Flooring Works
Guide to flooring types, prices, and installation. El-Eman Office provides flooring services as part of general contracting.
How to choose the right floor for the space
Good flooring choices start from use, not appearance. Kitchen and bathroom floors need slip and water resistance, living rooms must stand up to traffic and heavy furniture, and bedrooms suit a warmer feel. When choosing, consider:
- Wear resistance: important for entrances, corridors and busy areas.
- Water absorption: the lower it is, the better for wet and outdoor areas.
- Slip resistance: for bathrooms, balconies and around pools.
- Tile size: large tiles mean fewer joints but demand a very flat base.
- Ease of maintenance: very glossy surfaces show scratches and fingerprints.
Preparing the base: the secret of a good installation
Most tiling defects come from what is under the tile. The concrete must be clean, free of dust and oil, and the initial shrinkage of the concrete and plaster should be complete before installation. In wet areas, waterproofing goes in before the screed, and the falls are checked so they run toward the drain. Check flatness with a long straightedge, because large flatness errors cannot be fixed by adding more mortar under the tile.
Installation methods
- Cement mortar bed: the traditional method, suited to ordinary tiles, needing an even mortar thickness.
- Cement-based adhesive: gives good bonding and less thickness, suits porcelain and large tiles, using the right notched trowel.
- Floating floors: used for parquet and LVT over an underlayment rather than being glued directly.
With every method, leave an expansion gap at walls and between large areas so the floor does not buckle or crack when temperatures change.
Common defects and their causes
- Hollow tiles (a drumming sound): voids under the tile because the back was not fully covered with mortar.
- Uneven surfaces and lippage: poor levelling or tiles from different batches.
- Cracked tiles: missing expansion joints or settlement in the base.
- Standing water: wrong falls in bathrooms and balconies.
Buy the whole tile quantity from the same batch (the production lot number), with a suitable waste allowance, to avoid colour shade differences.
Care and cleaning after installation
After installation the floor must wait before being walked on, according to the adhesive or mortar instructions, and the joints should dry before cleaning. Then fill the joints with the suitable material and remove cement residue with a cleaner suited to the tile type, since some acidic cleaners damage certain tiles.
- Use a damp mop and a mild cleaner for daily cleaning.
- Put felt pads under furniture legs to avoid scratches.
- Dry spills quickly, especially on wood and parquet.
- Keep spare tiles from the same batch for later replacement.
Frequently asked questions
Should I do the floors or the painting first?
The usual order is plastering, then floors, then final painting, with the floor protected from stains. Sometimes base coats are applied before tiling and the final touches left until afterwards.
How much waste allowance do I need when buying tiles?
It depends on room shape, laying pattern and cutting. Diagonal layouts and rooms with many corners need more, so ask the installer before ordering.
Why do tiles lift at the edges after a while?
Usually missing expansion joints, movement in the base or weak bonding. The cause should be investigated before relaying.
