Tile | Home Makeover Diva

Marble Tile Kitchen Floor

02.16.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Jenny writes:

Dear Diva, my husband wants to put a polished light-colored marble tile on the floor of our kitchen. I’m not really sure if this is a good idea, though. What do you think? Is the kitchen floor a good place for polished marble tiles?

Jenny, a marble tile kitchen floor is a beautiful choice for any kitchen. I can definitely understand why your husband would want the look of marble in the kitchen. However, I can also understand why you might be hesitant. Personally, my first choice for kitchen flooring would not be marble tile. Mostly because marble is somewhat higher maintenance than other stone tile types. And will require more care than porcelain or ceramic tiles. With that mind, I would consider marble a good choice for the kitchen only if you keep the following in mind: it can be slick and it may be harder to keep clean.

First of all Marble can be slick, especially if the surface is wet. For someone like me who is a klutz, I would stay away from any polished tiles completely. But this is a biased opinion and to be honest it is only from my perception of the surface of the tile. I have never actually slipped on a polished marble or granite tile, however, I do fear that I may slip and fall. You may find that slipping is not an issue for you. If you have kids or anyone who is unsteady on their feet, you may want to reconsider and choose a tile that has a higher slip resistance rating.

Another consideration is that light-colored natural stones such as marble are hard to keep clean. This is partly because of the light color of the stone and partly because of its polished surface. Flooring of any kind that is a light color will be harder to keep clean and keep from staining. With marble tiles you can combat some of potential staining by using a good quality penetrating grout and tile sealer. And making sure to follow-up with re-sealing once a year will also help. In addition to this you will also want to make sure you are using a tile cleaner that is approved not to affect the sealer. For example, you will want to make sure to stay away from any type of sealer with bleach or any other harsh chemicals.

Polished surfaces in general also tend to show dirt more easily than others. This factor can be a bigger issue if you have kids and pets, since they tend to track in more dirt. If this is the case you will want to be wary of polished surfaces or just be aware you may need to clean the marble tiles more often than less glossy surfaces.

Regardless of which type of flooring you decide on for the kitchen, make sure it is a choice you can both live with. Especially for the person who is responsible for keeping the new floor clean. And because new flooring is expensive you want to choose something you can live with! Marble tile kitchen flooring may sound like a good option now, but it may not be for you later on down the line. Especially if you plan on staying in your home for the long haul!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe(diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!

How To Measure For Tile Backsplash

06.20.2011 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Overwhelmed in Portland writes:

Dear Diva, I’m not that handy but I want to put up a tile backsplash. My main problem though is that I’m not sure how to measure for tile backsplash. I’ve read a bunch of how to’s but no one says how to measure. Please help!

Measuring for tile backsplash is easier than you might think. All you’ve got to do is break it down into little pieces and it won’t be so overwhelming. And no, you don’t literally break it down into little pieces. . .well you might be doing that with the tile, but we aren’t talking about that part! Below I’ve outlined the three things you’ll need to do in order to measure for tile backsplash. I’ve also listed the tools you’ll need and some tips to help make the whole process easier.

First of all, make sure you have all the right tools. You’ll need a pen or pencil, paper and a steel tape measure. Please don’t use a ruler or cloth measuring tape as this will only make the job more difficult and less accurate. Besides, if you don’t have already have a steel measuring tape, it might be a good idea to pick one up for future projects. You never know what else you’re going to want to make over when you get done with the tile backsplash!

The above mentioned tools work best for rectangular areas. If your backsplash is an odd shape or has any funky cut outs like electrical outlets and switches, you may want to consider additional tools. I’m specifically talking about tools such as: graph paper and a small straight edge. It also doesn’t hurt to have an additional person available just incase you need someone to hold the other end of the tape measure. This isn’t necessary but can come in “handy.”

Next, measure and record your results. If your backsplash is a rectangle then all you need to do is write down the width in inches and the length in inches. However if your measurements aren’t that straight forward, you’ll want to use the graph paper to sketch out a replica of your area. Let the size of your backsplash dictate what ratio you will use on the graph paper. Obviously if you’ve got a large space you’ll want to use a smaller ratio and the reverse if you’re space is small. Use pencil so you can erase any mistakes you make and make sure you record any electrical outlets and light switches.

