Large format tile — anything 24 inches or larger on a side — is the current standard in GTA renovations, and for good reason. Fewer grout lines make a room read calmer and larger, and there is less to clean. It is also the least forgiving tile to install.
Why it costs more to install
The tile itself is not dramatically more expensive. The labour is. Large format installation runs $18 to $30 per square foot because of what it requires:
- Subfloor flat within 1/8 inch over 10 feet. A small tile can ride over a minor dip. A 24×48 cannot — it will rock, or one corner will sit proud.
- Back-buttering every piece. Mortar goes on the floor and on the back of the tile, to reach full coverage. Skip it and you get hollow spots that crack under load.
- Medium-bed mortar, not standard thinset. Standard thinset lets a heavy tile sag before it cures.
- Levelling clip systems on every joint. This is how lippage is controlled.
- Two people minimum. One person cannot place a 24×48 accurately.
How to spot a quote that will disappoint you
If a contractor quotes large format at the same rate as standard tile, they are planning to skip back-buttering or levelling clips. You will see the result within a week as lippage — one tile edge sitting higher than its neighbour, catching the light and catching your toe.
Where it works best
Open main floors, especially in the newer builds common in Whitby, Markham and Vaughan, where subfloors tend to be flat and consistent. Also excellent on bathroom walls, where fewer grout lines mean less to keep clean.
Where to think twice
Older homes with uneven floors — the Scarborough bungalows and Toronto semis we work in regularly — often need significant levelling first. That is not a reason to avoid large format, but it is a real cost you should know about before you fall in love with a sample.
Small bathrooms
Counter-intuitively, large format often works beautifully in a small bathroom. Fewer grout lines mean fewer visual interruptions, and the room reads bigger. The constraint is cuts — a small room with a lot of fixtures generates a lot of waste.
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, fully insured, and rated 5.0 on Google.
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 large format tile at no cost.