Installing wood look tile
Wood plank tile floors have gained a good amount of popularity in the last couple of years.
For good reason: they don’t have ugly wear patterns after a couple of years, they don’t need to be refinished, and they don’t dent and ding like real wood floors do.
But when it comes to installing wood look tile there are some unique challenges.
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I wanted to elaborate on my previous post: Wood plank tile floors: What you need to know. In this post, I talked about the challenge of getting the tiles to be flat from one to the next. This is called lippage: when one tile is higher than the tile it’s next to.
Porcelain Plank Floors
There are basically two things that contribute to this:
- The fact that most of these types of tiles have a crown, or a bow, to them
- Offset patterns that are usually used.
The centers are higher
These wood grain tiles may look flat but they rarely are. Hold two tiles together: either face-to-face or back-to-back and you’ll see gaps either in the center or on each end. Why is this a big deal?
When porcelain plank tiles are installed in an offset pattern the center (high points) is next to the ends of the next tiles (low points). Sort of like a weave pattern.
This is how you get lippage- one tile is higher than the tile it’s next to. Then add in the next challenge:
Offset patterns
If you want to really exploit the lippage problem then the worst offset that you can do is a 50% offset.
In fact, the tile industry has come out with a recommendation that you offset no more than 1/3rd of a tile (33%).
The less offset that you do the better chance that you give yourself to not have any lippage issues when installing wood look tile.
This isn’t to say that 50% can’t be done. In fact, I’ve done mostly 50% offsets with 12×24 (30cm x 60cm) tile but it’s always on a case-by-case basis and the subject is always discussed ahead of time with the customer.
In general, longer plank tiles will be more difficult than shorter ones.
This is where wood grain tiles have an advantage. Typically people want a random offset to mimic a wood floor installation.
With a random offset, you vary the rows and can make it so that none of them, or very few of them, exceed the 33% recommendation.
When installing wood look tile I recommend a random offset pattern for this reason.
Floor Flatness revisited
The previous post discussed the importance of a flat floor when installing wood look tile. The tile industry recommendation for these porcelain plank tiles is no more than 1/8 inch deviation in 10 feet.
Basically, they are saying that the floor has to be perfectly flat- and nobody’s floor is that flat.
So what can you do? For concrete subfloors, you can grind the high spots and fill the low spots. Self-levelers usually work best in these situations.
Why Schluter Ditra is so cool: Uncoupling membranes explained
For wood subfloors, I don’t think self-levelers are as practical and, instead, would recommend a trowel-able floor flattening product such as Ardex Feather Finish, Henry Feather Finish, or Mapei Planipatch.
A feather finish product is easy to use and trowels smooth. They can be applied from nothing to an inch oftentimes.
These work great to fill in the low spots and they dry fast. If you are installing a membrane such as Ditra you would do the floor flattening first and install Ditra on top.
Self-Leveling Underlayment: The Ultimate Guide
Installing wood look tile flooring | Tips & Tricks
How do you give yourself the best chance for installing wood look tile like a pro? Here are some tips, tools, and products that I recommend:
Orientation of planks
When it comes to installing wood look tile I’ve found that it works best to run them across the room first.
Start with 2-3 rows and run them from end-to-end across the room. Take the time to make sure these rows are perfectly flat.
Place a straight edge across the top of them and lift and reinstall any that are too low or high. You’ll also need to make sure they are flat to each other.
Once these first starter rows are in and flat then continue to work your way down one complete row at a time.
Grout joint size
It seems that the strategy that is encouraged is to go with as thin of a grout joint as possible and a blending color so that it looks like real wood. But let’s go back to the lippage issue.
If one tile is higher than the one next to it then putting in no grout joint is only going to make the problem worse.
A wider grout joint can help to relieve the difference between the tiles.
So what does this mean? The absolute minimum grout joint that you can have is 1/16th of an inch.
The recommended minimum for plank tiles is 1/8 inch (recommended by the tile industry).
I would also recommend 1/8 inch if possible. You can do smaller but you are increasing the difficulty of the installation.
Leveling systems
The bigger the tiles get the more popular these become. I want to caution you on these- they are not miracle systems.
They won’t magically bend the tile into conforming with the rest. But many pros and DIY’ers have found these to be useful for installing wood look tile.
Some of the systems that I see a lot of professionals using are the MLT System, Levtec, Perfect Level Master, Ridgid LevelMax, and Spin Doctors amongst others.
For non-pros, I think the Tuscan Seam Clips are worth looking into because of the lower start-up costs. No special tools and no additional caps to buy.
So I hope this post has some real “nuts and bolts” type tips for the DIY’er that is installing wood plank tile flooring. I’ve tried to supply some tips and tricks to help keep you out of trouble.
Please let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or if anything needs clarifying.
For more information such as mortar selection and trowel size please refer to my posts
David says
Thanks for your practical, clearly stated and informative information!
I’m considering ‘wood plank’ tile, but am concerned that the wooden under-flooring isn’t perfectly flat and may have some give, which could cause cracking.
What would ‘toughen up’ the base best? I could use self-leveling compound for any voids that I find, and have considered ¼” concrete board, but worry about too much height at the transitions. I hate to think of removing all the sub-flooring and replacing it!
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
DIYTileGuy says
Hi David and thanks for the comments.
For you’re floor you’ll need to head over to the John Bridge Forum and use their deflection calculator to check and see if you’re floor is structurally sufficient for tile.
https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/deflecto.pl
It’s important to mention that adding self leveling or cement board doesn’t add to the structural strength of your floor. The best way to do that is to add an additional layer of exterior glue plywood. But that does raise the height of the floor.
If height is an issue I would encourage you to look at a membrane for your floor instead of cement board. Something like Ditra or Nobleseal CIS which is quite thin.
Thanks for checking out my blog.
Tim N says
My tile guy did a 50% offset with my wood tile. I’m really concerned as they are in the thunder but have not grouted yet. I noticed a few that seem to have lippage but not many. Will that change over time? Am I doomed???
Tim N says
Thinset not thunder. I’m really worried as they are already set and I have 1000sq ft of it. I don’t think pulling them all out is an option. If I don’t see much lippage are you saying that will change over time with a 50% offset or just increased my chances now of lippage? I have 1/8 grout lines. Thank you
DIYTileGuy says
The issue with lippage is something that happens as it’s installed or sometimes in the first few hours as it’s drying. If they are dry and you can walk on them then what you see if what you get.
DIYTileGuy says
As long as they are set and dried they aren’t going to move later. If they do they will come loose. But if they are installed and it’s been a day or so they won’t move on you down the road.
Cindy says
The person who grouted our wood plank tile did the entire grout job today, and when I got to my house, furniture, including heavy items like the piano and refrigerator, have already been moved back. I’m worried that enough drying time was not allowed. The total time at my house was about 8 or 9 hours. What are your thoughts? I think it was 1/8 inch so it was a narrow grout line. Thank you!
DIYTileGuy says
It’s not fully cured but I would wait to see if there’s any consequences. Everyone’s different and many people want their furniture moved back ASAP. The installers were probably assuming that was the case.
Diane says
Hi! We’re experienced diy tilers, but this 8 x 36 wood plank tile is trying to get the best of us. We’re using Custom Fortified mortar thinset and QEP LASH levelers on clean concrete. We’re abutting existing tile that we can’t match, hence the glory of wood-look tiles, so 1/2″ x 1/2″ is about as much as we can get away with for a level transition. We’re using a 33% offset and buttering the tiles. Random tiles of varying lengths just aren’t sticking. Any tips?
DIYTileGuy says
Hi Diane, there’s two things that I wonder about. One is the thinset. You mention fortified mortar but I’m curious what the actual product is.
The other thing I wonder is how the tiles are debonding. Does the thinset stick to the concrete? Does it come off clean from the back of the tile? If you drip some water on the slab it should absorb into the concrete in a short amount of time. I would try this and time how long it takes to absorb. If it stays beaded up on the surface that could be the problem.
Diane says
Oh boy, thanks for the reply. That’s actually the brand name right off the bag. It’s from Home Depot. The thinset sticks well to the concrete. Looks lovely when we pull up the tiles, arrrgh! I went to Daltile and bought very expensive Tuscan Levelers and they seem to be doing the trick. We think the curved format of the QEP system (Part A) was putting upward pressure on the .38″ tile.
……………
So today we have a new problem. This product is supposedly cleanable commercial grade. However, the surface dirt comes off, but it’s leaving a shadow stain in its wake that I can’t remove. Standard household cleaners, Magic Eraser, much elbow grease, no luck. The surface feels clean, but the shadow persists. Any thoughts?
DIYTileGuy says
So the dark stains are there and you haven’t grouted yet, correct? Can you feel the stain if you scratch at it? If so, is it hard or rubbery? They make acidic cleaners that are pretty tough and pretty abrasive. You can find some at Home Depot. They shouldn’t damage porcelain tile but always test them out first somewhere where no one will notice.
Diane says
The surface is clean as a whistle. Just attempted to clean with 50/50 solution of Stonetech Restore. No luck. Then tried Tilelab Surfaceguard penetrating sealer on the chance that it was an open pore issue. Made no difference. Went back to Bedrosians.
