly become more popular and affordable. Dare to dream when it comes to what you would like to see in your home. Here are some features you may be seeing more and more of in the future: read more »