A large share of the homes we work in were built between the 1970s and the 1990s — the established suburbs of Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Markham and most of the GTA. They are solid houses. They are also thirty to fifty years old, and the floors show it.
What we usually find
- Plywood subfloors that have been through decades of winters. Seasonal humidity swings move plywood every year. Tile bonded straight to it cracks along the grout lines. An uncoupling membrane is essential, and we don’t quote these floors without one.
- Original ceramic in kitchens and entries, often set in a thick bed of thinset that takes real effort to remove cleanly without damaging the subfloor.
- Some floor deflection, particularly in second-storey bathrooms with longer joist spans. A bouncy floor is stiffened before tile, not after it cracks.
- Small original bathrooms where it is worth rethinking the layout while everything is open.
The most common job in these homes
A kitchen and entry floor done together, replacing original ceramic that has cracked along the grout lines. The crack pattern nearly always tells the story: the old tile was bonded directly to plywood with nothing in between. Once the floor is lifted, checked, levelled where needed and a membrane goes down, the new floor doesn’t crack again.
What a lasting job involves
- Check the subfloor. Walk it, feel for movement and look at joist span.
- Remove the old floor cleanly, including old thinset ridges that would stop new tile sitting flat.
- Level where the floor is out, especially for large format tile, which needs flat within 1/8 inch over 10 feet.
- Membrane over the plywood.
- Set with full coverage, grout, and leave movement joints at the walls.
Can you use large format tile in an older home?
Usually, yes. It just means levelling first, and that is a real part of the job you should know about before you fall in love with a 24×48 sample. Newer subdivision homes often need less of it — see our guide to tile in newer homes.
Bring your samples
Most clients pick tile at a local showroom. Bring us your samples before you buy and we will tell you honestly whether they suit the room, the traffic and the subfloor. For a ballpark on your floor first, try the tile cost calculator.
Get a free estimate
Ultra Renovations Inc has been installing tile across Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa and the wider GTA for over ten years. We are a registered Ontario corporation with general liability insurance.
Call (647) 648-8985 or request a free estimate and we will come out, measure properly, look at your subfloor, and give you a written quote for your home at no cost.