Not much help there, to put it as charitably as possible.
Our best guess is that these tiles were packed up before the finish was totally dry. Had they been sold as seconds, this might be somewhat understandible, but they were clearly marked “Commercial”.
Caveat emptor, as always, I guess.
BTW, we really appreciate your feedback, DIY Tile Guy!
DIYTileGuy says
I’ve heard of them being packed before they were dry and that leaving a mark on the glazing. The nice thing is that once it’s all done that you’ll probably be the only ones to ever notice! Thanks for your comments.
Valerie says
Thanks for this series of posts, very helpful.
Do you have an opinion on when to use a 24″ vs. 36″ plank? We are considering tiling a large basement. Also, do you have any recommendations on other tiling patterns, for instance, herringbone tile layout?
DIYTileGuy says
The main issue you’ll have with 24’s vs. 36’s is cutting them. A good number of tile saws will cut 24 inches but not 36. But it depends on the saw that you are using and how many lengthwise cuts that you will have. And a lot of times you can make a longer cut but you’ll have to use the saw in a way that would make a shop teacher cringe.
As far as a herringbone pattern, you would have more difficult cuts because all the cuts will be on an angle. But maybe that’s not a big issue. Also it’s a little more difficult to keep it straight with your layout lines. But as far as the flatness issues I don’t think it’s any more difficult than a typical offset pattern. I would figure that aspect would be about the same.
Danielle C says
Hi. Thanks so much for all the tips. My husband is laying 6×36 wood like porc tile through out the entire main floor himself before we move into our new house. we have so much to do and aren’t able to hire help soI think it is going to take a while and renting a saw would add up. We don’t want to buy an expensive wet saw but we are worried about buying a cheap one. Do you have a recommendation for an inexpensive wet saw for a fairly large diy job?
DIYTileGuy says
You can try the used market. This has the upside of being able to sell the saw again for close to what you paid for it.
Also, there’s a saw at Harbor Freight that had received good feedback. It’s under $300, I think.
You’re going to have trouble finding something that will cut 36-inches. One of the smaller “table saw” type tile saws may be the best bet if you have a lot of lengthwise cuts.
Alex says
Harbor freight small saw works fine. Just replace the blade with expensive Dewalt one ($40 per blade) and it will work as a charm.
DIYTileGuy says
Thanks for the real-world feedback!
David Crowley says
I am preparing to lay 1200 sq ft of Porcelain wood look tile over terrazzo..Terrazzo is in terrible shape. I believe it is portland cement type. If I put sulfuric acid on it it fizzles and you can see the wax and stuff come up..What is the best way to set ..what type of mortar? I do have one predominant crack.. should this be addressed first? Thanks
DIYTileGuy says
Hi David, I’ll be honest with you that I really don’t know a lot about how terrazzo floors are built. I would think that there are ways to tile over them but I don’t feel comfortable making any recommendations.
I would head over to the John Bridge Forum and ask this question in the “Advice” section. There’s likely to be someone over there with better information.
Melissa says
Is there more or less waste laying 6×24 tiles that look like wood as true tiles or broken bond like hardwood floors? Our builder is saying it will cost more in labor and tile waste to do the broken bond way. Would love your opinion. Thanks!
DIYTileGuy says
I find that doing a random pattern results in less waste because you can use your odd cut-off pieces to start new rows. As far as labor it depends on what he’s comparing it to. Most installers would charge more than a square layout where the grout joints all line up. Doing an offset is more difficult.
Louise says
When laying wood grain porcelain tiles is it best to have the look of the grains going the same direction or is random better? I think going different directions gives more character but husband thinks the same direction is probably better. Any suggestion on the look either way?
DIYTileGuy says
I’m not following what you mean. If your grains go one way then when you flip them around wouldn’t they still go the same way? Unless you’re talking about square tile- then you’ll have to use your judgement. If the square tile is a wood grain look then it’s probably best to run them the same direction.
Emily DG says
We are getting ready to lay wood plank tiles in our bedrooms and living room. What would be the best way to transition from the new wood plank tile to existing 18″ tiles? We originally thought we would either use a different tile/stone to separate the two types of tiles or just abut the two together and separate with grout. The problem we are coming across is that the new tile is going to sit higher than the existing tile (about 1/4″ higher). We really don’t like the idea of using a metal reducer/transition but are not really sure how well a wood transition/reducer will hold up. Thoughts?
DIYTileGuy says
That’s kind of a tough one. One way would be to try to angle a small piece of tile down or maybe it could be beveled if it was a through-body type of porcelain. Otherwise a wood or metal transition is probably going to be the best way.
Is there a way that you could change the underlayment on the floor for the new tile to something thinner? I’m not sure what you are using but if you are going to use 1/4 inch cement board or Hardiboard then you could switch to an uncoupling membrane such as Ditra. If you were going to use Ditra then you could switch to a crack isolation membrane like Noble CIS. If it’s already installed then your options are going to be pretty limited, I think.
Emily DG says
Thank you so mych for your response. The tiles are being installed directly on the concrete slab. after laying out a few of the tiles, it appears that the height difference isn’t going to be as drastic as we thought. We are going to come up to the existing and bevel the edges as you suggested.
Kathy says
What would be the biggest problem with laying wood like planks 6 x 24 in a random pattern?
Somewhere along the line isn’t it possible you would wind up with 2 planks the same length side but side?
DIYTileGuy says
Not really. A random pattern actually gives you the freedom to make the next row whatever you want. If you find that it’s too close to the previous then you can start with a different size piece.
Random A says
I just bought tile to cover 3700 sq ft from a place called Southeast Salvation located in Nashville TN. How unlevel can can the 6×36 tile boards be bc some you can notice the belly on it? I did read where you stated these tiles aren’t 100% level in the first place which made me feel better. Also some ppl have pointed it out to me that I probably bought secondhand tile. Curious if I made a rookie mistake
DIYTileGuy says
It’s common for the tile to have a bit of a bow or crown to them. Some are more crowned than others. As far as how much they are “allowed” to crown I’m just not aware of a standard.
I’m not sure that second hand tile would install any different than new tile as long as they don’t have the adhesive still stuck to them.
Lazaro says
My contractor has set a 6 x 36 wood plank tile with a 50% offset and I am seeing great work and virtually no lips. Is it a bad idea altogether to lay it with a 50% offset? Is it not recommended because of the probability is higher of something going bad? Should I consider ripping up what’s been installed? Please help
DIYTileGuy says
No. The problem with a 50% offset is that it’s difficult to get the tiles to lay flat. So depending on the tile and the installer it can be nearly impossible to get them flat enough for the customer’s standards.
So your contractor is installing them offset by 50% and they are flat with no problems? Hooray! A success story! Please don’t rip them out.
JoeG4343 says
Do you suggest installing a toilet flange on the concrete and tile around it? Or should we tile first and then have the flange installed over the tile?
DIYTileGuy says
I think the proper way is to install them on top of the tile. In remodeling situations it’s common for them to be tiled around but then a drain extension is used to get them up high enough.
Sarah Anderson says
That is really cool that you can get porcelain tile to look so much like wooden planks. Water can cause a lot of issues with wood, so I would never put it in the bathroom. Using this wood textured porcelain seems like a great idea to be able to give your bathroom a nice rustic look though! I need to do something like this for my bathrooms, then they could match my house so much better!
Helena says
Thank you for this informative article! Our installer did not use spacers and all of the grout joints are different widths. Also, some tiles are higher than the others. Also the grout color is much lighter than the one we selected. They are replacing the tiles that are too high, applying acid to make grout darker, but I still feel like the varying widths still will not look good. We shall see on Wednesday. This has beer so frustrating.
DIYTileGuy says
You’ll have to check the tiles. Some lines of tile vary in widths and it’s impossible to have consistent sized joints. So it has to be determined if it’s the tile or the installation that’s at fault.
Kimberly says
I have an issue that I hope you can give me some insight to. We are installing 6 inch x 36 inch plank tiles and realized that our walls in the hallway and kitchen where we are installing the tiles are not entirely straight. One side bows out at the end of the hallway, while the other side narrows in the hallway. We are running the tiles vertically down the hallway and are doing 1/8″ grout spacing. My husband said the wall is off (gradually goes out) by 1 1/2 inches, so he had to cut all the tiles angled that ran against that wall, which looks fine to me because the grout lines are all even. But on the other side of the hallway where the wall narrows is where we now have an issue with the tile that continues and flows through the doorway into the kitchen. After continuing to keep the 1/8 inch grout lines straight as possible, he dry laid the first row of tiles for fit across the room and to the kitchen doorway that meets the hallway. Everything looked good. He started laying tile from the hall across the front of the kitchen then had to work his way back to the hallway, to avoid working into a corner because of an attached island that sticks midway on the left kitchen wall. He noticed another variance, that started in the middle of the 3rd row, the same wall that narrowed in the hallway, now bows by 1/2 inch or more where the door frame ends. There is about 8 inches of wall after the door frame then there are kitchen cabinets. If he had laid the tiles straight and kept the 1/8 inch grout lines there would of been an angled gap of over 3/4 inch at the doorway. So he fanned the tiles, to meet the doorway tiles, (about 5 of them) but then the grout lines graduated out to over a 1/4 inch. He thought he could easily correct the variance in the next row where the tiles area narrows between the cabinetry but as he dry laid them for fit, he sees he will have trouble correcting the grout line spacing because of the staggered offset pattern and the long length of the tiles. He stopped laying the tiles at this point and we are looking for advice on how we should proceed.