Lastly, calculate the square footage and/or Lineal Footage. If your space is a rectangle, multiply the length in inches times the width in inches. Then take this number and divide it by 144. This will give you the square footage of your space. For example if your space is 80″ wide by 20″ long, when you multiple them it equals 1600 square inches. Now divide that by 144 and you get 11.11 square feet. Then add 10% for cutting waste. In this case, 10% is going to be just over one square foot, but I would round the number up to 13 square feet just to be safe.

Calculating for lineal foot is a little easier. You simply divide the length in inches by 12 to get the lineal footage. In the case above, 80/12=6.67LF. Remember to round-up to the nearest foot and give yourself at minimum 10% extra. Then do the same to get the lineal footage of the width. This number will come in handy if you are using any bullnose or trim tiles. In general the lineal footage is also nice to know if you are planning on adding any deco or liner tiles. And I would strongly recommend calculating these totals even if you don’t think you’ll need any of the previously mentioned speciality tiles. This way if you change you’re mind later on, you won’t have to remeasure.

Once you get started you’ll realize that it is not as overwhelming as you think! Just take it one step at a time and you’ll be ready to start your tile backsplash project in no time!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!

Granite As A Backsplash

04.26.2011 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Mary writes:

Dear Diva, I’m going to use Baltic Brown granite in a small kitchenette studio apartment. The backsplash will be 7 foot long by 2 foot . On the 2 foot wall will be a white refrigerator (All cabinets and appliances are white). I really like the new glass tiles and would like to use a coordinating color. The studio will be somewhat modern and it’s 19’x19′ one open room, should I use 3-4″ of granite as the backsplash for expansion, then add the glass tiles? Please give suggestions. Thank You

Mary, there really is no right or wrong answer to your question. Basically it boils down to what do you prefer? Do you prefer the look of the countertop being extended 3-4″ or do you prefer a backsplash made entirely out of the glass tiles instead? Either answer is perfectly acceptable and will look great! If you’re unsure exactly which you prefer, here are three questions that may help you narrow down your choice:

What can you afford? If budget is a concern, then go with the option that is least expensive. If the granite is less expensive than the glass tiles then by all means supplement the cost by doing 4″ of granite first. If the granite is more expensive than use the glass tiles for the entire space.

Is the countertop slab or tile? If the countertop is slab then I’d suggest not doing a 4″ granite backsplash, instead just going with the glass tile backsplash. This is mainly because there’s a considerable up charge for backsplashes on slab countertops and if you are planning on adding a backsplash you might as well save some money. Also typically I consider granite backsplashes on a slab countertop as a substitution for a tile backsplash. However if you’re going with granite tiles, then either solution is a good one.

Are you living there or renting it out? If it’s being rented and you’re unsure of how the renters will treat things, I would suggest going with 3 or 4″ of granite. Mostly just because granite will be heartier then the glass tiles and can take a beating better in the long run. This is especially true if everyday kitchen items get slammed towards the wall. If you’re the one who is going to be staying there then you can go with either the granite or the glass tiles. Because you will most likely be more careful since you’re more attached to the items, than someone you’re renting the apartment out to would likely be.

This is also a great time to remind you to purchase extra tile of whichever one you choose, incase you have to repair something later on down the line. This way you will be ready to make a repair without experiencing the difficulty of matching different dye lots of tile or having to get creative finding something that will work with the original design.

Other than these three questions to consider, the bottom line is both options work. It just depends on which one you find more visually interesting. Especially when you consider the fact that Baltic Brown granite as a backsplash is beautiful and will look great in both scenarios!

Hard Surface Flooring

03.29.2011 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Brenda writes:

I have a daughter with special needs. At the moment, she is able to walk around the house wearing just her foot braces, which are plastic. We are going to put new flooring down and are wondering if it should be carpet, laminate, or wood flooring? I worry about the her slipping on the laminate or wood as it can be slicker than carpet and her braces are slick to begin with. Yet It is possible that in the future she will be using a wheelchair to get around the house and carpet would make that more difficult. To top it off, three of the four of us have asthma and allergies. What is our best choice?

