Did you know there are different types of tile contractors? When searching for a tile contractor it is always best to find one who specializes in installations for your project type.

Most professional tile contractors, oftentimes without even realizing it, fit into a specific niche. This is by no means an “official” categorization of contractor types but it is something you may want to keep in mind when searching for someone for your project. I break the categories down like this:

Categories:

• Floor covering and dry decorative installations
• Existing wet and dry installations
• Full build wet application installations
• Specialty wet and extreme custom installations

Each of these requires a different skill set, knowledge,  and abilities, each more than the last. For instance, a full build wet installation, such as building a shower from scratch, requires considerably more skill and experience than a floor covering installation such as a kitchen floor.

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I recently finished installing tile on a large fireplace surround in Fort Collins, Colorado. The initial surround was simply covered with wallpaper.

The homeowner wanted the top of the stone surround to be twelve inches from the bottom of the mantle rather than the small two inch strip that was currently in place.

There was a small problem with that – you cannot stick tile to metal. Especially metal with temperature fluctuations that a fireplace produces.

I cut fiberboard, a cement-based backerboard, and installed that around the fireplace. To cover the inside edges of the fiberboard I cut a 1/4″ by 1 1/2″ channel out of the back of the chair rail (the trim pieces around the inside of the surround) and wrapped them over the edge of the backerboard.

The stone is a split-faced stone which is cut into 1 x 2 inch rectangles and butted against one another. The face of the stone is unfinished and leaves a very textured look with a lot of depth.  A very rustic look perfect for a fireplace surround.

If you need a tile contractor in Fort Collins for your fireplace surround just give us a call or fill out our contact form on the right side of the page.

You may click on any of the images below for a full-size version.

I just finished another of our two-day bathroom remodels. This was a master bathroom in Fort Collins, Colorado which had the standard builder’s grade fiberglass tub surround and vinyl flooring.

I tore out the fiberglass surround and replaced it with drywall and Schluter’s Kerdi waterproofing membrane. The tile is a 12″ x 12″ ceramic with a row through the middle on-point (diagonally).

The floor had the standard vinyl covering which I removed and installed Schluter” Ditra membrane. The tile was installed on-point on the entire floor. When working with a smaller bathroom, or any room for that matter, installing the tile on-point will usually make the room look a bit larger. Although this takes a bit more tile and time it is often well worth it.

When you use the same tile for the entire space you will usually want to break up the monotony by utilizing different directions such as the row in the shower or having the tile out of sync with the lines of the room such as the floor being at a 45 degree angle from the walls, tub, vanity, etc. This breaks up the room and usually makes it look a bit larger.

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We’re sorry, this special price has expired and is no longer available. Contact us for current pricing.

Get Free Tile for your Remodel

Schedule your two day full bathroom remodel between now and the end of November and we will throw in the tile for FREE!

Just pay for the tear-out of your existing fiberglass surround, materials and labor for prep work and the tile installation and we will throw in your tile for FREE!

The full price includes total removal of your existing materials, new, top of the line Schluter underlayment and waterproofing membranes, all tile installation, tile and grout.

For a limited time we will take $200 off the regular price so you are getting your tile for free!

For complete details of what is included in our two day full bath remodel please CLICK  HERE.

The Small Print:

There is none. 😀

Get your full bathroom remodel for one low price.

Give us a call today or use the contact form on the right to contact us and schedule your brand new bathroom tile remodel.

Here are a few photos of a restaurant bathroom I recently completed in Fort Collins, CO. The tile is 13 x 13 inch porcelain with a random color variation.

The floor was installed over a gypcrete subfloor with Schluter Ditra tile underlayment. The wainscot was installed over Fiberrock cementious backerboard which stops just 1/2″ below the top of the bullnose. The bullnose spans the transition from the backerboard to the drywall.

When utilizing one tile for an entire room it is often beneficial to put one aspect of the layout diagonally or on-point. It breaks up the monotony of the room and oftentimes gives it the illusion of being larger.

On smaller rooms it is also helpful to choose a tile such as this that has a lot of movement or variation on the surface. It will add movement to the room and, again, make it look larger.

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I recently finished a kitchen floor in Loveland, Colorado. It is 16 x 16 inch porcelain tiles with 4 x 4 inch inserts installed in a “pinwheel” pattern. The 4″ x 4″ inserts were cut from full-size 12 x 12 inch porcelain tiles.

The tile was installed over fiberboard underlayment. Against the wood floor I placed a Schluter metal tile trim which allows for the micro-movements of the wood and structure which occur due to seasonal temperature and humidity changes.

The bare area in the floor at the end of the counter was left that way so the final cabinet can be installed at the same height as the existing cabinets. You need to have all the kitchen cabinets either on the subfloor or on top of the tile so they remain at a constant height.

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We’re sorry, this special price has expired and is no longer available. Contact us for current pricing.

Looking for a unique gift? A newly tiled bathroom:

• Is unique
• Will be used daily
• Eliminates maintenance worries
• Spices up a boring bathroom
• Adds value to your home

You can purchase this as a gift! We will include a custom card you can give as a gift and we can then be contacted to pick out the tile and schedule the installation. Purchase this special as a gift and let us take care of the rest! Now that’s unique!

Tile Art’s two day bathroom tile remodel

We are now installing complete bathroom tile remodels in two days! Schedule now and get your tile for FREE!  save $200!

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This is the second post about a kitchen I recently finished in Fort Collins, Colorado. The first post detailed the backsplash in the same kitchen. You can find it HERE.

This particular countertop replaced a stainless steel top which had no overhang for the seating side of the counter. In order to add an area for bar stools and enable the counter to be used as a seating / eating area as well as counter space for the kitchen the existing top was replaced with this larger custom built and tiled top.

The countertop was built with four separate layers of plywood totaling 1 1/2 inches thick when complete. Rather than include corbels or exterior support for the overhang I incorporated three one inch aluminum bars built into the top itself. By having the supports built directly into the countertop itself the need for exterior support is eliminated and there are no visible supports to detract from the lines of the countertop.

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I recently finished installing a porcelain tile backsplash with glass inserts in Fort Collins, Colorado. I also built and tiled an island countertop for the same kitchen. You can find details about the countertop HERE.

The main field tile for the backsplash consists of 2 x 2 inch “Livingston Leather” porcelain tile from Florida Tile. Two rows of 1 x 2 inch brown glass mosaics stretch across the entire wall with 2 x 2 inch bronze glass inserts spread throughout with a large diamond pattern placed above the sink.

The combination of the three tiles really brought the dark cabinets and light-colored countertops and tied them together making a very crisp, smooth flowing kitchen. Something as simple as a well thought out backsplash can bring different shades and colors of materials together to create a great, flowing look.

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Here are some pictures of a Kerdi shower I installed in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The tile is 13 x 9 inch porcelain installed in a running bond (subway) pattern. There are several individual tiles installed with a 2 x 2 inch decorative insert placed in the center of the tile. I also installed one of these tiles with the insert centered above the entrance of the shower.

The walk-in entrance of the shower has a curved wall of glass blocks as a sort of door “shield” or barrier. This particular shower also had two large glass block exterior windows.

The shower also has a better bench installed. A better bench is a stainless steel triangular seat frame which is bolted or screwed into the wall and filled with dry pack deck mud. When set it can then be tiled and you will end up with a floating, triangular seat for the corner of your shower.

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