DIYTileGuy says
Hi Kimberly, I’m not sure I completely understand but I’m going to take a shot at this.
If the problem is that the kitchen and hall way are not parallel to one another then it sounds like there may need to be some sort of “cheat” put into the doorway. This can be a threshold or something that allows you to run the next room independent of the one that it’s connected to. You could also run the kitched a different direction than the hallway and this may solve the problem also.
If the problem is that you come into the kitchen from two different doors off the hallway and you can’t get the planks to line back up then you’ll need to go back and make sure the hallway is straight and not fan the tiles. Things may look crooked but at least everything will line up.
I don’t know if this has been helpful or not. Please feel free to ask more questions.
Fran says
We are installing wood plank tiles 1/4″ thick on concrete floors in basement. After installation the depth is 3/8″. Tiles are installed to the doorway opening (36″ wide). What is the best way to transition under door to bare concrete.
DIYTileGuy says
Your best bet is probably to use a metal profile like the Schluter Reno that is a sloped transition. It would go from tile to nothing. They have some different versions of it so you’ll have to look and see which you prefer.
steven Pettenati says
I am planning on installing 6×24 wood faux tile in my kitchen, the room is 10×11 and connects with a small narrow hallway, making the layout an L shape. any ideas on the best layout for this. If i lay the tile across the short with (10ft) i can connect into the hallway without short cuts. If laid the long way it will not be easy to get an offset being that the hallway is only 36″ wide. Can i lay the tile across the long length 11(ft) then switch directions of the tile layout where it enters the hallway. Do you think this would look ok?
DIYTileGuy says
This is more of an opinion than a rule but my preference would be to run the long way down the hall way and continue that into the bigger room.
Or my second preference would be to run them long down the hallway and break the direction for the bigger room.
I don’t like the idea of running them the short way (across) down the hall.
Bill Lyons says
Greetings,
Thank you for all the information on this subject. I’ve used it to put down about 240 sq feet of 6×24 Black Walnut wood look tile. I’m looking for a true Boack grout, but it seems all I read reviews in say they harden into a medium gray.
Can you suggest a grout that will stay Black that I might find in a local store?
Thanks again!
DIYTileGuy says
I know Laticrete makes the color Ravens and Mapes makes a very black colored grout also.
In general, the cheaper sanded and unsanded groups will fade over time. High performance groups like Prism, Permacolor, and Ultracolor are better.
But if you don’t want fading then you’ll have to use non-cement grouts like epoxy or Fusion or Flexcolor.
Brian Shipman says
Great information,
Question. I know you recommend a random offset to mimic wood floor look, and to ensure that none/few exceed the 33% offset recommendation. What if we want to mix 8×24 with 8×36 planks? Is there a certain percentage of either tiles/sqft of each of the lengths we should use? Is there a pattern, or would random still be the way to go? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
DIYTileGuy says
Many people want a random offset when it comes to the wood-look planks but it doesn’t have to be random. The recommendation from the tile industry is 33%. You can do more than that because you are the end user and can approve any offset or pattern that you like. I think with the two different sizes the random would work great because that way you don’t have the same random offset pattern every 24 inches.
As far as quantities of each I don’t have a good answer for you. If you divide the square footage 50/50 then that would give you more 24 inch planks. I personally like the idea of more 36 inch planks with enough 24’s to really make things random. Maybe 60/40 or even 70/30?
Courtney Aston says
I’ve just read through your blog and comments and really appreciate all the feedback. Can you advise on how best to address 2 steps down to a sunken living room? My current plan is to have the planks run lengthwise throughout the room and cutting a few planks into 4″ pieces (planks are currently 8 x 48) that I will have a bullnose added to. These pieces would act as a transition at the edge of the steps and would run perpendicular across the step down. I had a sample bullnose piece made and the color is the same throughout the porcelain but still lighter than the wood look on the top, which leaves a color line on the edge of the tile — while not perfect, I think this will look better than just grouting two pieces together on the steps. Can you make any other recommendations on how to address the steps? We do not want to paint the bullnose to darken it as this is a high traffic area and I am worried that will show wear in years to come.
Also, what are your recommendations for using a grout sealer that you can pre-mix into the sealer to avoid going back afterwards to seal the grout lines. Are these effective or would you recommend the standard sealants?
DIYTileGuy says
The only other option that I can think of is to use a profile such as the ones that Schluter makes. They make some profiles for the purpose of using them as stair nosings- mainly for commercial settings. But they have other metal profiles that would work for a residential stair nosing.
As far as the grout additives go I don’t have a lot of experience with these. If stain resistance is desired I typically will use products like Fusion or Flexcolor. From what I can tell the reviews on the different additives are mixed. Make sure that you follow the instructions if you decide to use these products. Another option would be to use the new Permacolor by Laticrete- the kind where you mix in the color packets separately. They have a sealer that is a component of the grout. I don’t have any input as to how well it works.
Trena messer says
I’m in the planning stages of replacing carpet with wood look tile. My problem is going be that the wood look tile is thicker than the existing tile will set up higher than the tile it’s next to. What type of transition (or other solution) would be best for this issue? Thanks in advance for suggestions/comments!
DIYTileGuy says
There’s not a lot of options for this. I would recommend looking at Schluter’s sloped transitions.
Trena messer says
Thank you!
Wes S. says
DIY tile guy, what a great resource — I’m so glad I found you. I’m going to be installing 6 X 24 wood plank tile through my house — kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom, and laundry. I would like to maintain a consistent pattern throughout. As per your recommendation above, if I install a row/several rows at a time there will be multiple places where I will be tiling myself into corners with no exit. What’s the solution to this? The only solution I see is to do the install over multiple days doing several rows at a time as I approach a wall. Or, are there creative ways to transition a pattern from one room to another? Thanks again for your valuable advice.
DIYTileGuy says
Doing full rows at a time is simply a technique to keep you out of trouble. It doesnt have to be done that way. If you decide to leave off and continue a row later you’ll want to make sure that you’re careful about how you leave it.
Sometimes it’s easier to have short days and full rows than it is to have to remove tiles that you’ve already set because you were in a hurry.
Kyle M says
You say “random” offset of 33% or less. If you do exactly 1/3 offset it’s “calculated” and not truly random and you’ll have a line every 4th tile. I was going to do a 25% offset, every 6 in. For the most authentic/random wood look possible, would you recommend doing a true random offset meaning after completing 4 rows, choose a random spot to start the next 4 rows, repeat? or just start a new set of 4 in the same spot every 4th plank?
I’m installing 6×24 MSI Redwood Mahogany in my basement (living room, bed, bath approx 500 sq ft).
Thanks for all your blogs, the articles and pictures are very helpful.
DIYTileGuy says
I think the best way is to truly randomize. It’s supposed to look like real hardwood which is randomized although they also have random lengths which helps.
Gaynelle says
When laying wood plank tile up to 18′ square tile does It matter which direction you lay the plank tile entering in to a bedroom ? & do you start laying planks at the door & work your way in ?
DIYTileGuy says
As far as direction goes I think it depends on if you want the grains to all go in the same direction, or not.
I think it typically looks best to have a full tile on the doorway. But you don’t want to tile yourself in the room either. I have a post on Tile Layout that addresses this.
Billy Luedecke says
Thanks for all the helpful info. You’ve reinforced my confidence with your advice.
Ryan says
hello, I want to know how to get out of the room if you install tile start from the doorway??? As show on your picture, thanks.
DIYTileGuy says
You can break it up into multiple days would be one way of doing it. You also can rig up some planks sometimes. You could bring a sleeping bag in with you and stay the night. 😀 The tip I provided of running full rows is a method to keep people out of trouble. You don’t have to install it that way.
Debra Mitchell says
Help!
I asked my installer to use the 33% method or a third of the plank…he said yeah yeah I know. When I came back it was horrible. It looks like airplane runway lights on my screen porch. Plus he butted the tiles up to each other…said I wouldn’t notice when it is grouted – I really doubt that. Is there anything I can do? He asked for all of his money except $100, so that I know he will come back and grout when the grout comes in. I gave him all but $500 (total bill was $1720 and I paid for all the materials for a 15′ x 15′ screened porch). I’m really sick over this because I told him twice I wanted the third of a plank method!
Thank you, I enjoyed your column on this!
DIYTileGuy says
The only way to fix it at this point is to do it over. If you plan on doing that you should probably call the people that make the tile and ask them if they recommend a 33% offset (usually they do) and what they recommend for a grout joint size. Industry standards set the absolute minimum at 1/16th. Sometimes the manufacturer will recommend more.
