Glossy tiles are slippery - especially when wet. They are a very poor choice for an entry way. You will need to put some floor mats down on them and make sure your insurance is up to date. Try looking for some floor tiles instead.
Grout should be in proportion to tile size and tile design. Small tile ->
small grout line. Irregular tiles require a larger grout line. Your contractor should know enough about installation that you shouldn't need to ask here. If they can't explain how they are going to do it, then look for a new contractor.
Many floor tiles are available with a glossy surface. While they may be a little more slippery, I suspect there will be a mat or rug at the entryway anyway. I don't think you will have any problem caring for the glossy finish. I've had glossy tiles in the entryway for ten years and they still look brand new.
I will mention here that I am a trim contractor and not a tile guy. I do however have contact with the tile guys we work around I can tell you what they tell me. I also have a considerable amount of tile work done in my house and can relate what was done here.
If you are installing on a concrete floor, prep and installation is pretty straight forward. If the installation is on a wood floor the most common method used in this area is to underlay a wood floor with concrete board. Normally we see the concrete board in 4'x4' sheets and either 1/4" or 1/2" thick. I think it's branded by several companies. Some contractors will use a wood 1/4" underlayment but none of the tile guys I have talked to will recommend that method for tile. Some will not guarantee the installation unless it is on concrete board. As far as grout goes, I have a thing for epoxy grout. I love the stuff. The tile guys hate it because it' a pain to use and clean up is even worse. Ohh..... and their prices reflect how much they dislike it. Epoxy grout is a two part system using epoxy. It can be done in various colors to match your tile. It does not require sealing. The problem with it is that removing a tile at a later time is much more difficult and requires a torch to melt the epoxy. If the installation is done properly from the get go, you shouldn't ever need to know that. My tile guy does not recommend epoxy grout on a fireplace surround however. His reason is that the tiles expand more (from heat) on a fireplace front and that the epoxy is not as quick to react as normal grout. As the tiles expand on a fireplace front sometimes the grout will crack which actually allows for the expansion of the tiles. This is easily repaired with a little grout. Epoxy grout will not allow the expansion and cracked tiles are more likely the result. This makes the repair more problematic to say the least.
Talk to your contractor and whatever method you choose be sure you are both on the same page. Be sure that your contractor will guarantee his work and that you know what that guarantee will include. A good installation with normal grout will work fine and last a good long time. If anything, regular grout may require a little more maintenance than the epoxy grout since the epoxy does not require sealing. Both will look the same after installation and the biggest difference you can see initially will be the price.
Mon, Mar 14, 2005, 9:32am (EST-3) snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (anna) claims: Need advice - we would like to intall glossy ceramic tiles in Entry way.
What happened, the other groups you posted this question to can't help ya?
JOAT Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.
Building codes and ADA requirements in the US proscribe use of materials with certain minimum "slip coefficient". Typically around 0.5 but can vary by location. There are treatments that can be put on stone which reduce the slipperyness. It is unlikely that even these polished stone floors are as slippery as untreated glossy tiles.
Some tile would. But tile comes from a lot of different places in the world. Not all of these countries have the same standards. Not all tile is labeled. I can't recall seeing any US made tile labeled as floor tile which is glossy. There may be some, but I haven't seen it. My definition of glossy is that you can clearly see your undistorted reflection in it.
Glazed ceramic tile is not the same as marble. Glossy glazed ceramic is a man-made, fired material, and is impervious to almost any liquid and, when wet, is extremely slippery and treacherous. Marble is a natural stone and very porous when compared to ceramic tile (actually, I think that it's calcium carbonate). Anyway, it's NOWHERE near as slippery as high-gloss ceramic tile.
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