1. Classic subway, running bond

3×6 white ceramic, 1/3 offset, mid-grey grout. It has been popular for a century because it works with everything. The quickest backsplash to install, and it will not date. Best in the 1980s and 90s kitchens common across Ajax and Pickering.

2. Large format slab-look

A single large porcelain panel behind the range, often matching or complementing the counter. Almost no grout lines, very easy to keep clean, and strongly contemporary. Needs a flat wall. Works well in the newer Whitby and Markham builds.

3. Vertical stack

Subway tile turned vertical and stacked rather than offset. Draws the eye up, which helps in kitchens with standard 8-foot ceilings — which is most GTA homes. Same cost as classic subway, noticeably more current.

4. Zellige or handmade

Irregular, glazed, with visible variation between pieces. Beautiful and full of character. It is slow to install and needs wider grout joints because no two tiles are the same size, so it is the most expensive backsplash to install. If you want a kitchen that does not look like anyone else’s, this is the one.

5. Marble-look porcelain

The veining of marble with none of the sealing. Excellent behind a range where real marble would etch from anything acidic. See our materials comparison for the full trade-off.

6. Herringbone accent

Keep the main run simple and do the section behind the range in herringbone. Contained cost, real focal point.

What we would avoid

• Very busy mosaics across a whole kitchen. Striking in a photo, tiring in daily life, and murder to keep clean behind a stove.
• Bright white grout. It will not stay white. Use epoxy or go a shade darker.
• Anything unsealed and porous behind the range. Grease wins.

Practical notes

Standard height is counter to underside of upper cabinets, usually 18 inches. Going full height behind the range is a strong look and costs little more. Decide on outlet placement before tiling — horizontal outlets or under-cabinet strips keep the field clean.

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 backsplash at no cost.

Labour and waste compared

Why herringbone costs more

Every tile sits at 45 degrees to the wall, so every perimeter tile is an angled cut. The pattern is also unforgiving — a small error at one end compounds visibly across the floor. It takes a slower, more careful setter, and it takes longer.

It is also the pattern that most clearly separates a skilled tile setter from a general handyman, which is partly why we chose a herringbone unit as the basis of our logo.

Where each works

Straight lay — large format tile, modern interiors, and anywhere you want the floor to recede rather than announce itself. With big tiles and matched grout it reads almost as a continuous surface.

Running bond — the default for subway backsplashes. Classic, forgiving, timeless. A 1/3 offset looks better than a 1/2 offset with longer tiles, because it reduces lippage at the centre of each tile.

Diagonal — makes a narrow room feel wider. Genuinely useful in a small bathroom or a narrow hallway.

Herringbone — entryways, feature walls, and small floors where the extra cost is contained. A herringbone entry in a Ajax or Whitby home is a strong first impression for a manageable premium.

Ordering for pattern

Order 15 to 20 percent extra for herringbone or diagonal, not the usual 10. The offcuts are less reusable because of the angles.

One honest recommendation

If budget is tight and you want visual interest, do herringbone in a small, high-impact area — the entry, a powder room floor, a backsplash — and keep the large areas straight. You get the effect for a fraction of the cost.

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 layout at no cost.

Execution matters more than problem-solving

In a new custom build the subfloors are flat and there are no surprises. The work is about precision: joints that line up across rooms, cuts that land where they look intentional, and no lippage under long runs of window light.

Layout planning on large floors

Bigger tiled areas make layout planning matter more, not less. A decision that produces an awkward cut gets repeated across a much bigger floor. We plan the grid from the main sightlines — the front door, the kitchen island, the line between rooms — before any tile is set.

Natural stone

We are asked for marble more often in custom homes than anywhere else. It is beautiful and we install it happily, but we explain the commitment first: sealing at installation and every one to three years after, and it will etch if anything acidic sits on it. Natural stone also needs a stiffer floor than porcelain — L/720 rather than L/360 — and light stone needs white mortar so nothing shows through. Some clients choose marble anyway; some choose a marble-look porcelain once they understand the upkeep. Both are reasonable. See porcelain and natural stone.

Heated floors in large rooms

Ensuites and mudrooms are where in-floor heating earns its keep. Across a large open main floor it is rarely worth it; the furnace already heats that space.

Coordinating with the builder

On a rebuild we work around the general contractor’s schedule: after drywall and before trim, with plumbing rough-ins and drain locations agreed early. Linear drains, curbless showers and recessed floors have to be planned before the framing is closed, not after.

Timelines

An 800 square foot main floor in large format takes considerably longer than a 200 square foot kitchen — not proportionally longer, but longer. We give realistic dates and hold them.

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.

What is usually under there

• A mortar-bed floor. Original tile was often set in an inch or more of mortar over wire mesh. It is strong and heavy, and removing it is real work.
• Tile on plaster or mortar walls, not drywall. Walls come down to the studs and go back up with cement board and a waterproofing membrane.
• Cast iron drains and old galvanized supply lines that a plumber will often recommend replacing while the room is open.
• Board subfloors under the mortar bed, which need plywood and an uncoupling membrane before new tile.
• Floors out of level once the mortar bed is gone.

Why it takes longer than a newer bathroom

Demolition alone can take a full day or more. Then the room is rebuilt from the framing out: new subfloor, levelling, waterproofing, then tile. A complete renovation of a 1960s bathroom usually runs two to three weeks once the plumber and electrician are scheduled in.

Is the original tile ever worth keeping?

Sometimes. A well-set 1960s floor that is flat and uncracked can be a feature, and some owners love the colour. But you can’t add waterproofing behind old wall tile or a membrane under an old floor, so if the shower is part of the job, the tile around it has to come out.

