ktgrok Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 (edited) We are redoing the tile in the kitchen after our flood. The tile we like comes in 12 inch or 18 inch. It isn't a large kitchen. Not tiny, not galley, but not huge either. I'm thinking 12 would be best....what do you think? (previously it had 8inc, which was too small for sure). Edited to Add: I just measured. The floor space (not counter space) is 18 ft long. At the counter/sink end it is 7 feet wide, and a few feet wider at the other end, where the kitchen table is. Edited July 9, 2012 by ktgrok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyFL Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 We did ours using a pattern of both 18 and 12. I love the look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 We have 20". I am not a huge fan of small tile, although in the bathroom is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksr5377 Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 My opinion is that the larger tile actually makes the room feel larger, but I also think you have to have room to lay at least two full tiles down. I would buy some of both and lay out a small section so you can see it. We just finished a bathroom remodel and I did this with several different options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I like 12 in unless the room is really big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Is your floor very level? If it is not level you will notice it more with larger tiles. I was in a brand new house and the home owners built it themselves and the floors weren't perfectly level and you could tell because of the large tile edges seems to be sitting up a bit higher at parts. I would have been embarrassed at how uneven the floor was. If they had used smaller tiles you wouldn't have seen it as quickly. A good base is always important when laying tiles. However, large tiles means less grout lines to scrub later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 Is your floor very level? If it is not level you will notice it more with larger tiles. I was in a brand new house and the home owners built it themselves and the floors weren't perfectly level and you could tell because of the large tile edges seems to be sitting up a bit higher at parts. I would have been embarrassed at how uneven the floor was. If they had used smaller tiles you wouldn't have seen it as quickly. A good base is always important when laying tiles. However, large tiles means less grout lines to scrub later on. ooh...good point. The entire house is not level, lol. Walls are crooked, floor isn't level, etc. Thanks for pointing this issue out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Is your floor very level? If it is not level you will notice it more with larger tiles. I was in a brand new house and the home owners built it themselves and the floors weren't perfectly level and you could tell because of the large tile edges seems to be sitting up a bit higher at parts. I would have been embarrassed at how uneven the floor was. If they had used smaller tiles you wouldn't have seen it as quickly. A good base is always important when laying tiles. However, large tiles means less grout lines to scrub later on. I was going to mention this as well. Evidently our basement has some rough spots and when dh when to put down tile it was a nightmare. He worked with a huge sander a while but then just gave up and we went to paper bagging the floor. My brother used the 12 in tile with the little tiles stuck together for his shower floor bottom since it slopes. We just have 12 in upstairs and we like it. In the kitchen I do have the island surrounded by a border and then the tiles on the interior ran at a diagonal, which wasn't very expensive but looks neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Katie, what are you putting the tile down on top of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Katie, what are you putting the tile down on top of? concrete. We already pulled up the old tile, and are a one story ranch house with no basement. It isn't that the floor is bumpy, just unlevel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 concrete. We already pulled up the old tile, and are a one story ranch house with no basement. It isn't that the floor is bumpy, just unlevel. Do you mean cement board/Durock? How badly is it unleveled? If your floor is just slightly sloped, it won't make any difference in laying the tile. Did your floor sink because of your flood? Dh has always been a wonderful DIY guy. I'm throwing questions at him, but he doesn't know how badly your level issues are . . . Is it bad enough that you need to consider having your foundation mudjacked? (My words, not his.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Do you mean cement board/Durock? How badly is it unleveled? If your floor is just slightly sloped, it won't make any difference in laying the tile. Did your floor sink because of your flood? Dh has always been a wonderful DIY guy. I'm throwing questions at him, but he doesn't know how badly your level issues are . . . Is it bad enough that you need to consider having your foundation mudjacked? (My words, not his.) It isn't cement board, it is the actual concrete foundation/slab as far as I can tell. Poured concrete. As for how unlevel....sloped more than anything. I mean, there was tile in there before, and you wouldn't have noticed...until you set a ball or marble down, lol. It also took FOREVER to level the new cabinets....if my walls could talk I'd have to wash their mouth out with soap after the four letter words they heard as he was working on it. He used shims, of course, but one area actually had to be put on a plywood platform it was so much lower than the rest....one side of the kitchen is about 1/4-1/2 inch lower I believe, than the other side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I dislike cleaning kitchen tile grout. I vote for the bigger tile and have them lay the tiles close together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 It isn't cement board, it is the actual concrete foundation/slab as far as I can tell. Poured concrete. As for how unlevel....sloped more than anything. I mean, there was tile in there before, and you wouldn't have noticed...until you set a ball or marble down, lol. It also took FOREVER to level the new cabinets....if my walls could talk I'd have to wash their mouth out with soap after the four letter words they heard as he was working on it. He used shims, of course, but one area actually had to be put on a plywood platform it was so much lower than the rest....one side of the kitchen is about 1/4-1/2 inch lower I believe, than the other side. As long as you are not interested in leveling the floor, dh says that you can just use thinset. (He also says he would want the floor built up, but that's just his preference.) Personally, I'd go with the 18" tile. We have a small sunroom that we'll be using 18" rather than the 12". From what you are saying, your floor is flat, it is just not level. As long as it is fairly flat, whatever tile size you use should not have corners or sides that stick up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 As long as you are not interested in leveling the floor, dh says that you can just use thinset. (He also says he would want the floor built up, but that's just his preference.) Personally, I'd go with the 18" tile. We have a small sunroom that we'll be using 18" rather than the 12". From what you are saying, your floor is flat, it is just not level. As long as it is fairly flat, whatever tile size you use should not have corners or sides that stick up. Thanks! Yeah, we will be using thinset, i think. (dh's territory...I don't tell him how to build stuff and he doesn't tell me how to birth babies, lol). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 I just measured. The floor space (not counter space) is 18 ft long. At the counter/sink end it is 7 feet wide, and a few feet wider at the other end, where the kitchen table is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I'd do the larger tile becasue you have fewer grout lines to clean or possibly allow water in. putting it on a diagonal or running bond can also look very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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