Pat Smith says
We are looking to have wood-look tile installed in our living room/dining room. My significant other seems to think that the grout will not give the complete wood floor look. Since we are new to this type of thing, the installer said they would use – I believe he said 1/32 grout spacing. Is this OK? Should we be concerned about the grout showing a non-wood look?
DIYTileGuy says
1/16th inch is the smallest that you should go on the grout joint. The best things that you can do in this instance is to go with a grout that blends as well as possible. Tile floors need grout. Wood look tiles are no exception.
TG O'Donnell says
Great blog Tile Guy, really helpful.
We are about to install a wood tile floor in a kitchen diner 25′ X 15′. The tiles we want to use are 1700mm X 20mm (67″X 8″).
Installation will be done by a pretty experienced tiler laying them lengthways in the room
Are there any particular issues or problems we should be alert for using such long planks and do you feel that in this context we should reconsider and lay them crossways?
With thanks , Tom O’D
DIYTileGuy says
Those are big tiles alright. I think the orientation of the planks is something that needs to be determined on site by you and the tile people. Sounds like you’re on top of things. Good luck!
Lynda Barnoy says
Thanks for this great blog! I am having tile put into an entryway with a short hallway into a kitchen. The tile is a darker wood look 6×24 and will run into traditional oak hardwood at 3 doorways plus a 4th door to stairs and the 5th exterior front door. The entry is about 9×12 and also has stairs directly across from the front door oriented in a parallel fashion. The hallway begins about 2/3 along adjoining french doors into a living room and proceeds about 6-7 feet into the kitchen and with another doorway to a basement on the right. I read somewhere that your eye notices grout lines more when they run parallel to your line of vision but you advised another person that you prefer for the tiles to run longways down the hall ( as does my installer). I really don’t think I’ll like the tiles set perpendicular to the front door and at the stairs. We’ve also considered a herringbone pattern, but I tthink thats too busy in a 3′ wide hall and possibly in the space overall. Would appreciate your input.
DIYTileGuy says
There’s no right or wrong that I’m aware of. If you prefer the tiles to run a certain direction then that’s the way they should be run.
Paula says
Help please! We are having wood look like installed in our entire house. They have started installing in our main family / dining room in the back of the house and have laid about 5/6 of it. My son pointed out last night that the tile was chipped. When we started looking we see small pits in probably 1/4 of the tiles at different places around the edges. I’m scared to death that it’s going to get worse & worse over time. Is this a problem with the install / tile?? It is laid very random and has a thing grout line. I do notice some lippage througout but was told that the grout will cover that up. Well the grouted last night & it isn’t “covered up”
DIYTileGuy says
You’ll have to check the new tiles and see if they have pits in them, or not. If they do then it’s a characteristic of the tile. If the tile was supplied by the contractor then you may be able to have it redone. If you guys supplied it then the contractor is going to assume that you’ve “ok’ed” the tile and it will be a lot more difficult to get new tiles installed without additional expense.
Some lines of tile, including box store tile, seems to be more fragile in the glaze. It could be that these tile just chip easier.
As far as lippage goes, some lippage is ok. Too much is no good. But it varies depending on how bowed the tile are. This is different in every case. In general, if it’s credit card thick, or worse, then it’s probably not ok.
Tim Beckett says
Hello Tile Guy,
Dang it wish I would have known about you two weeks ago, argh!
I am doing about 750sqft “6×36” plank and have laid roughly an area 8×12 feet in a brick pattern, I did notice that two of the tiles have a lip issue, but the rest are fine. I am considering pulling up the tiles “ugh”, not my first rodeo with tile, many projects, but first with this length.
Should I pull it up? So reluctant to do this.
I thought about cutting the tiles and leaving it in the brick style but in a square pattern under the dining table and then doing 33% around the square area and 33% for the rest of the main floor.
Thank you for your blog and the sharing of your knowledge!!!
DIYTileGuy says
If you’re worrying about the tiles you should probably pull them up and reinstall them. Sometimes this means having to pull up more than just the two to fix it properly.
Jason Hildebrand says
Hi, I like that you actually reply to everyone, thanks!
We are going to have a contractor lay wood like tile.
My question, we can buy 1 tile that is 35×6 and the 2nd is 45×8. Does a longer/wider tile pose any issues?
Does a shorter length tile pose any issues?
Are there any questions we should be asking or contractor?
Thanks,
Jason
DIYTileGuy says
Typically the longer the plank the more difficult the installation. This comes from two different angles. 1. The longer planks are harder to cut lengthwise so it will depend on what equipment the contractor has to make cuts. 2. Longer planks are bigger, more awkward, and harder to work with. Shorter tiles are a little easier.
Ask your contractor what kind of thinset they are going to use. They should answer with some sort of large tile mortar. Versabond isn’t ok. Versabond LFT is good.
Lulu says
Hi! I am looking to get my entire first floor done in wood like tile and REALLY want the herringbone layout style. One contractor I spoke with advised me that it may be too busy and we may get dizzy by looking at it, and that I would have to buy 20% more tile because of all the cuts. What is your opinion? Have you seen this type of tile laid in herringbone style? Also, what is your opinion on porcelain vs ceramic tile? I have messy pets and the kitchen will also be tiled. Thank you so much!!
DIYTileGuy says
The pattern and look are for the customer to decide and a lot of people install a herringbone pattern with wood look tiles and don’t fall over from being too dizzy looking at it. It is reasonable to add more tile to the order- especially as compared to doing a random overlap. The amount over depends on who’s doing the counting but it could be as much as 20%. I have a hunch that the contractor simply may not be comfortable installing a herringbone pattern.
As far as porcelain vs ceramic you’ll find porcelain to be much more durable and practical for a floor.
Devin says
NTCA recommends spreading mortar with the short side of plank tile, but everything I see is always lengthwise with tile. Is there a preferred method?
DIYTileGuy says
Short side is better. It gives the air a shorter path to travel to escape.
Cathy says
We had 1000 sq ft wood look 32×8 tile installed by a professional installer who had great references. He did a random 33% or less offset and 1/8″ grout line that looks great overall. My concerns are that while he used spacers along the long side of the tiles, he “eye balled” the short ends so there are a few spots with variation(I can over look those). The part that is really bugging us is that we have 2-3 areas where there is noticeable lippage. He redid one area and it doesn’t look any better. Sounds like you are saying that he may not have leveled the floor well enough. I think I am getting on his nerves now but, want these 3 areas to get fixed if possible. Am I being unreasonable? They all happen to be in major high traffic areas. We also bought 10% extra tile from his measurements and he ran out! Now i will probably need to buy more tile to get these straightened out. Help!
DIYTileGuy says
What you are asking is probably not unreasonable. The areas with uneven tiles are probably problem spots and there’s a reason that he ran into trouble. These areas can be fixed but oftentimes when you fix one area the adjacent area is now uneven. The “trick” is to keep removing tiles until you chase out the bad spots. He likely was trying to keep the repairs at a minimum and didn’t go far enough.
Cathy says
thank you so much for your comments! It is very helpful!
Eion Lee says
I am really grateful to the series of posts.I was wondering what kinds of tiles would look good for my bathroom.I have got hard wooden floor throughout my house and I don’t know whether I would lay ceramic tiles or porcelain tiles?
DIYTileGuy says
Porcelain tiles are more durable and better for floors. Most wood plank tiles are porcelain.
Mike says
I am installing 24″ wood-look porcelain tile planks in a room that is 17′ wide x 40′ long. I intend to run the planks lengthwise because I feel it would look better. Is there be any reason to consider running them the other way?
DIYTileGuy says
The best orientation is whatever will look the best. The direction doesn’t matter from a structural or installation point of view.
Valerie Clark says
Hi, My husband and I are preparing for our first ever DIY tile project. We are installing 6″x24″ wood-look tile in a 15’x12.5′ room. We will be installing the tile on concrete after we remove carpeting. The room has two doorways; one leading to an outdoor porch, and the other leading to the kitchen. Currently, the kitchen has linoleum installed over concrete. The plan is to do this one room before we move into the house, and eventually to do the rest of the basement, including the kitchen, with the same type of tile. What is the best way to transition to the current kitchen floor, that will leave us the option of continuing the tile at a later date? I’m concerned about permanently affixing a transition strip that will be difficult or impossible to remove later.
DIYTileGuy says
The best way would be to leave the edge of the tile. You could put in a wood transition, or something, in the meantime but you definitely don’t want a metal profile like a Schluter Schienne edge. Those are nearly impossible to remove after-the-fact.
Shane says
I will be tiling an 11×30 foot room with 6×24 inch tiles. There’s an 11 foot expansion joint running through the middle that prevents me from running the tile the long way which looks better. The bag of mortar states not to mortar over expansion joints. Am i stuck running the tile along the short side? Thank you.
