Floor Tiling across South Australia

Floor tiling starts well before the first tile goes down. We strip old coverings, check the slab or sheet flooring for movement and moisture, and grind or level the surface so the adhesive bed is consistent. Tiles are set out from the main sightline, cut around doorways and fixtures, and bedded in adhesive with full coverage, suited to the tile and substrate. Once set, the floor is grouted, cleaned and, where required, sealed. The result should be a flat, hollow-free floor that wears as intended and, in wet areas, falls to the waste.

Good floor tiling is easy to spot once you know what to look for. Grout lines are straight and even in width. Lippage between neighbouring tiles is kept within tolerance, which matters most with large format and rectified tiles. Cuts sit under skirtings or trims, not exposed in the middle of the room. Wet areas fall to the waste with no ponding. Tapping the floor gives a solid sound with no hollow spots, which indicates proper adhesive coverage. We work to AS 3958.1, the Australian guide to installing ceramic tiles.

Preparation decides how long a tiled floor lasts. Many Adelaide suburbs sit on reactive clay soils that swell and shrink with the seasons, so slabs move. Movement joints, flexible adhesives and crack-isolation membranes take that movement out of the tiles. Wet area floors in bathrooms and laundries are waterproofed to AS 3740 before any tile is laid, and outdoor floors need slip-rated tiles and an exterior-grade adhesive, with balconies and decks over living areas membraned to AS 4654. Layout matters too: a floor set out from the centre with balanced cuts looks right from every doorway.