Floor Tiling Derby

When you're looking for a floor tiler, experience and reliability matter most. Any tiling job booked with us goes to a tiler who turns up when agreed, completes the work in the agreed timeframe and keeps you informed throughout.

Attention to detail and a properly flat sub-base are what separate a good tiled floor from an average one. Kitchens and bathrooms are the rooms that make the biggest impression on a house, whether you're selling or staying, so they're worth getting right. Whether it's a home or an office, get in touch to arrange a quote.

Floor tiles come in many sizes and styles. Most indoor floor tiles are ceramic, made from clay fired at high temperatures into a hard, dense material that resists stains, scratches and moisture, and available in a huge range of colours, patterns and sizes. Porcelain is fired harder and absorbs less water, which makes it a common choice for commercial foyers and reception areas, and for wet areas at home.

For bathrooms, wet rooms and entrances, ask about the slip rating as well as the look. Tiles are rated for slip resistance, and for floors that get wet we'll point you towards a tile with the grip the room needs. See our safety flooring page for how slip resistance is measured.

Tiling is the most popular finish over underfloor heating, because tile conducts heat well and then holds it. We install both wet and electric systems ourselves, so the heating, the screed and the tiles can be planned as one job. It's well worth deciding on underfloor heating before any tile is laid.

A heated floor moves as it warms and cools, so the build-up matters: a flexible adhesive and grout are used, and on some bases an uncoupling membrane is added to absorb movement. New screeds and heated screeds also need to be commissioned and heat-cycled before tiling, and the heating is left off while the floor is laid and brought up gradually afterwards. The British Standard for floor tiling, BS 5385, covers this, and we follow the tile and adhesive manufacturers' instructions for the specific products.

First the surface is cleaned and levelled, because tiles fixed to an uneven base crack, lip or come loose. Then we measure and mark out the layout so the tiles are evenly spaced and the cuts fall in sensible places rather than in a doorway.

Adhesive is mixed as the manufacturer directs and combed onto the floor with a notched trowel, with the adhesive chosen to suit the porosity of the tile. Tiles are laid into it and pressed firmly home, using a rubber mallet where needed, with spacers keeping the grout lines consistent. Once the adhesive has set we remove the spacers and grout the floor, spreading it evenly to fill every joint, then clean the excess off with a float and a damp sponge. Once the grout has cured the floor can be walked on.