DIYTileGuy says
It looks like you’ll have to run it the short way. The expansion joint needs to be honored in the tile assembly. You could also run it the other direction but would still need to cut every tile exactly where the expansion joint is. Also the joint needs to be caulked or a metal profile used such as Schluter Dilex.
https://www.schluter.com/schluter-us/en_US/Profiles/Movement-Joint-Profiles/Surface-%26-Expansion-Joints/Schluter%C2%AE-DILEX-AKWS/p/DILEX_AKWS
I have a post on how to caulk movement joints (similar to expansion joints) that may be helpful.
https://www.diytileguy.com/movement-joints/
Brenna says
I just went under contract on a house that was flipped by an investor. It appears that he did most of the work himself and in a hurry. My question: I paid for a full blown inspection. In the findings, the inspector noted that the newly tiled bathrooms on the second floor would not last more than 6 months. It states they were installed without a proper backer-board and directly onto plywood. In addition, he noted several pictures w tile planks that were already split in half and grout crumbling away from walls etc. This all went into a sales addendum with other repairs requested. The seller responded with this: The inspector that did your inspection is incorrect about the tiles on second floor. First of all they are porcelain, not ceramic and secondly, they do not require a backer-board when they are porcelain. They have agreed to change out the broken tiles and when I called the inspector, he said that they may very well not be ceramic but I could hear the cracking and grinding when walking over the tiles and with new replaced tiles, that will get you through until you move in on walk on the floor. What is standard in installation of porcelain plank tiles on a second floor? Is it okay to lay directly on plywood? I don’t want to be unreasonable but why are they all cracking and grinding with weight if this was properly done? So confused and about to withdraw my offer. Any professional advice would be greatly appreciated
DIYTileGuy says
I’m glad that you brought this up. House flippers almost never do anything correctly. Instead, every decision is based on costs- and the lowest cost wins.
It’s important that your showers are water tight and that the tile floors will last. However, the house flipper is partially correct: the planks are likely porcelain tile and they don’t necessarily need to be installed on backer board. He’s wrong on there being a special exception for porcelain vs ceramic though.
In regards to being installed on plywood: It is considered to be acceptable to install tile, both porcelain and ceramic, on certain types of plywood. The plywood has to be installed ON TOP of what’s called the subfloor. The subfloor is also a type of plywood or OSB (the stuff with big wood chips in it). So what this means is that you should have TWO LAYERS of plywood underneath the tile.
Ask the inspector to clarify this. If the house flipper installed directly onto the subfloor (one layer only) then that is completely wrong no matter what kind of tile is installed.
You might try to get some sort of guarantee on the workmanship of this home. Have him put in writing that the floors will last X amount of years and the showers won’t have any leaks. Although I don’t know how the enforcement of this agreement would work.
Good questions and I will have to do a post on buying a flipped house at some point. Sounds like you have a good inspector!
Celine says
Hello there, we just finished installing large plank black walnut with 1/16 black grout. We laid it on top of our existing ceramic tile. Installers laid the cement and the the tile at 1/3 length .from each other. After the job was done and dried, I noticed that the edges of the tile are not completely flush with other tiles. The job is done and I noticed that the floor is not completely smooth. We did not use a leveler and the installers did point out that the planks were not completely flat before installation. Is this normal in wood plank tiles? Is there any remedy once the times have been laid and grout is set and dried?
DIYTileGuy says
It’s hard to say what’s “normal” because the planks are all different and will have different versions of normal.
If you have some leftover tile you can lay them next to each other and see how much variation there is between them. Keep in mind that this is the best case scenario and there does need to be some allowance for a bit of variation beyond that.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot that can be done after the fact except remove and replace.
Dan says
I plan on installing 6″x24″ plank tile over Ditra. I took your advice an filled in the mat before laying the tile. As I am laying out the tile I realize that the finished height will be much higher than expected. You mentioned a 1/2″ x 1/2″ trowel (which I have). But I also have a 1/4″ x 3/8″. I am trying to limit the finished height but not looking to cut corners. Is the smaller trowel too small? I can test a tile for coverage. I am assuming you still want a measurable thickness of thinset under the tile. You mentioned previously that a 1/2″ trowel will give a 1/8″-3/16″ compressed height. Would a 1/4″ x 3/8″ leave 1/16″-1/8″? Also the tiles will be back buttered with a thin layer of thinset.
Dan says
One other additional question. When I filled the mat I used an unmodified thinset from my local tile shop. after doing more research i found that the Kerabond T is probably the better choice. The tile shop said the thinset is high quality, which i believe, but the Kerabond T is recommended for large format tile. Do you see an issue with mixing these and setting the tile with the Kerabond T?
DIYTileGuy says
The purpose of the trowel is to get an even and appropriate amount of mortar underneath the tile. A 1/4 x 3/8 might work but I definitely wouldn’t do any less than that. Many times people use a 1/4 x 1/2 with good success.
The tile often have a crown to them and you might find that the centers aren’t well covered. You call probably address this by applying more thinset to the center during the back buttering process.
Kerabond T is a good choice for that tile and it’s ok to prefill with a different mortar.
Good questions!
gaby says
Hello. Can you give me some advice or informations about putting the wood tile on the electric heating system. I have to put this wood tiles in kitchen.Thanks
DIYTileGuy says
Hi Gaby, I’m not really sure what you are asking. Please let me know a little more specifically what your questions are. Thanks.
Amy burns says
We have an garage we are turning into a little gift shop and want to put tile planks on the floor. Currently we have concrete floor that 1. Has glue from carpet that was previously installed 2. Unlevel and chipping concrete
I know that if the subfloor is t level we will have issues with the tile.
What do you recommend to do with the chipping concrete and the parts where there are big chunks of concrete missing Particularly near the walls. Would you recommend a concrete board overtop the original flooring before laying the tile to be safe than sorry?
DIYTileGuy says
Depending on how big and how deep of patching is necessary you may want to look into products like Mapei 4:1 or Quickcrete 3:1 Sand/topping mix (available at Lowes. Home Depot has a similar product but the brand escapes me). This would be for the big deep holes. Then there are floor patching products like Mapei’s Mapecem. Many manufacturer’s now have a line of floor patching products that go from a feather finish to up to 1-2 inches.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/QUIKRETE-Sand-Topping-60-lb-Gray-High-Strength-Concrete-Mix/3006081
https://www.mapei.com/US-EN/Tile-&-Stone-Installation-Systems/Mud-Bed,-Render-Mortars-and-Repair-Systems/4-to-1
https://www.mapei.com/US-EN/Tile-&-Stone-Installation-Systems/Patching-Compounds,-Skimcoats-and-Additives/Mapecem–Quickpatch
Once you get the big holes filled you’ll want to go over the whole floor with a self-leveling product. This will flatten the whole floor. If you are doing this yourself then try to read up and get as educated as you can with self-leveling techniques. There is a learning curve to it.
Honestly, with all the money spent on self-leveling you might look into your area and see if you can find some skilled tile installers to do the floor prep. What you would be looking for is “mud men.” These guys can flatten the floor with mud work. This is a skill but they use a sand/cement mixture which is inexpensive and the finish should be near perfect to install tile over. Depending on where you live these types of installers may be difficult to find. It’s more of an “old school” skill and you’ll probably be looking at an older experienced tile installer though this practice is still quite common in the southwestern US.
For the carpet, you’ll want to scrape as much of the glue off as possible. From there grinding the concrete is the best way to prepare the floor for tile. If the carpet glue has asbestos then you’ll want to use a primer like Mapei Eco Prim Grip or Custom Building Products Multi Surface Bonding Primer.
https://www.mapei.com/US-EN/Tile-&-Stone-Installation-Systems/Bond-Promoting-Primer/ECO-Prim-Grip
https://www.custombuildingproducts.com/products/surface-preparation/surface-primers/mbp.aspx
Mary Ann Price says
I am installing 8×36 wood look porcelain tiles. I tried a leveling system and that didn’t work at all. I put down 3 and had to pull them up. Then three more and pulled them up too. I am trying again. I am using 1/16 spacers. looks like you recommend 1/8 spacing. I was doing 1/3 offset, but it sounds like you are saying I can do less, like 1/4th? And can my cuts be random just as long as they are not more than 1/3 offset. Also, my tiles are actually less than 36″ and I was OCD about them being exactly 1/3. I am working along the wall where there will be cabinets to try to get better at it where it won’t be seen. These tiles cut really nicely. (I hate to say this out loud), but If I can’t get it right, what would happen if I cut them all in thirds and do some type of brick pattern. (Have I gone crazy??!) Otherwise I might have to change to some other tile and cut my losses. I have successfully done a lot of other tile sizes… Help.
DIYTileGuy says
This is not an unusual story and you’re not alone.
There’s probably a few factors:
1. Your tiles could very well be more bowed than “normal.” If this is the case there’s not a lot that can be done about this aspect of it. The leveling system can help but it’s going to be almost insignificant.
2. Opening up the grout joints is a good idea. 1/8 or even 3/16 will help the cause. Your tile may even have a recommendation on them somewhere as to what grout joints size to use.
3. Yes, you can do less than 1/3rd offset. With plank tiles it’s common to do a random offset to mimic wood. So you could have offsets of 4,6,8,10, and 12 and mix then all up so that the rows start at different random spots. This will help things significantly.
