Tile installation in Downey

Ranch houses, additions and long ownership

Downey is a city of single-family houses, many from the 1940s through the 1960s, on larger lots than those in some neighboring cities. Many families have owned their homes for a long time, and the houses show decades of changes: additions, kitchens moved, bathrooms redone and redone again.

That history is what we find when we open a wall. There may be original tile on one side of a wall and a 1980s remodel on the other. We read the house and plan the work to fit the part of it that you are changing.

Original tile, kitchens and bathrooms

Original bathroom tile from the 1950s is still common here. It is a glazed ceramic, set in a mortar bed on metal lath, often with a bullnose cap and matching trim. It can last a long time when it is dry. We check the tile, the grout and the base of the wall, and tell you whether it is worth keeping.

Original kitchens may have tile counters or a tile backsplash that goes back to the same period. These are harder to match than a bathroom wall, and we help you decide between repairing, replacing in kind and a modern update.

Floors, slabs and additions

Most of the original houses are on slabs, with additions on a different foundation. Where the old slab meets the new, there may be a step or a crack, and the tile has to cross it. We plan a movement joint at that line, level where needed and carry the layout across, so the floor reads as one surface.

Older houses may also have a raised wood floor in some rooms. We check each room and tell you what each needs.

Showers in houses that were built with tubs

Many owners want to replace a worn tub with a walk-in shower. In a ranch house this often fits the footprint well, because the tub alcove is already the right width. We rebuild the walls, form the pan, waterproof, flood test and tile. The plumber moves the valve if needed, and we coordinate the order of work.

Planning a job in an older Downey house

Before we start, we find out what is behind the wall. In an older ranch house that might be a mortar bed, plaster on lath or drywall that has been patched. We check the plumbing, the subfloor or slab and the electrical in the area. Where there is something to repair first, we tell you, and we coordinate with the trade that should do it.

Our scope lists what comes out, what is repaired and what the finished surface will be. We try to leave no unexplained surprises.

Materials that suit the house

If you want the finish to feel at home in a ranch house, classic shapes work: square glazed wall tile, a contrasting cap or a hexagon floor. If you want a fresh look, a vertical stack or a large-format porcelain works in the same space. We help you pick based on the size of the room and the amount of light, and we bring samples to your house so you see them in your own light.

What we do in Downey

• Residential Tile Installation in Downey. Floors, kitchens, backsplashes and entries, with the substrate and waterproofing planned before any tile goes on.
• Commercial Tile Installation in Downey. Small restrooms, entries and retail floors, with the substrate and waterproofing planned before any tile goes on.
• Bathroom & Shower Tile in Downey. Showers, tub walls and bathroom floors, with the substrate and waterproofing planned before any tile goes on.
• Tile Removal & Floor Prep in Downey. Old tile out, flat and sound for new, with the substrate and waterproofing planned before any tile goes on.