Plan the layout while it is open

These bathrooms are often small. While the walls are open is the time to consider a larger shower in place of the tub, a niche between the studs, or moving the vanity. See how bathroom renovations differ by the age of the home and our bathroom renovation page.

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.

Why they suit large format tile

Large open main floors, consistent modern subfloors and predictable joist spacing. Floors are usually flat enough to need little levelling, and the open plans are exactly where fewer grout lines make the most difference. A 24×48 porcelain across a main floor in one of these homes looks excellent. Read more about large format installation.

A note on builder-grade tile

The 12×12 ceramic in many of these homes was installed quickly, often straight onto plywood with no membrane. When we lift it we regularly find hollow-sounding sections and cracks along the grout lines. That isn’t bad luck — it is what happens when tile is bonded directly to a subfloor that moves. Doing it properly the second time is why it doesn’t happen again.

What owners of newer homes ask for most

1. Main floor porcelain, usually large format, replacing builder tile or laminate
2. Ensuite showers — replacing the builder’s acrylic surround with a properly waterproofed, fully tiled shower
3. Backsplashes, often alongside a new countertop
4. Basement finishing with porcelain and, often, in-floor heating

Things to plan for

• Transitions. Thicker tile next to existing hardwood or carpet needs a proper transition strip or a matched height.
• Baseboards. New tile usually means taking baseboards off and refitting or replacing them.
• Warranty. If the home is still under a new-home warranty, check what changing the floor affects before you start.

Thinking about an older home instead? See tiling a 1970s to 1990s home.

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.

Layout planning is the whole job

In a new build you can start from a centre line and work out. In a 1910 semi, if you do that you end up with a half-inch sliver of tile at one doorway and a full tile at the other, and it will bother you every day.

We dry-lay the first rows before mortaring anything. It takes an hour and it decides how the finished floor reads. Where a room is badly out of square, the right answer is usually to line the layout up with the most visible sightline and absorb the difference where nobody looks.

What else these houses throw up

• Original plank subfloors that need plywood over them before tile
• Real slope — an inch across a room is not unusual
• Narrow stairs and no parking, which changes how material gets in
• Old wiring or plumbing occasionally found mid-demolition
• Rooms that used to be three rooms, with subfloor changes where walls once stood

Condos are a different set of rules

Condo work comes with its own constraints: building rules, elevator bookings, quiet hours, protecting common areas, and often an insurance certificate filed with property management before work can start. We handle all of it, but it needs planning, and it is why condo timelines are less flexible than house timelines.

Be wary of a quote given over the phone

For an older house in particular, a number given without a site visit is a number that will change. We would rather come out, look properly and give you something you can rely on. More on why the floor underneath matters.

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.

What we find

Uneven floors, almost always. Decades of settlement mean self-levelling compound is part of nearly every bungalow floor we tile. On a large main floor it is a real part of the job, and it isn’t optional if you want large format tile.

Board subfloors under the plywood. Many of these homes have original plank subfloors with plywood added later. That layered build moves differently and needs an uncoupling membrane without exception.

Solid joists, close spacing. The good news. Old-growth lumber and closer joist spacing than modern code means floor bounce is less of a problem than the age suggests.

Small original bathrooms. Often around 5 by 7 feet. Worth thinking about the layout while the walls are open.

How levelling works

1. Find the high and low points with a long straightedge or laser.
2. Prime the subfloor so the compound bonds and doesn’t dry out too fast.
3. Pour self-levelling compound, feathering it into the low areas.
4. Let it cure — usually overnight before tile can go down.

It adds a day and some material. It is also the difference between a floor that looks flat in raking window light and one that shows every ridge.

Basements are the other big job

Most of these bungalows have full basements, and finishing them is one of the most common projects we are asked about. Below grade needs porcelain, a moisture-tested slab and crack isolation. Details in our guide to flooring damp basements.

Realistic expectations

A bungalow floor costs more per square foot than the same floor in a 2010 subdivision home, and the difference is all preparation. That preparation is what makes the tile last, and we would rather explain it at the estimate than surprise you with it halfway through.

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.

1950s and 60s homes

The oldest neighbourhoods in the GTA — waterfront areas in Pickering and Whitby, much of Scarborough and central Oshawa — are full of these. In their bathrooms we routinely find:

• Several layers of old flooring, sometimes three deep
• Original board subfloors rather than plywood sheet
• Floors noticeably out of level, so self-levelling compound is standard
• Cast iron drain stacks that need care during demolition
• Occasionally, original mortar-bed tile that is genuinely well built and hard to remove

These are satisfying jobs, but they need a real site visit before anyone puts a number on paper. A quote from photographs alone is a guess.

1970s to 1990s homes

Plywood subfloors, standard joist spacing, generally predictable. This is where most bathroom renovations in the GTA happen. The usual work is removing the old tub surround, putting in proper waterproofing, and an uncoupling membrane under the new floor.

New builds

Flat subfloors, modern plumbing and few surprises behind the walls. These move quickly and suit large format tile and heated floors. The most common request is replacing a builder’s acrylic shower with a properly built, fully tiled one.

How long each scope takes

Older homes usually take longer and cost more than new builds because of what is under the floor, not because of the tile. That is exactly why we price every bathroom after a free visit. See what drives the cost of a bathroom renovation.

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.

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

1. Check the subfloor. Walk it, feel for movement and look at joist span.
2. Remove the old floor cleanly, including old thinset ridges that would stop new tile sitting flat.
3. Level where the floor is out, especially for large format tile, which needs flat within 1/8 inch over 10 feet.
4. Membrane over the plywood.
5. 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.