Little Luxurious Add Ons

There are a few items that really can make your tile installation go from okay to wow! Each of these products has a varying degree of cost and additional time involved however we feel in the right application they are worth it.

Curbless Showers/Barrier-Free Showers

Curbless and barrier-free showers are a great way to give your bathroom a Spa-like look with the added benefit of helping you create a space that allows you to age in place or create a shower where a wheelchair or walker can be rolled into the shower.

The process of creating this type of shower has been simplified greatly by new products that have been brought to market by Wedi and Schluter.

Barrier Free Shower

Heated Floors

There are are few things that turn up the luxury factor then heated tile floors. When your feet are warm, you feel warm. That is why more and more customers are using heated flooring throughout there homes.

Typically we are installing an electric style of in-floor heating. This involves electric heating cables installed between the subfloor and the finished flooring. This wire is then connected to power through a thermostat that regulates the temperature according to your inputs or schedule. The wires then heat the floor and then that heat radiates throughout the room. The products we typically use here are Ditra Heat from Schluter or Nu-Heat. Both manufacturers have a great variety with 120v and 240v systems so that we can meet any requirements that the job may require.

Another option besides electric is water or hydronic heating. This type of system is best for a whole home or similar large area and can be installed in a retrofit solution with products such as Warmboard-R from Warmboard.

Shower Niche’s

In almost every tiled shower we build these days we install a tiled niche. This option allows for a space for shampoo and soap to be tucked away and somewhat hidden. This avoids a gunky shelf or a corner caddy that rusts away.

Most often these are installed in the space between walls however they can also be custom made to take any shape or size desired.

Aria Flush mount Heat Vent

Flush Mount Heat Vents

This a relatively new option when it comes to tile. Similar to flush mount Hardwood flooring heat vents, one company Aria makes both a retrofit option and a flush mount option that allows heat vents to blend in with their surroundings. This has been possible with other products or processes in the past however, the cost has been prohibitive. Aria has created an inexpensive option that is friendly to most budgets.

Penny tile: Something a little different

While surfing the internet, I came across an article in The Sun about a father and son in the UK who were covering their garage floor with thousands of pennies to create a penny tile mosaic.

Even though this would end up being a very labour intensive install (the father and son have spent a month tiling half the floor so far) this mosaic floor looks like it will be quite an amazing floor when it is all done. The two men, have collected over $1000 CDN in pennies either donated or purchased. They then soaked roughly half of the pennies in Coca-Cola to clean them up and make them shine. The pennies were installed in a pattern to create the two-tone effect. When the evening sun streams in through the windows, the floor shines. What a garage!

They will likely cover the floor in a lacquer or epoxy to keep the bright ones looking good, and make the floor a little more durable.

In another article from the same news paper, a barber had used pennies to cover the floor in his shop. He estimates that it took around 200 man hours to complete the project. However, this floor made this particular shop the most extravagant of the four shops he owns.

Take a look at the photos below, and if you are looking for something similar for your next project give us a call and we would be happy to discuss making this a reality in your home or business.

Read the full article.

Tile trends for 2018

Once upon a time, tiles were mostly used for their functional benefits (resistance to water, durability, low maintenance). Today, however, the sky is the limit for the designs that are possible and the aesthetic impact tile can create. Manufacturers have really pushed the limits on what is possible to provide really unique styles for today’s spaces.

As we enter 2018 full steam ahead, we thought we would bring to attention some of the tiles that seem to be the most popular right now and for the foreseeable future.

Stone/wood imitation tile: With the technology almost perfected to digitally copy and recreate an existing surface, many manufacturers have selected wood or stone and recreated them in porcelain. In both instances, you get a recreation that is almost identical to the real thing without having to put up with any of the potential drawbacks of the original material. You can have a wood-look tile in your bathroom without worrying about moisture, or a white marble in your kitchen without worrying about spilling any red wine. 

Terrazzo tiles: Terrazzo is typically a blend of marble chips and an epoxy or cementitious resin. The tile (which was once a mainstream commercial floor covering for its durability and unique look) has started to make a comeback. However, with a bit of a twist. Rather than being poured in place, they are now available as a tile, allowing for a simpler installation and an overall less expensive product. As well the modern reincarnation sometimes has bits of glass or soft metals inserted into the mix to create special designs.

Terracotta tiles: Nightmares of 1970’s kitchens may be floating through your head when you think of Terracotta. However the modern reincarnation of this material is used in fun shapes as well as with with a variety of glazes. These unique colours and textures help give your space a classical look.

Geometric designs: Most tiles have tended to be square or rectangular in shape. A couple of years ago, penny round mosaics became popular. This was followed by hexagonal tiles that seem to be everywhere and have started a new direction in tile design. Breaking up the traditional tile grid seems to be the name of the game these days. Whether you choose a hexagon tile, or install a rectangular tile in a herringbone pattern. Breaking away from the standard tile grid is one way to create a unique look for your space.