4. Your floor probably isn’t flat enough. The best thing to do is what I explained in my post about getting one row flat across before running the next row. You may have to keep picking the tiles back up and adjusting them. But the flatter you get the rows the easier it will go.
5. Perfection may not be possible. But try to get the main walkways and areas that are visible as flat as possible.
The tiles are typically metric so a 12×24 is 30×60 centimeters. Which converts over to 11 13/16 x 23 5/8 on our imperial system.
I would advise against cutting the tiles up as you lose the factory edge when you do that.
If you find that it’s just not workable I’d rather see you exchange the tile for something else. But that’s just an opinion.
All the best and feel free to check back in with a progress report. ☺️
Mary Ann Price says
Thank you for answering so quickly. I really appreciate that. I will take your advice and continue with the one run and I will vary the sizes so they are more random. I will like that look. I like the minimal spacing,but if it will help, i will go with at least the 1/8. I also have a problem keeping the thin set batches consistent and then working fast enough. On to the tub to shower tips next. Great tips there too.
thanks again,
Rachel Taylor says
Thank you for such helpful information.
The new floor was completed yesterday and I have a couple of questions. The tile (Italian porcelain, wood-look-alike) was bought and installed by a local company which seemed to have a good reputation. Issues:
1) for some of the tiles, the color doesn’t extend to the edge (on the short side edges only, it seems). There is a white line not covered by the grout (1/16). The edges are 8 x 32 rectified. Is this a defect in the tile? The manufacture’s rep will inspect in a couple days. What is your opinion? Is this a common problem?
2) The floor had a crack down the middle and crack suppression was done, but I’m not sure if the self-leveler (8 bags/120 ft) was used. The floor is quite uneven. The sides are lower than the middle. I expected the 8 bags of self-leveler to be put down first, and tile installation the following day. It wasn’t done that way. Is this the usual procedure?
3) There is quite a bit of lippage…like alot. Side to side seems OK (i.e. no lippage but not level as shown on a 4 ft level) but end to end is off on many of the tiles. If I run a straight edge from one tile to the next (on the 8 in side), it will be stopped, i.e. they’re not even. Sometimes the left side of the tile will be OK but not the right.
It seems like 1) the tile is defective and 2) the installation was faulty.
Can you share your thoughts as to the manufacturer’s responsibility if any and that of the local tile company? I’m hoping there is a mutually agreeable way to resolve this but can’t see it at the moment.
Thank you!
DIYTileGuy says
The line around the tile is likely the way that the tile is manufactured and I don’t think there’s anything that could be done about that besides changing the selection. If you looked at a sample piece and the sample has the line around it then I don’t know how the vendor would be responsible for that. If the sample didn’t have the line around it then I think you would have a case for removing it and reinstalling it with a product that looks like the sample or maybe a different product. Wait and see what the manufacturer’s rep has to say.
The crack suppression membrane is good. I’m guessing that the floor store supplied self-leveling compound to the project and then the installers didn’t use it. But that’s just a guess and shouldn’t be considered a fact. Ideally, the crack suppression membrane would be located as close to the tile as reasonable, which is on top of the self-leveling. But check the manufacturer’s instructions on that.
The proper procedure is to flatten the floor first and install tile after that unless the floor was already flat enough. This is highly unlikely.
The acceptable lippage, according to our industry standards, is 1/32 inch + the warpage of the tile. Plank tiles oftentimes have a bow, or a crown, to them. So you have to measure how much that crown is and add 1/32 to it. FYI, 1/32 is about the thickness of a credit card.
So if the plank tiles are flat then the lippage shouldn’t be more than a credit card. If they are warped 1/32 of an inch then the thickness shouldn’t exceed 1/16 inch (1/32 allowable + 1/32 warpage).
Hopefully, this makes sense. Good luck!
Arlene says
Hello there. I have questions and concerns on how to lay down our 8″x36″ wood look tile? We were told if entering through the front door the tile should be placed in a vertical pattern, is there any truth to that? I my self like the vertical look I feel I can appreciate the wood like grain in the tiles, being that there is direct sunlight shining on the tiles. Placing them horizontally it looks to busy and chopped up. And, the sunlight doesn’t hit off the tiles the way I like it to.
1- Is there a proper way to place the tile down horizontally or vertical?
2- Can we randomly stagger the planks?
3- What would e a recommended offset percentage for tiles that size?
4-What size grout line should we use? (I believe we asked for 3/16, not sure if that would be okay).
5- As soon as you walk through the front door to the right I have a fireplace (I forgot to mention that my front door angles 30 degrees facing the fireplace. Should I be factoring in on the fireplace being my focal point and perhaps running the tiles towards the fireplace? Or, laying them down towards the window vertically?
Please help! I can also be a little OCD.
Thank you in advance!
~Worried Grandma
DIYTileGuy says
1. As far as which direction to run the planks that’s a design decision and really isn’t what this blog is about. This blog is about the installation end of the tile world. If it looks best to run the tile vertically then I think that’s the obvious choice.
2. Yes, you can randomly stagger the joints.
3. As mentioned in the post above, 33% is the maximum recommendation. Now you, as the homeowner, can choose to exceed that maximum if you like. But typically the maximum is 33%. But check with the tile manufacturer to see if they have a different recommendation.
4. Again, check with the tile manufacturer but usually 3/16th inch is fine.
5. This is another design decision and is best made on site rather than through a blog.
Lisa Dupree says
I am having wood look tile installed throughout my home soon and the contractor wants to sand the floors, meaning we have to move everything out. Please tell me there is a better way? Currently I have three types of flooring over concrete from the early 90’s, tile, linoleum and carpet. I read every article and all your information answered any other questions I had, thanks so much.
DIYTileGuy says
See my comment above. Schluter just came out with a product for this. I don’t have a link at the moment but will look for it later tonight.
DIYTileGuy says
Here the link to Schluter’s new product for sealing a flameless bathtub.
https://www.schluterandu.co.uk/tips/new-kerdi-ts-waterproofing/
DIYTileGuy says
They have dust controlled sanding equipment now. It’s not cheap and the contractors that do it probably won’t be the cheapest.
Here’s an example of what to expect from Jesse Boswell’s company in Arizona. Now called Floor Dozer.
https://youtu.be/OrZYY0jrbAU
Jared says
How do you recommend doing expansion joints with wood look tile if the tile is run horizontally but the expansion joint has to be ran vertically across the room? I’d assume you would zig zag it through correct? I am doing a 1/8″ expansion joint but can’t find any foam backer rod under 1/4″. Can I just use silicon or do I have to buy 1/4″ backer rod and cut that in half lengthwise to essentially make 1/8″ for my joints.
DIYTileGuy says
So the by-the-book way to install movement joints is to run them right across the room in a straight line- pattern, or not. It’s my understanding that testing has been done on this and zig-zagging the joint doesn’t perform as well. With that being said, a zig-zag does perform better than simply grouting the joint.
So you’ll have to do what’s best for your situation. If it’s your home and your willing to roll the dice a bit then you may choose to zig-zag the joint and maybe put them in more frequently. If your a contractor working in someone else’s home then doing it by the book would be best.
There’s also been quite a bit of study on sealant joints. They should be wider than they are deep. They shouldn’t stick to the bottom- only on the two sides. Backer rod helps to accomplish both of those things.
I live in the Seattle area and buy my backer rod locally from a store called Master Wholesale. They do have an online store but I don’t know if they have an item for 1/4 inch backer rod. But you could call them and have them ship it to you.
It seems to me that I’ve seen it on Amazon, also. You could also cut your own out of the 1/2 inch.
Mark says
Tile Guy,
These articles are absolutely fantastic. I was wondering if I could send you a private email regarding wood plank floor 6×24 tiles in particular measurements and uncoupling mats. I will be doing about 700 sq ft. I appreciate your help
DIYTileGuy says
Hi Mark, and thanks for your comments about my blog. However, I don’t do any private consulting whether that be paid or unpaid. Cheers!
Connor says
Hello diy tile guy,
It’s Conner from https://distinctivetilestone.com/floor-tiles-olympia-lacey-wa/ in Lacey. I was doing some research on wood-look porcelain tiles and the warpage issues and came across your site. Just wanted to say “Hi”.
Thanks
Nervous pre installation says
Good morning DIY Tile Guy,
Thanks for all of the excellent info. Am I correct in understanding that the best way to adjust for lippage is by adjusting the floor prior to installation? I have fresh mud..so a little sanding here and there? Most of the tiles layed out dry are flat, however, by the inside wall I notice the lippage in a particular area.
Thank you for any assist.
DIYTileGuy says
Yes, the best way to start is to have everything flat before tiling. The work done prior will pay off with a faster and better looking tile install.
Cheryl says
My question: When installing 9″ x 36″ wood-look porcelain tile, which direction should the tiles be installed? Parallel or perpendicular to the front entry?
DIYTileGuy says
There’s no “should” in this regard. It’s a design decision and you should do what fits your design concept and the look of the space.
