Best backsplash installation pros near Litchfield Park, AZ

You can technically install tile over tile, but we don’t suggest it. Installing tile over any surface that isn’t a completely flat and prepared subfloor will result in a shoddy overall job, uneven flooring, tiles that don’t adhere, extra weight, gaps, cracks, and room for moisture and dirt to enter. For the best results, only install new tile on a flat, sanded surface like subflooring or concrete that is prepared for tile.

If you have asbestos tile and would rather tile over it than remove it, or if your existing tile is completely flat and bonded tightly to the floor, you may be able to tile over existing tile. But experts recommend thinking twice before you do.

Yes, but you’ll have to use some other type of tool to avoid damaging the tile and possibly injuring yourself. Some alternatives to tile cutters include a glass cutter, angle grinder, and wet saw. Depending on the tile material, you might simply be able to measure and score it with something sharp, like a carbide-tipped pencil, and break it off. Be sure to sand the edge for a smooth installation.

When working on your bathroom floor tiling, you should always tile the floor first and then refit the toilet afterward. This has both practical and visual advantages—the tile will have a better seal, and the installation will look cleaner.

On the other hand, when you try to cut the tiles to fit around the toilet, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. It’s a lot more work, it’s hard to be precise, and mistakes or miscalculations can lead to future moisture damage to the tiling, grout, and subfloor.

The best trowel for penny tile is a 3/16-inch-by-5/32-inch V-notch trowel. Because of the small size of the penny tile, you want a trowel with small notches that can lay a thin layer of mortar on the surface you’re tiling. If the notches are too wide, you risk applying too thick of a layer of mortar, and it can squeeze out between the penny tiles.