cmm1964: If you're on a concrete slab like most folks in Florida, you've got to install an uncoupling membrane between the concrete and tile. I highly recommend Ditra. You may have heard of "tenting" and I get calls about it all the time down here. This is when the concrete and tile have a fight about moving and the tile loses every time. Customers say they heard a loud "pop" and find a row of several tiles doing a pyramid imitation. It's now too late to install the uncoupling membrane. You may reset the tile, but whether or not the grout lines line up is a crapshoot and there is no guarantee they won't pop again. Most cracked tiles are from substrate movement here. I got a call to replace cracked tile and noticed the newer grout. It would have been the second replacements in a home less than 10 years old. The homeowner passed and is going to live with it. I'm guessing it'll add $3.00 per square foot to your job, but anyone who knowingly installs tile directly to concrete deserves exactly what they're going to get.

Thank you! This particular tile comes in 6" x 48" ... 8" x 48" .... and 6" x 24". I almost wanted to mix the three but was told that anywhere I used 8" would have to be. Full room-length run and so would stand out, and while adding a relatively few 24" might help with the randomness I want, the installers could also put too many together creating choppy looking areas that would also stand out. In one flooring shop I visited I saw a wood laminate that actually. Ones with varying lengths and widths IN THE SAME BOX! It looked awesome on the floor display, very real wood like. I wish tiles came that way.

I want to apologize and thank all of you that commented to my design dilemma a few days ago. You answered the question I had asked. Your comments have been received and have opened up my eyes. Though I am making changes to my kitchen because I want it to look more upscale, I also want to recoup most of the cost of these changes when I sell in the future. As many mentioned, installing wood-like tile does not increase the value. This left me in a conundrum. My family are having respiratory issues associated with carpet and I have 3 little white furries who don't always hold their bladder. Hardwood isn't known for its waterproof qualities. So I decided to go the least expensive route that will get me the look and I can install it myself, vinyl plank tiles. This is only a band-aid and I plan on saving for those hardwood for the future. A few people mentioned that the tiles, cabinets, and counter actually work well together and are successful in the real estate market. Plus someone mentioned how expensive it was to get the cabinets professionally painted. Well after careful consideration, I've decided it would be in my best interest to work with what I got. Maybe add some hardware, a new paint color on the walls, new lighting, upgrade the look of my island, and possibly a more contemporary backsplash. It took me a few days to sit on the recommendations and they helped me tremendously. Thank-you

Yea it’s so hard to make decisions. Originally we are thinking LVP for the whole house but after lots of reading, I decided do tiles in the bathrooms. Since I have open floor plan, I don’t think I can do kitchen with tiles and rest with other materials. I want real wood but it’s expensive, with LVP hubby thinks he can install to save money