Typically speaking when someone mentions that there could be the need for a wheelchair, I advise using a hard surface flooring. Choosing a hard surface flooring will make it easy for someone to get around in a wheelchair. You specifically want flooring that’s flat, even and can take a beating. Some people would recommend tile, but I find that grout joints can cause friction and slow the chair down. I’d also suggest staying away from hardwood with bevelled edges. Instead, I suggest something like commercial vinyl composition tiles or a heavy-duty laminate. The reason I said “typically speaking” is because you’ve also got the concern of your daughter slipping and asthma sufferers in the home.

So in your case I’d recommend putting down a hard surface flooring, but then soften this a bit by covering it with area rugs. This will give you the functionality of a hard surface with the softness of a carpet. It will give your daughter a way to get around now while she is wearing her foot braces and later on if she starts using a wheelchair.

Depending on the type of foot braces your daughter is using, I’d stay away from fluffy uneven area rugs like shag. They feel great to sit on, but will make walking in braces very difficult. I would also avoid looped area rugs because there’s a chance that something on the braces could catch a loop and cause the rug fiber to snag. So stick to low pile cut fibers and remember to get a non-slip rug pad to go underneath your area rug. A rug pad is needed to keep the rug from sliding all over the place and to keep the backing on the rug from damaging your new flooring.

Another reason that area rugs are a good suggestion, is because of the asthma sufferers in your home. While some individuals think that having carpets and area rugs in your home can make Asthma worse, I believe it helps keep the dust and allergens out of the air and bound to the rug. This paired with a good vacuum cleaner to suck the dust and allergens out of the carpet/rug can help those suffering from asthma in the long run. But as always when dealing with breathing issues, best to double-check this with your doctor’s recommendations.

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe(diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog.

Choosing A Metallic Tile Backsplash

12.16.2010 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Tamyra writes:

Dear Diva, Please help! I am in the process of choosing a metallic tile backsplash and I just can’t decide on the color. I have a stainless steel appliances, a neutral beige countertop and cherry cabinets. On top of that my faucet and light fixtures are satin nickel. Originally I thought I’d have to go with some kind of a silver color but it looks blah because it blends in with the appliances what should I do?

Choosing a metallic tile backsplash can be difficult, especially when you’ve already got a metallic finish in the kitchen it is going in. It sounds like you started off in the direction I would have gone in first too. You’ve probably noticed that while the silver metallic tile matches your stainless steel appliances it does nothing for your cherry cabinets. That is because silver is such a cool color while Cherry wood is warm and rich.

While it sounds contrary to your initial instincts, I’d suggest going with a copper or aged bronze tile. A copper tile would accent nicely with your cabinets and it would also stand out from the stainless appliances and nickel fixtures in the kitchen. An aged bronze tile could work as well depending on the shade of your cherry cabinets. If the color of your cabinets are dark, the aged bronze tile may end up just blending in with them, and creating a similar problem that you were running into with the silver metallic backsplash tile.

Whichever way you go, remember to bring a sample tile home into your space and look at how the different light affects the way it looks throughout the day and evening before purchasing. There is nothing worse than installing a new metallic backsplash tile only to find out, it doesn’t look the same at a certain time of day. I speak from experience on this one! Only I made my mistake with paint and ended up having to paint over 2 huge rooms. Trust me this is something you can avoid with only a bit of patience before beginning your project!

If you can’t get a sample or the sample isn’t very big, one trick that has always helped me with any solid backsplash tile is to bring in paint samples to the tile shop. With a metallic backsplash tile this will be even easier to match up. Compare the paint samples to the tile you are looking at and find one that matches. You can then get a quart or sample can made at your local paint store. Back at home, paint a piece of masonite or even poster board with your sample color. Once it dries you can set it up in the kitchen in the backsplash area and find out if the color works for you. This trick takes a bit of the guess-work out of choosing metallic backsplash tile!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog.