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About This Project
Here's how to tile the floor of an entryway, including the all-important layout and preparation of the base. The pre-assembled marble medallion looks like the work of a master tile-setter, but it comes on a backer mat and simply slides into place.One look at this tumbled marble medallion and we were hooked -- especially when the salesperson told us that the entire medallion came preassembled on a backer mat. All we’d have to do is install a mortar base and the floor tile, leaving a space for the round medallion, and drop the two halves in place.
In this article, we’ll show you how to tile a floor that includes a centered medallion. Your local full-service tile showroom may have a medallion on display for you to look at, but most medallions will have to be ordered. Our marble medallion took four weeks to arrive and cost $550, including shipping.
The 12 x 12-in. tumbled limestone tiles that surround the medallion cost $9 each, and we ordered about 20 percent extra to allow waste for the diagonal cuts. You could also use one of the many other floor tiles that look like stone. Just make sure whatever floor tile you choose is about the same thickness as the medallion. Including the wire lath, self-leveling underlayment, thin-set, grout and miscellaneous supplies, the total cost of materials for our 7 x 11-ft. entry was about $1,700. Hire a pro to install all of this and you’ll spend at least $1,000 more.
Even though the medallion is preassembled, you should have some tiling experience. Plan on spending a couple of weekends to complete a project like this.
Prepare FloorReinforce Your Floor to Guarantee a Lasting Tile Job
For your tile to last, it has to be installed on a strong base. Here are a few of the common types of floor construction you might have and what you must do to get them ready for tile:
If You Have Wood Floor Framing
First jump on your floor to check for bounce. It’s a judgment call, but if it moves much, stiffen it by adding posts and beams under it or by reinforcing the floor joists (the wood framing that supports your floor).
Next, peer alongside a heat duct or drill a 3/4-in. hole in the floor to determine how many layers of flooring there are and how thick each is. The self-leveling underlayment we’re using requires a minimum of 3/4-in. thick boards or plywood under it. If you have less than that, glue and screw another layer of 1/2-in. plywood over the existing floor.
If your subfloor (the lowest layer next to the joists) is covered with any flooring material or underlayment, like particleboard, 1/4-in. plywood or even ceramic tile mortar, tear it out to make room for the tile and self-leveling underlayment.
CAUTION:
Sheet vinyl or vinyl tiles may contain asbestos. If you must tear out a vinyl floor, call the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at (800) 638-CPSC for information on testing for asbestos and guidelines for safe removal. Its Web site is www.cpsc.gov.
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