David Schultz says
Can 6 X 24 tile be laid tight against a tub in a bathroom? I know a 1/4 space should be left against walls for expansion but the walls will have baseboard to cover the gap. Not so with a tub.
DIYTileGuy says
I understand your apprehension. On my projects, I will leave a 1/8 inch gap at a tub with 6×24 tile.
I don’t have 1/4 inch grout joints and a 1/4 inch caulk joint at the tub is going to stand out.
Sten says
Quick question! I am about to lay wood-look tiles sized 120×20 cm. The manufacturers reco is not stagger by more than 20cm (Ceramica Rondine). I was thinking whether it could make sense to use 3mm spacers between them on the long side and only 1.,5mm (half size) spacers between them on the short side in order to accentuate a wooden plan look.
Any thoughts on using different size grout lines?
DIYTileGuy says
I don’t see any issue with differing grout joint sizes.
Edward Priore says
We are using mohawk treyburne antique chateau 9×36 throughout a 2800 sq ft 1 story new house in Florida with cement slab. (except in master bathroom) We were considering 1/16 or even 1/32 stainproof grout bc we just don’t like to have grout. Input?
Second we plan to the tile run perpendicular to the front door. House flows from 16′ entryway towards rear glass doors across and after you go thru the entry the kitchen is to the right. 3 bedrooms on left and master suite to the right of kitchen.
Not quite understanding the “random” pattern? Was originally thinking 50% but after reading this thinking 33%. So if the pattern is 33% how do you make it “random”?
I pray you are on your computer recovering from New Year as they want to get our pattern tomorrow and i just came across your great blog today! Happy New Year!
Thank you in advance.
DIYTileGuy says
1/16th is the minimum grout joint and sometimes wider is recommended. Check to see if there are instructions on the tile as the manufacturer may have a recommended grout joint size.
For random patterns, think of it as up to a 1/3 offset. For example, you may have one row that is 12 inches offset, the next 4 inches from that, then 27 inches from there, etc. But the point is to not exceed 1/3 of a tile in adjacent rows so the crowning can be kept in check.
Angel says
Hello! We are installing wood look tile this week and going to do 30% offset. I am noticing when I play with the pattern all of the tiles we will have to cut are going go against the wall. Will that look ok? Should we cut small random pieces here and there to put throughout the floor so all the cut tiles won’t be against the wall? I hope that makes sense!
DIYTileGuy says
Not sure that I understand completely but typically cuts do go against the wall. If you want to cut some tiles in the field then that would be up to you guys. The factory edges are nice for installing but I understand the desire to have more randomization that would mimic real wood floors.
jessica says
We are laying 8×24 porcelain tile and it isn’t flat. Will herringbone show lippage or just 50% offset. We could also do 30% offset. Curious if we will have lippage no matter what we do if the tile isn’t flat. Thanks!
DIYTileGuy says
Herringbone patterns will contribute to lippage but it sounds like you’ll have it no matter what. I would do a mock up prior to installing and realize that will be the best case scenario for lippage. If you’re OK with it then I think you can proceed.
Antonio Soto says
What cuts should I make to start the layout for 24′ 6′ in. Tile planks
DIYTileGuy says
If you are doing a random pattern with these porcelain plank tiles you might start by cutting a 6-inch and 10-inch piece. That will give you a 6, 10, 14, 18, and 24 to get started with. Then you’ll have some pieces present themselves as you cut in the rows at the other end.
Jacob says
Great read. We are having pretty good luck with the perfect level master t-locks for jobs with 1/16th in grout joints. The random offset pulls out a great hardwood look!
Vinton Feanny says
I am planning on having plank ceramic tiles installed over an existing badly stained hardwood floor in my rental unit. The floor is very stable and level. I hear installing a cement board first over the hardwood floor then grouting and installing the tile is the best method. I had no intention of preserving the badly stained wooden floor. Is it a good idea to forego the cement board and place the ground directly onto the hardwood floor? Thanks.
DIYTileGuy says
No, it’s not a good idea to install directly over hardwood and I don’t believe hardwood is an appropriate surface to install cement board over either. The hardwood needs to be removed if you want to install tile in that space.
Jane Ann Dugan says
I was feelin confident now I’m scared. Nevertheless I am goin for it I do have the knack My planks are 7 ×20. Are you saying not to start in center center of room but up against wall work my way down, correcrt Use thinset with a 1/ 8th grout line that matches in color. Lastly it is going onto new concrete that replace peir and beam. I still to use self leveler?
DIYTileGuy says
I would start where the focal points are. Oftentimes it’s one wall or another and in the doorway. Sometimes it’s in the center. If you feel that centering is best in your room then that would be the way to do it.
Ryan says
We recently moved into a new home with wood look porcelain tile and are having some issues with variance in the glazed finish between the upstairs tile and the downstairs tile, they are the same tile. The upstairs tile has a smooth and glossy like sheen on it while the downstairs tile is rough and dull almost like a matte finish. The tile layers said that they laid the tile all at once and that it was with the same batch of tile. The variance pretty dramatic both in different lighting and in the way it feels. If wearing socks the downstairs will catch your socks when walking on it while the upstairs is slick. I initially thought that perhaps a heavy acidic cleaner was used that stripped off the finish downstairs but from what I’ve read that would be very difficult to do since porcelain is so strong. Also the matte like finish is pretty uniform through out the downstairs, even in the corners. There is also a lot of grout haze left over as well. Any ideas as to what is causing this variation and how to restore the glossy finish to match the upstairs?
DIYTileGuy says
First things first, and that’s to verify that it is, indeed, the same tile. Do you have an extra tile that you can compare the upstairs and downstairs to? It doesn’t sound like it’s the same but that’s where I would start.
Secondly, assuming there’s a difference, you have to figure out if the tile are different or if they are the same tile. You might start by looking up the manufacturer and seeing if that tile is available in two different sheens.
If they are the same tile then it’s likely a grouting issue. It sounds like there is grout residue, or a haze, on the downstairs floor. But to fix it, you’ll need to find out what kind of grout was used. Look on your paperwork and see if it says what they used. Then look up the instructions for that grout and see what they recommend for a cleaner. Then try that and see if you can get a spot to clean up.
Alternatively, you could try a variety of cleaners in an inconspicuous spot and see if any of them work. I’d start with some of the popular cement grout cleaners, try bar keepers friend, try Goof off, try vinegar and water.
If you can get a spot to clean up and match the upstairs then you’ve proven that it’s an installation issue and should be fixed at the time and expense of the installation contractor.
Shaun says
We are looking to put 6 inch x 24 inch “natural wood” porcelain planks on our cement patio that is 13 feet x 30 feet. We are not planning to tile over the joint lines of the cement pad, but will place the tile right up to the joint lines. We heard some different things such as putting Redgard down over the cement prior to laying the porcelain planks. I know the big box stores have some products as well. We were definitely back and forth to whether we should put the porcelain planks on top of concrete that is open to the elements.I didn’t know if you have any insight or suggestions. Thanks for your help!
DIYTileGuy says
It’s fine to install porcelain tile over a concrete patio but there are some things that are different when tiling outside. For starters, you want to make sure that your tile has a rough enough surface so that you won’t slip. This is called a MOHS rating and you’ll want to find one that is rated for outdoors.
Secondly, a waterproofing layer is a good idea. Redgard may not be the best product for outdoors. I would look into an uncoupling membrane like Ditra because it offers a secondary advantage of being able to relocate the expansion joints in the concrete. I know you said that you didn’t need to but, if you could, it might be advantageous.
The Ditra Handbook no longer has exterior details in it so you’ll have to call Schluter to get instructions on how to go about it. I’d also look into a product called Noble Deck EXT for this application.
Thirdly, you’ll need a high-performance thinset mortar for outdoors. Home Depot carries MegaLite. I’m not sure which product from Mapei, available at Lowes, would would work but I know that they would have one too.
Lastly, make sure to put your movement joints in more frequently.
Dave says
I’m currently installing 8×40 porcelain wood tile and didn’t do my due diligence and came to find out after starting installation that they are not rectified. I was attempting for a 1/16 grout line on a concrete slab with he tile and now I’m having issues by getting larger grout lines up to 1/2 inch only in a certain area. Is there any tips that you could recommend. As it is now the tile lines look straight if I remove and attempt to close the gap in some areas the tile start to look a bit slanted. We will be using a grout that almost matches the tile itself I’m not sure if that would help in disguising the wider grout line or if it will be more of an eye sore
DIYTileGuy says
Matching grout will definitely help as opposed to contrasting. The rooms aren’t always square so you have to do the best that you can with what you have.
Al says
When shopping for a wood plank look for my bathroom, I’m finding “rectified” seems to address the desired 1/16″ grout lines I am looking for. Also a non-repetitive inkjet grain pattern is also helpful. Three different plank sizes are available in the product I am looking at. Also found an Australian company that sells a solution applied to the floor to etch the surface, so it reduces the chance of losing your footing when wet.
Am I heading in the right direction?
DIYTileGuy says
I don’t have any experience with the non-slip coatings but you probably want to try them on a sample before committing to it. Otherwise, it sounds like you’re doing your homework!
Alan Rouse says
Hello Al:
My name is Al as well. Our projects seem to be working in parallel. I will demo my bath with shower right after the first of the year. You are very much going about this correctly. Like you, I will stagger three plank sizes at 1/16″ grout (2 part epoxy)to a similar color to give the real wood look to the rectified tile.
I purchased, had it shipped and sampled to the instructions, the Australian source of the non-slip surface for the bath and shower that you are considering. It works remarkably well.
If you assure that you have a strong floor and it is level, I am confident you will find your project to go problem free with years of satisfaction/enjoyment.
Peter Lapso says
Howdy TTG. I instaled 36×8 tiles and they are complete flat. How did i make it?
1, Must use high density mortar
2, after set mortar on flor and buttering put extra mortar to the center of tile.
3, lay tile and put extra pressure to center of tile. I step on this crap by 1 leg. It suck tile and tile is steaight.
4, take out mortar that is at side of tile and wipe gap with wet sponge
GBYA
Ellise Elmore says
Hi,
My son and his wife are having porcelain 4″ x 24″wood look tile laid by a professional. They are pattern matching as they go. Is this the correct way to lay wood look floor? My real wood floor is very random and would think that would be the correct way.
EE
DIYTileGuy says
If you want a random offset pattern then that should be specified before they start. At this point, you’ll have to decide if you want part of it random and the other part having some symmetry.
David Shahon says
Hi,
Glad to see this blog goes over many years. I am about to start a project using rectified wood look tiles. My issue is they are 8″ x 67″. Large format tiles. They look great just laying on the floor. I know I am going to have to cut them. Width seems simple, a balancing act, but not that hard. However, how in the heck do you cut these lengthwise? I have been checking some of the rental places and no one caries a wet saw that can handle a tile that long, 24″ seems about max. I don’t want to use a grinder because there is no way it will be straight. Any suggestion?
DIYTileGuy says
I suppose there are three options. One would be to pick up a small “table saw” style tile wet saw and use that. These saws are messy when it comes to water but it would solve your problem.
Another option would be to purchase a small handheld wet saw. You would have to use a straight edge each time.
The third option is to rig up a work around on a conventional tile saw like a Dewalt. You lock the rolling cart in place, set a piece of 1/2 inch backer board on top, and this will flatten the lip on the back of the cart. Then you can push the tiles through similar to a table saw.
The last one is a little hard to explain in text but it would make a good video for my Youtube channel, I suppose.
Jeff says
Hey, thanks for all of the great info. I’m getting ready to install 6×24″ wood-look plank tiles with 1/8″ grout lines in my bathroom, which has a flat, concrete subfloor. I purchased a 1/2″ x 1/2″ square notch trowel to use with CBT’s Natural Stone and Large Tile mortar, but a good friend of mine, who’s a residential contractor, is telling me to go with a 1/4″ x 1/4″ square notch trowel. Is there any reason why I should or should not take his advice? I think his thought is that I will maximize my mortar coverage with these plank tiles given that I’m using 1/8″ grout lines and the back and forth movement (when installing) of each tile will be limited. In other words, if I use the 1/2″ x 1/2″ trowel, will I be able to “flatten” the mortar and get 85+% coverage? Everything else that I’ve read, including the tile manufacturer, recommends the 1/2″ trowel…
DIYTileGuy says
Absolutely do not use a 1/4 inch square notch trowel. Even if you were to spread the mortar with notches on both tile and floor you might not get good enough coverage. Your friend is misinformed.
If you aren’t able to move the tiles enough then you could always run your notches the other direction so you can collapse them better. The trick is to pick the tile back up and see how well the mortar is covering the back. That will give you the feedback that you need.
Jeff says
Thanks for the heads up. I said “good friend”, but that info actually comes from my father-in-law who’s been tiling for 30+ years. I’ll hear it from him when he see’s that I’ve ignored his advice!
DIYTileGuy says
Sorry for creating the family rift. My newly revised trowel post has a little more information on full mortar coverage of tiles if that’s of any further interest: https://www.diytileguy.com/trowel-size-matters/
Jeff says
Not at all. Thank you for preventing me from making a mistake. This has been a super helpful website.
Mel says
We are wanting to use wood look 1200 x 20 tiles on a kitchen wall as a splash back. Are we able to do them offset in a random pattern? Or do they need to be lined up? Have been looking for the answer online, but no one else seems to use them this way.
DIYTileGuy says
Check with the manufacturer of the tiles to see what their recommendation is but most tiles can be randomly offset without an issue as long as the offsets aren’t more than 33% from one another.
Nick says
Hi! What a great website! I’m going to install wood-look tile on a basement slab with hydronic heating. The length is 30 feet by about 15 feet wide except another 10 feet out to a nook. There are no control joints but I’ve read that for 30 feet I should have some. Obviously I don’t want to. I don’t have any cracks in the floor except a couple coming out of the outside corners in the nook. But the main area of the 30 feet is crack free but has some humps i hope to grind. Do you think i’ll have any trouble just tiling the 30 foot length? I haven’t decide on tile length but thinking maybe 24 inch x 6 in is going to be easier since my floor isn’t perfectly flat. It seems the next popular size up locally is 8 x 40, which I prefer.
DIYTileGuy says
If you don’t have any control joints in your concrete then it won’t do any good to add any at this point. You will, however, need movement joints in your tile. Also, you might want to look at my self-leveling post about flattening your floor. It really is essential for plank tiles.
https://www.diytileguy.com/movement-joints/
https://www.diytileguy.com/self-leveling-underlayment/
Nick says
Wow, thanks for the fast reply! I’ve looked through most of your website but missed the movement joint part. I was actually planning on leaving a perimeter joint of about one inch on all sides (half inch under drywall plus half inch under fat baseboard) but was going to fill the gap with polyurethane which doesn’t seem to affect expansion as I read it. But since I am doing the hardwood look, I don’t want to put a straight line across the planks to create a movement joint so perhaps I can put in a zigzag movement joint? I will also put a movement joint along the length of planks at a doorway going to a hallway and bedroom to break that up and perhaps one at the nook. I was hoping you will say that I can get away with only perimeter movement joints.
On the flatness part, based on your advice, I’ve decided to rent an Emco grinder and take down the humps and generally expose fresh concrete everywhere and self level the rest. I thought I could just lay the planks and roll with the humps and live with some lippage but I think I was just fooling myself and then thought for all the money I’ll spend, i better do it right the first time.
And finally, since I have hydronic floor heat, do you think I should tile with the heat on, so that the concrete is “fully expanded”? Or cold, which I suppose would then expand when heat goes on but perhaps the planks would then pull apart rather than potentially tent. I know, thinking too much… 😉
Thanks again for your help! And reading all the comments and your replies are super helpful; I’m learning lots!
DIYTileGuy says
You can put a zigzag joint in and it will help things. It’s definitely better than having none at all. For the heat question, you definitely do not want the heat on. Install the tile and grout then wait about 7-10 days before turning the heat back on. Having the heat on prematurely is a good way to ruin the floor that you’ve just installed.
All good questions and good luck!
Nick says
Thanks Man! You’re the best!
Kevin says
Hello:) I’m on to grouting 6″x36″ plank tiles with 1/8″ gaps. I’m an amateur so grout-set time could be a factor for me. In a rush, I purchased Custom Building Products Polyblend Sanded “New Taupe” grout but have yet to start.
I’ve got a few questions I hope you can help with:
1) What brands of grout would you recommend given the following choices? Here in Toronto, Home Depot offers: Custom Building Products Polyblend (both Sanded and Non-sanded) and Prism. Lowes offers: Mapei Ultracolor Plus FA Sanded/Unsanded, Keracolor S, and Keracolor U.
2) At 1/8″, should I go for sanded or non sanded?
3) I like the New Taupe colour of the CBP Polyblend. If I end up going with a different brand, how do I match colors?
4) My understanding is that perimeter joints do not need caulking. But how do I find caulk that matches my grout colour in the field joints? Is it enough to sprinkle your grout choice on the caulk?
5) I have adjoining rooms with existing lower tile. I’ve reviewed Schluter transition products. But none of their sloping products hide the edge of a tile that’s been cut, which will be inevitable in my case when it abuts the lower older tile. Do you know where I might find wider sloping metal transitions that hide a cut tile edge?
Thank you in advance,
Kevin
DIYTileGuy says
1. Custom Prism or Mapei Ultracolor Plus FA. These are fast setting so I would stick to smaller batches and don’t spread too much before it hardens on you. Also, there’s certainly nothing wrong with the grout that you just purchased. They’ve recently tinkered with the Polyblend formula to improve the color consistency of it.
2. If you choose one of the grouts above then it doesn’t matter. Otherwise, sanded.
3. They make New Taupe in Prism
4. Both Custom and Mapei offer color matching 100% silicone. If you want to experiment with dusting dry grout over the silicone do so in a not so obvious area at first to see if you like the look and if it’s worth the trouble.
5. The Schluter Reno line is made for different heights
Kevin says
Thank you!