Are you thinking about adding tiles to your home? If so, you’re probably wondering about the cost of tile installation which can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the type of tile you choose and the size of your project.

However, there are ways to save money on tile installation by doing the work yourself or by shopping around for the best price. In this article, we’ll discuss the cost of tile installation and some tips on how to save money on your project.

Cost of Tiling in Brisbane

In Brisbane, the average cost for professional tiling services ranges from $40 to $45 per square meter. However, this cost still depends on a number of factors such as the complexity of the project and whether the tiling is required indoors or outdoors.

Cost of the Different Tiling Job Types

The table below shows a brief overview of the different tiling job types and their average cost calculated per hour and per square meter.

Tiling Job Type	Average Cost
Indoor tiling	$60 per hour
Outdoor tiling	$45 per hour
Indoor tiling	$50 per square meter
Outdoor tiling	$45 per square meter
Wall tiling	$50 per square meter
Floor tiling	$40 per square meter
Pool tiling	$87.50 per square meter

Cost of the Different Types of Tiles

The total tiling cost is greatly affected by the material you choose. Listed below are some of the most popular types of tiles and their corresponding average costs.

Type of Tile	Average Cost
Ceramic wall	$40-$80 per square meter
Porcelain wall	$63-$85 per square meter
Natural stone wall	$69-$78 per square meter
Ceramic floor	$50 per square meter
High-quality porcelain floor	$65-$86 per square meter
Natural stone floor	$78-$86 per square meter
Mosaic tiles	$33-$49 per sheet

Factors That Can Affect the Cost of Tiling

Like many other building and renovation jobs, determining what should be included in the computation can help you estimate the costs. Here are some factors to consider.

1. Size of the Area

More materials are needed to finish larger projects than smaller ones. Additionally, professional contractors frequently bill by the hour, and the bigger the tile installation is, the more you’ll pay.

2. Type of Tile

There are many types of tiles that are now available in the market and each of their prices varies. For instance, porcelain is more expensive since it’s more durable while glazed ceramic is the more affordable alternative for tiling.

Natural stone tiles like granite, travertine, and marble cost more since they need to be handled with greater care. Glass and mosaic tiles are also an expensive option, that’s why they’re best used as accent tiles.

3. Surface Preparation

Before the tile installation gets started, there are a few tasks you might need to plan and pay for. This might include the removal of old and, if necessary, replacing or resurfacing the subfloor. There are also some floors that may need leveling.

Each of these extra works will contribute to the overall cost. The same is true when your installer needs to use more tile installation equipment for your floor.

4. Location

The cost also depends on which specific area of the house needs tiling. Wall tiling is often cheaper than floor tiling as the latter are more difficult to cut. 

On the other hand, bathroom tiling usually costs more than kitchen tiling because waterproofing and sealing are crucial in a bathroom. Rooms with an irregular or uneven layout might also cost more than standard square or rectangular rooms.

5. Customization

If there are custom works, it will add up to the cost as well. Examples of customization are mosaic prints, patterns, and borders. These require extra time and materials to create, and you will have to pay more for them.

6. Additional Materials

Along with the tiles, there are other materials needed to complete a tile floor installation such as a backer board if you have wood subfloors. Other necessary materials are grout and mortar.

If you intend to DIY your new tile floor, you’ll need to invest in all the tools such as tile scrapers and clippers. Moreover, it’s a good idea to pay a little extra to buy extra tiles in case some break during installation or later on.

Tools and Materials Needed for Tile Installation

Aside from the required materials, several tools and equipment are also necessary to get the best results for tile installation. The following tools and materials are needed for installing tiles.

