Tackling Tile Troubles
Oh, tile floors. They’re supposed to be the poster child for easy-care, durable flooring, aren’t they? Well, let me tell you – in my experience, they can be anything but easy to deal with. In fact, it’s my least favorite thing to do, even more than that time we decided to switch out all our landscaping mulch for river rock and my husband enlisted me as the only help to move 27 tons of it with nothing but a wheelbarrow and our bare hands.
Whenever I think of removing tile, I’m transported back to our kitchen renovation two years ago, when Shad and I spent two grueling days ripping that terrible tile out, only to be left with a hard cement tile adhesive that refused to budge. With just 24 hours left until the hardwood floor guys were scheduled to arrive, we had to rent a cement grinder to get rid of the adhesive. I not only looked like a survivor walking out of the ashes of ground zero, but our house was an absolute mess of dust, and all I could taste for a week when I swallowed was tile adhesive. Needless to say, if we can avoid removing tile and saving our house from that absolute mess, we will.
So when it came to the guest bathroom upstairs, for which I despised everything from the layout to the sink to the tile floor, I was determined to find a solution that didn’t involve ripping it all out. I couldn’t forget the trauma of removing that kitchen floor, so much so that I convinced myself leaving the floor as it was and making other changes would satisfy me enough.
Decorative Tile Dilemmas
In phase one, we changed out the bathroom sink, which is still available on Home Depot’s website for under $600. This made my mind comfortable for about a month. In phase two, I decided to shiplap the cove, thinking that would make me feel better (see my other blog post here for shiplapping). Which it did, for a while.
But as I walked by this bathroom on a daily basis, the floor just kept bothering me. Can you believe this is paint? I came across this idea through my friend Courtney. She lives in PA, and we often text each other to throw around decorating ideas. She knew how badly I wanted to change out my tile but didn’t want to remove it, so she sent me this idea.
Basically, what you do is order a stencil online to the size of one of your tiles and apply that stencil with paint to each tile. What I love about it is that it plays on the trend of fun mosaic tiles that are now seen in bathrooms, kitchens, and mudrooms, all while staying budget-friendly since the only costs are stencils and paint.
Why didn’t I try it? As I mentioned above, I hate painting, and as I read in the blogs, it was very tedious and time-consuming. I was also left with many questions, like: Will it last over time and not chip after all the time I spent completing the project? Did continued use of the stencil cause it to get messy? Lastly, if I messed it up, I felt that I’d be left with no option but to remove the tile after all. These ladies did amazing jobs, but since I’m not the best painter, I searched for another option.
Vinyl Tile Triumph
My friend Jessica over at CozyhomecozyheartCOM painted and stenciled her master bathroom this weekend, and check out how beautiful it came out!
Vinyl peel-and-stick flooring, or VTF, has come a long way from the vinyl tile flooring options that were popular in the 1980s. Available at stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s, these peel-and-stick tiles are available for less than $1 a square foot. You can lay them right over the existing floor – vinyl flooring or tile and grout them for a more finished look.
What I love about it is the price – it’s super reasonable, and the look of the products has come a long way. When I researched this, I came across Stainmaster brand vinyl wood-look tiles, and in person, many of these colors actually look like real wood flooring. It adheres straight to the floor after some prep work and is quick and easy.
Why didn’t I try it? I worried about how the VTF would hold up with the moisture of the bathroom’s shower. If it didn’t hold up, I was worried about being able to remove this flooring from the tile. Then, would I be left with removing the tile after all? However, my husband and I plan on trying this out in our basement when we renovate it this summer because it is so cost-effective. I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes once we complete it.
Pergo Perfection
DIY Delight
Ultimately, I decided on this option: Pergo XP, which is also sold at Home Depot and Lowe’s. The product truly looks like wood, and it was the most expensive out of the three options, but I went with it for many reasons.
What I love about it:
– The moisture-lock barrier of the boards that click together helps to prevent water from guests getting out of the shower from seeping underneath your boards.
– This material also comes with a vapor barrier already attached to the bottom of the board, so unlike other products, you don’t have to lay a moisture barrier layer on the floor prior to install.
– It’s an easy install, although it did take us longer than we expected because of how many cuts we had to make with the awkward layout of our guest bath.
– If you change your mind down the road or your ugly tile comes back in style, it’s essentially sitting right on top of the tiles, so you can take it up at any time.
– It comes in many colors and has a real wood grain look to it. Samples are available in the store to take home, and I chose this lighter color called Esperanza Oak, although our real wood floors in the adjoining hall are stained in dark walnut, because it goes better with our pre-finished vanity.
How we went about installing it:
We first watched the installation guide video provided on Home Depot’s website. We then removed the sink and toilet from the bathroom and vacuumed the floor. Using the spacers provided in a floating floor installation kit we purchased, we put spacers along the wall before laying our first board. Our first board across the wall was cut down with a table saw to have a smooth edge. We laid the next board and clicked it within the previous board. We used a miter saw to cut the length of boards, an oscillating multi-tool when we got to molding to cut the molding to fit the board underneath, and a jigsaw to round boards for the toilet hole.
Instead of removing the molding, we finished off the room by purchasing quarter-round in the same color as the flooring and cutting it to fit. We installed the quarter-round using a trim gun and air compressor, and finished off the room by using a silicone caulk to seal everything where the quarter-round met the base molding, tub, and toilet.
There was one part of our basement that had tile, and instead of ripping it up, we placed this product right over it. So far, so good, and we’re happy with the outcome of the look. I was also extremely happy with the price – at under $1 a square foot, it was an easy fix to our dated basement, an area that I wanted to look nice but didn’t want to spend a lot of money on.
I recommend following the instructions, which included applying a primer on the original floor first and renting a 100-lb roller to go over the tiles once you have laid them down. I also recommend, in areas where you don’t feel that they will stick well enough, to invest in a can of 3M adhesive. My brother recommended this, as he used to build sets, and it worked perfectly.
Concluding Thoughts
After weighing the options and doing our research, we’re thrilled with how the Pergo XP flooring turned out in our guest bathroom. It provides the luxurious look of wood without the hassle of removing the existing tile, and the easy installation process made it a manageable DIY project. While it may have taken a bit longer than expected, the end result is a clean, cohesive entryway that sets the tone for the rest of our home.
As you consider your own entryway flooring dilemmas, I encourage you to explore the wide range of DIY-friendly options available, from decorative tile painting to peel-and-stick vinyl. With a bit of creativity and elbow grease, you can transform your space without the headaches of a full tile removal. Happy decorating!
