The best tile installation comes down to what you can't see: a flat, solid substrate, proper waterproofing in wet areas, full thinset coverage with the right trowel, and a careful layout. The pretty tile is the easy part — the prep underneath is what decides whether the floor lasts twenty years or cracks and leaks in two.
Here's how to tell good tile work from bad — lippage, hollow spots, grout lines, and the hidden waterproofing — so you can judge a finished job or choose the right installer. And an honest note at the end on when a small floor is a fine DIY project versus when to hire a pro.
Tile needs a flat, rigid base — cement backer board or an uncoupling membrane over a solid subfloor, not just drywall or a flexing floor. A bouncy or uneven base is the root cause of most cracked tiles and grout down the road.
Showers and wet areas need a real waterproofing membrane behind and under the tile. Tile and grout are not waterproof on their own. Skip this and you get hidden mold and rotted framing a few years later. It's invisible when done — and catastrophic when not.
Good layout centers the pattern and avoids slivers at the edges. Run your hand across the floor: minimal lippage (no tile edge standing proud of its neighbor) signals careful work and a flat base. Big lippage means rushed work or a bad substrate.
Tap a few tiles — solid sound means full thinset coverage; hollow means voids that crack later. Grout lines should be even and consistent, fully packed, and the right type for the joint. Sloppy grout is the most visible tell of a rushed job.
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If there's water involved, hire it out. For a dry, flat, simple floor, a careful DIYer can get a great result.
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A flat, solid substrate, the right backer or membrane, proper waterproofing in wet areas, full thinset coverage, and careful layout. The visible signs are minimal lippage, even grout lines, and tiles that sound solid when tapped.
Yes. Showers need a proper waterproofing membrane behind and under the tile — tile and grout aren't waterproof on their own. Skipping it is the top cause of hidden mold and rotted framing later.
A small, simple dry-room floor is a reasonable DIY project. Hire a pro for showers and wet areas, large-format tile, intricate patterns, or floors that need leveling. Redoing a failed job costs more than hiring it done right.
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