I'm about to embark on a major renovation of a 1954 house I bought recently. I have a TON of questions, but I'll ask what I hope are some simple ones that might apply to other people's projects first:
Am I stupid to be considering using inexpensive tile (under $3/sq ft) from Home Depot or similar suppliers for the larger sections of my bathrooms (I am adding a new primary bath and will eventually renovate the current bath, which is the only one in the house). What is the difference between a $3/sq ft tile from a mass market supplier and fancy tile at $10-20/sq ft? Is the latter REALLY that much better/more durable?
And how does the type/size of tiles I choose affect the labor costs? What is the easiest/fastest type of tile to install in different areas (floors, shower floors, shower walls)?
I do read the reviews where they are available -- trying to pick affordable tiles that have generally good reviews (4+ stars minimum) and not an abundance of comments indicating they are hard to install or prone to major chipping, etc.
Here are a couple of the ones I am considering:
Shower walls: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Home-Decorators-Collection-Kolasus-Polished-12-in-x-24-in-Porcelain-Stone-Look-Floor-and-Wall-Tile-16-sq-ft-Case-NHDKOLWHI1224P/304627437
Bathroom floors: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Daltile-Cascade-Ridge-24-in-x-12-in-Slate-Ceramic-Floor-and-Wall-Tile-15-04-sq-ft-case-CR081224HD1PV/303517940
I've used tiles from HD, from "manufacturers" like Dal, and from boutique manufacturers. Dal sells all sorts of tiles they don't manufacture. HD sells some good tiles as well, but might not have access to more of a certain line or style, so make sure you have enough. Boutique tiles are for style, they aren't any better made for the most part, in fact for some of them the imperfection is the draw.
Bigger tiles on the floor in some ways are easier to install, but the subfloor needs to be dead on. The levelers mentioned above are a good idea. You also need to lay a thicker layer of mud for thicker tiles, using a bigger notched trowel. Plan the install well so your end cuts are close to equal. If you have to cut off more than half a tile at the end then shift your layout and cut a quarter of each end instead. Make a reference line on the floor and don't mud over it. I also have lots of different lengths of aluminum angle that I screw to the floor or wall and tile to. Remove them promptly and clean up any mud. Keep your work area clean. I save big pieces of cardboard and lay them over the tile and use them to kneel on, with knee pads of course.
When you get to a shower floor, the tiles need to be small enough to conform to the slope of the floor if using a center drain. Often I'll use a 12x24 on the main floor then cut those same tiles into a 3x3 for the shower floor. If you plan correctly you can cut the tiles into a size that requires minimal end cuts in the shower. For curbs I like to use a natural stone like marble that you can cut to fit and polish the edges, or cut from a slab, or use quartz that I have made from off cuts at a countertop contractor.
For walls, big tiles are harder because they are heavier, and yhe mud is also heavier (because there's more of it) and harder to trowel on. I use a ton of blue tape to hold wall tiles in place.
The old school "brick run" 3x6 tiles are the easiest tiles to lay, in my opinion. Because the grout lines don't line up by course, they are staggered, so the eye can be fooled if the the courses above and below are off slightly. Compare that to a 4x4 tile where all the grout lines line up vertically. Especially in an old house where the walls might not be perfectly plumb; your eye will really notice the cut tiles at the wall if they get longer or shorter as you go up the wall. With 3x6 subway style, you won't notice.
It's really important to get your walls plumb, especially on a tub or shower. I'll rip long pieces of 2x stock until everything planes out perfectly.
Getting the mud on the floor or wall is also really important, not only the mix, but the trowel size and technique. The thicker the tile, the bigger the notch. I like to mix my mud then let it set for ten minutes, then test it: spread a little bit on the surface and install one or two tiles, wait a few minutes then pull the tiles up. How much mud stuck to the tiles? If it wasn't very much then you'll need to adjust the mix or the amount
Small mosaic tiles are the hardest to install and grout, even though they are on sheets. It can be hard to keep the sheets lined up, and hard to cut them on a wet saw without some of the tiles becoming unstuck. You have to make a lot of cuts. For small hexagon tiles you can buy what are called "points"(3 points and 4 points), these are just a hex tile cut in half in either direction, and a big timesaver.
I've done lots of baths and showers with dal subway tile and a fancy feature band of color, glass tiles, boutique tiles, cool patterns, etc. It's good value and looks good.
Fancier subway tiles tend to have a little shading or faceting along the edges compared to dal, which gives it more depth and is pleasing to the eye. Nice for backsplashes.
Another thing I always recommend on a bathroom tile floor is an under floor heating mat or wire . It's pretty easy to install and makes a huge difference in comfort underfoot.