Tools

• Tile cutting tool such as a wet tile saw or a snap tile cutter
• Tile nipper
• Tile spacers
• Rubber tile float
• Notched tile trowel
• Rubber mallet
• Flat margin trowel
• Tape measure
• Large sponges
• Buckets
• Chalk line
• Bubble level
• 2×4 scrap lumber
• Framing square
• Rubber gloves
• Safety glasses

Materials

• Tile
• Thinset mortar
• Tile grout
• Grout sealer
• Grout haze remover
• Cement backer board
• Fiberglass seam tape
• Stainless steel cement board screws (1.25″ to 2.75″)

Different Types of Tiles

It’s important to be aware of the different types of tiles available if you plan to install tiles on your home. Tile comes in various colors and styles that can go with any type of design. Here are the different types of tiles that you can choose from.

1. Ceramic Tiles

The most common type of tile is ceramic which is available in a wide range of colors, sizes, and designs. Usually, ceramic tiles are used on bathroom floors, kitchen countertops, walls, and other areas where durability is required.

As they come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, ceramic tiles can complement almost any design. Also, they are easy to maintain and clean, making them ideal in high-traffic areas like kitchens or entryways.

Ceramic tiles, however, are prone to cracking and chipping. So, it’s best to avoid placing them under direct heat. Grouting ceramic tile may also require more maintenance than other flooring surfaces because it can become stained or discolored.

2. Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain material is heavier compared to ceramic. They are easy to clean and maintain as they have a smooth glazed surface that does not absorb any dirt or stain. These are also very durable since they were treated at temperatures higher than ceramic tiles.

With their durability, porcelain tiles are used in many ways including patios, pool decks, and kitchens, among others. They are also common in modern home designs, and look fantastic when paired with other types of tile to create a unique design.

However, this type of tile can be very slippery when wet. That’s why they are not suitable for areas that are exposed to water such as bathrooms.

3. Marble Tiles

Marble is a classic material whose association with luxury has endured through the ages. This makes marble a fantastic option for those who are looking to add sophistication and elegance to their homes.

Marble tiles are considered natural stone tiles, and come in a variety of colors. Marble tiles are ideal for any room as they are available in a range of finishes, including honed, brushed, tumbled, and polished.

Despite their beauty, marble tiles are pricey and vulnerable to spill stains because of their porous build. This also makes them relatively rare, particularly as outdoor tiles.

However, the porosity can be somewhat rectified with a good surface sealer that clogs the pores and serves as an invisible layer of protection.

4. Granite Tiles

For areas with a lot of foot traffic, granite tiles are an ideal option. Made from hard, dense igneous rock, granite tiles have a unique look due to their inherent veining and speckling of minerals in such rocks.

No two granite surfaces will ever look the same. They differ physically from other stones due to their distinctive finish. Granite tiles are also available in a range of colors and are just as luxurious as marble.

These natural, durable types of tiling are acid-resistant and scratch-resistant as well. They are extremely porous, like marble, which makes them susceptible to stains.

5. Glass Tiles

With glass tiles, you’ll have a clean and minimalistic look. Glass is an excellent substitute for natural stone due to its stain resistance. Red wine and other acidic foods like lemon and vinegar can be removed easily without leaving behind any stains.

But the disadvantage of glass tiles is that it chips rather quickly along the edges. With this, they are not recommended for use in high-traffic areas like kitchen and bathroom floors.

Instead, glass tiles are best in smaller applications and less-slippery surfaces. This includes backsplashes, gently used tabletops or desks, or around the fireplace.

6. Mosaic Tiles 

Mosaic tiles are made of smaller tiles and tile fragments, typically glass, assembled together in decorative patterns into one large tile, which is then supported by a mesh. Usually, each small tile used is less than two inches wide and long.

With this, they are easy to install in smaller rooms. But using the proper cutting tools is crucial for getting the desired finish.

Mosaic tiles can be used anywhere in the house, although they are frequently used in bathrooms, kitchens, countertops, and flooring. They are excellent for both indoor and outdoor use because they don’t chip readily and can withstand stains and dampness.

Its grout lines make this type of tile more textured and slip-resistant compared to other tiles. Moreover, they are also easier to clean. Opt for these tiles if you like intricate designs and colors.

7. Travertine Tiles 

Travertine tiles are made from travertine, which is a type of limestone that is a by-product of hot springs, natural artesian springs, and caves all over the world. This environment-friendly material is durable as well as easy to repair.

This type of tile comes in a variety of colors and has pits and a rough texture created by air bubbles and organic matter. Travertine tile’s stylish surface enlightens your interior space and brings a natural look.

Today, it is commonly used in the construction of walkways, bathrooms, pool decks, and other areas with significant water exposure. Travertine can still be pricey, even if it’s less expensive compared to other high-end materials.

8. Vinyl Tiles

Because of their stain and water resistance, versatility, and affordability, vinyl tiles are a popular option among homeowners. They are commonly used in bathrooms, mudrooms, and kitchens.

Vinyl is made of 100% polyvinyl chloride plastic, commonly referred to as PVC. It’s a synthetic material that feels like stone and usually looks like wood. This type of tile is also ideal for DIY enthusiasts.

Vinyl tiles can be colored and textured to resemble different materials, such as wood, stone, ceramic, and porcelain. Moreover, this type of tile comes in various sizes.

Benefits of Installing Tile Floors

Renovating your flooring is one of the quick home improvement projects that can have a big impact on your house or property. And when it comes to materials used, tile is considered the most popular option whether it’s for a residential or commercial property.

Your home’s aesthetic appeal will be enhanced by the natural beauty of the tile. Tile also protects your flooring from any potential damage due to moisture and other substances. The advantages of installing tile floors include the following.

1. Versatility

Tile comes in a wide range of sizes, colors, materials, and textures. You have several options to choose from that can match the design of any room or any look you want to achieve.

With tiles, you can create a variety of patterns that can serve as decorative effects on your home. Thus, you can choose the best one that still looks new even after ages.

Moreover, tiles are appropriate for every room in the house. Whether it’s a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, or living area, you’ll find the tiles to match the functionality of these areas.

2. Easy Maintenance

Tile is one of the easiest to maintain flooring options. This flooring material makes cleaning up a breeze, unlike hardwood floors where you would never be able to wet mop, or carpet flooring where you can’t bleach.

For instance, if a house party leaves the dining room floor messy. Tile floors may be cleaned by simply brushing up the dirt and wiping them down with warm, soapy water.

Your tile floors can be cleaned and sanitized without sustaining any damage if times get really tough and your new puppy simply can’t make it to the backyard in time. Yes, tile is a great option for your dogs too.

3. Durability

Tiles will last for a very long time even if you install them in areas of your house with a lot of foot traffic. When it comes to stains and damage, tile is an incredibly resilient material.

Other flooring options such as wood and carpet will start to show signs of wear and tear after just a few years since their installation. With tile, durability is guaranteed and that’s why it’s a great choice for almost every area of a house.

4. Cost-Effective

While tile costs might range from cheap to pricey, there are certainly many cost-effective options. Ceramic tiles are one of these affordable options as they can be purchased for a lesser price without compromising quality.

When you consider longevity and lack of costly maintenance, it becomes obvious that tiles are worth every penny. Of course, this also depends on the type of tile you choose as there are high-end tiles that are expensive and might require regular maintenance.

5. Adds Visual Appeal 

Tiles offer a smooth and visually appealing surface. With its wide range of options, there’s definitely a tile that will enhance the aesthetic look of any room, from ultra-modern to rustic to traditional.

As you have several options, it also allows you to unleash your creativity in any area of your house. Whether you add elegant flooring or an interesting accent for your walls, tile can help create a remarkable appeal that you will appreciate for years to come.

6. Improves Air Quality

If you have allergies or are concerned about the air quality in your home, tile flooring is an ideal option. Other flooring options like carpet fibers trap allergens such as pollen, dust, and pet dander. Many times, they can’t be removed by a simple vacuum.

With tile flooring, you can easily get rid of those allergens and this would be advantageous for those who have asthma or seasonal allergies. With just a regular cleaning of your flooring, you can ensure that you have good air quality in your house.

Steps on How to Install Ceramic Tiles

Tiling a floor can be an expensive home renovation project and it will involve quite a bit of work. But with the right tools and materials, you can accomplish it.

Here, we’ll take the installation of ceramic tile as it’s one of the most popular tiling options nowadays. Below is the step-by-step process on how to install ceramic tiles properly.

1. Prepare the Subfloor

Ceramic tile is a fragile material and thus, it should be installed on top of a solid, rigid surface that is free of gaps and ridges. You may normally lay ceramic tile directly on a concrete slab subfloor as long as the concrete is in good condition and free of moisture.

But if you have plywood subfloors, the recommended substrate is a layer of cement board before you lay the ceramic tile. Place the cement board panels on a coat of thinset mortar and screw them to the wood flooring.

Around the panels’ edges, the screws should be spaced every 8 inches. Thinset should be used to fill the seams after r using fiberglass seam tape to tape them.

2. Dry-Fit the Tiles

To visualize your tile flooring layout, dry-fit the tiles first by laying them out on the surface along with the tile spacers without mortar or grout. To establish the center point, measure all the walls.

Then, create a cross pattern by snapping a chalk line between the two opposing walls. In a bathroom, for example, it’s typically recommended to start in the middle of the room when dry-fitting the tiles. This ensures equal cutting on both edges in smaller rooms.

Depending on the size and how it fits in larger spaces like kitchens and living rooms, tile can be laid from the center or starting on one side. It is best to avoid placing small, chopped tiles up against a wall because they can look out of place.

If necessary, this cross-like assembly can be shifted in any direction to guarantee that each tile enclosing a wall is at least a half tile in size. To keep track of which tiles belong where, carefully stack the pieces when you pick up the tile.

3. Apply the Mortar

Pick up some thinset mortar and apply it on the cement board using a margin trowel. Hold the flat side of your notched tile trowel at a 45-degree angle and spread the mortar over the surface to ensure that it extends past the edge of a tile.

On the notched side of the same trowel while maintaining the same 45-degree angle, press it firmly to the cement board. Comb the thinset by drawing the trowel in straight lines. The trowel’s notches then control how much thinset is applied to the surface.

For smaller tiles, tile mortar should be at least 3/16 of an inch thick. For larger tiles, it should be at least 1/8 of an inch thick. In general, using 1/8 of an inch of mortar is suitable for most tile installations.

4. Place the Tiles

Carefully press the tile into the wet thinset and at the same time, twist the tile back and forth to press it deeper into it. In this way, you’re able to fill in any gaps and collapse any ridges in the mortar. Lift the tile occasionally to inspect the back for complete coverage.

You can back-butter the tiles if they aren’t completely covered by applying mortar to the tile before setting it. As you move from one tile to the next, place tile spacers at the corners to ensure uniform spacing.

A 1/4-inch expansion gap should be left between walls, cabinets, and other big room elements. Do not fill these gaps with mortar.

To check for level and to prevent lippage from one tile to the next, place the bubble level across multiple tiles. Gently tap the tiles with the rubber mallet to level them.

5. Cut the Tiles if Necessary 

When it’s necessary to cut tiles, mark the outline on the tile for precise cutting. Then, cut the edges cleanly without applying any pressure to the tile by using a cutter precisely along the marked area.

When cutting only a few tiles, a rail tile cutter can inexpensively and effectively break apart tiles. The uneven, snapped sides should be placed against the wall, where baseboards will cover them.

For very straight cuts, you can purchase or rent a wet tile saw. The tile nipper can be used for non-linear cuts such as those around pipes or toilet bases. Remember to wear safety glasses when cutting tile to safeguard your eyes against flying fragments.

6. Grout the Tile Joints

Use the rubber float to press the grout into the tile seams after removing the tile spacers. Work in manageable chunks. Then, while maintaining a 45-degree angle, drag the float’s long edge firmly across the tile seam.

Move diagonally to prevent yanking grout out of the seam. Wait for that grouted section to cure for about an hour. Then, follow up by soaking a sponge in clean water in a bucket and lightly cleaning the grout lines in a circular motion to remove excess grout.

7. Clean Up the Grout Haze

On the tile surface, there might be a milky-white grout haze that will remain. After the tile has fully cured, wipe it with a sponge and water to remove it. For thorough cleaning, you can buy a haze cleaner such as Cement Grout Haze Remover.

Typically, 3 ounces of haze cleaner are added per gallon of water, or as specified in the product’s instructions. Then, soak the sponge in this solution. Use this solution to clean the tile surface until the haze has been removed completely.

8. Seal the Grout

Tile grout needs to be properly sealed as it will soak up water once it has dried. To seal the grout, you can either spray a sealer onto the entire tile surface and wipe the excess off the tile faces, or you can apply it to specific grout lines with a brush applicator.

The following are some examples of grout sealers that you can purchase on the market.

• Aqua Mix Grout Sealer
• Betta TileCare Tile & Grout Sealer
• Dunlop Grout Sealer

Top Tiling Services in Brisbane

The following are the top tiling services in Brisbane. Contact them to discuss your tiling requirements as well as for quotations.

1. Brisbane Tiling Service

Brisbane Tiling Service is a family owned and operated tile installation company serving Greater Brisbane and its surrounding areas. With more than 35 years of experience in the industry, they can handle all of your tiling needs.

WEBSITE:	https://www.brisbanetilingservice.com.au/
ADDRESS:	11/348 S Pine Rd, Brendale QLD 4500, Australia
CONTACT INFO:	+61 7 3861 5668, [email protected]
OPERATING HOURS:	Monday – Friday: 8:30AM-4:30PM

2. River City Tiling and Stone

River City Tiling and Stone has professional tiling specialists who provide wall and floor tiling services for kitchens, bathrooms, and living areas. They install every kind of tile and stone, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, and natural stone.

WEBSITE:	https://rctilingandstone.com.au/
ADDRESS:	West End, Queensland 4101
CONTACT INFO:	+61 421 565 316, [email protected]
OPERATING HOURS:	Monday – Saturday: 7AM-5PM

3. Abruzzo Tiling

Abruzzo Tiling has more than 35 years of experience in commercial and residential tiling as well as bathroom renovations. They guarantee to deliver high-quality results for all kinds of tiling requirements and complete bathroom renovation.

WEBSITE:	https://www.abruzzotiling.com.au/
ADDRESS:	U29/57 Station Rd, Bethania QLD 4205, Australia
CONTACT INFO:	+61 478 567 969, [email protected]
OPERATING HOURS:	Monday – Friday: 6AM-6PM, Saturday: 7AM-3PM, Sunday: 9AM-12PM

4. RJ Tiling Brisbane

Professional tilers at RJ Tiling Brisbane offer quality workmanship in a timely manner. This company has already been operating for around 20 years. Aside from Brisbane, they also serve Logan, the Gold Coast, and the surrounding areas.

WEBSITE:	http://rjtilingbrisbane.com.au/
ADDRESS:	428 Logan Rd, Greenslopes QLD 4120, Australia
CONTACT INFO:	+61 481 613 504, [email protected]
OPERATING HOURS:	Monday – Friday: 9AM-5PM

5. Laid Out Tiling

At Laid Out Tiling, the primary contractor, who will personally carry out 80% of the work, will be directly involved in the entire process. This guarantees top-notch quality and service at an affordable price.

WEBSITE:	https://laidouttiling.com.au/
ADDRESS:	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
CONTACT INFO:	+61 404 729 957, [email protected]
OPERATING HOURS:	Monday – Sunday: open 24 hours

______________________________________________________________________

Installing tile in your home can be a costly endeavor, depending on the size of the project and the type of materials you choose. This article discusses the cost of installing tiles in Brisbane as well as some tips to get the best results.