Floor Tile
Tile Flooring Installation in San Diego
Porcelain, ceramic, wood-look and natural stone floors for kitchens, living rooms, hallways, entries and patios. Our own crew preps the floor, plans the layout and sets every tile, and you get the price in writing before any work starts.
A tile floor is only as flat as what is under it
Cracked tiles, hollow spots and edges that catch your sock usually trace back to the slab or subfloor, not to the tile. So before anything gets set, we check the floor with a straightedge, take down the high spots and fill the low ones. Nobody sees that work once the floor is done, and it is the reason the floor still looks right years later.
Large-format porcelain and wood-look planks are less forgiving than a 12-inch tile. A long plank shows every dip, and the edges of two tiles that do not sit at the same height (called lippage) are easy to spot and easy to trip on. On those jobs the prep takes a bigger share of the time, and the estimate says so.
Tile San Diego is family-operated and has installed tile across San Diego County since 2008. We do not subcontract, so your floor is set by our own licensed craftsmen, not a crew found for the week.
Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Flooring in San Diego
Porcelain and ceramic are both fired clay, but porcelain is made from finer clay and fired hotter, so it comes out denser. Under the ANSI A137.1 standard, a tile only counts as porcelain if it absorbs 0.5 percent of water or less. That is why we steer people toward porcelain for kitchens, entries, laundry rooms and covered patios, and why ceramic is a sound, lower-cost choice for bathrooms, bedrooms and other rooms with light foot traffic.
For glazed tile, the PEI rating on the box tells you how much wear the surface can take. Class 3 handles most rooms in a house; class 4 and 5 are rated for heavier traffic, up to commercial floors. Across San Diego, the floors we get asked about most are large-format porcelain (24 by 24 inches and up) and wood-look porcelain planks, which give the look of hardwood without the worry about sand, spills or pets.
Before a floor goes in, we check two things the finished tile will depend on: how flat the slab or subfloor is for the tile size you picked, and where the movement joints go. Tile needs room to move at the walls, at changes of plane and across large open floors, following the TCNA EJ171 guidelines. Skipping those joints is a common reason tile tents or cracks later, and it is not something you can fix after the grout is in.
How a Floor Job Goes
- 1Visit and estimateWe measure the rooms, look at the slab or subfloor and talk through tile size and pattern. The estimate comes in writing.
- 2PrepOld flooring comes out if it has to, and the floor is flattened to what your tile size needs.
- 3Layout and settingKey rows get dry-laid to check the pattern and the cuts, then the tile is set in a full bed of mortar.
- 4Grout and walkthroughGrout, cleanup, and a walk over the finished floor with you before we call it done.
Floor Tile We Install
If you already picked your tile, we install it. If you have not, we can tell you what holds up in the room you are doing.
Porcelain
Dense, hard to scratch and it barely absorbs water. The usual pick for kitchens, entries and any floor that gets sand tracked in from outside.
Wood-look planks
Porcelain made to look like hardwood, in long planks. A good fit for living rooms and hallways where you want the look of wood without worrying about spills or dogs.
Ceramic
Lighter and usually less expensive than porcelain. Fine for bathrooms and rooms with light traffic. We will tell you if a room needs something tougher.
Natural stone
Travertine, marble and slate floors. Stone needs sealing and its own setting materials. More on our natural stone tile page.
Outdoor tile
Patios and entries need tile rated for outdoor use, with a surface that still has some grip when it is wet.
Common Questions
Can you install new tile over my existing floor?
Sometimes. If the old tile is flat, well bonded, and the extra height still works with your doors and appliances, going over it can be an option. If it is loose, cracked or hollow, it has to come out. We check this at the estimate visit and put the answer in writing.
Do I have to buy the tile myself?
You can bring tile you already chose, or we can help you pick one that suits the room. Either way, the written estimate spells out what is included.
Why does large-format tile cost more to install?
Big tiles and long planks need a flatter floor, more prep and more care during setting to keep the edges even. Most of the difference in price is the prep, not the tile.
Is the estimate really free?
Yes. We come out, measure and give you a written price. There is no charge for the visit.
Where We Work
We are based at 2712 Transportation Ave. in National City and work across San Diego County, including:
Not sure we cover your area? Call (619) 259-2291 and ask.
Get a Price on Your Floor
Tell us which rooms and what tile you have in mind. We will come out, measure and give you a written estimate at no charge.