# Porcelain click and lock floor tile



## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

I'm not sure if it's the exact same product but one of my sales rep recently showed me something similar. It's a real tile with plastic web on the back and the edges have interlocking plastic tabs to lock them in place. Then you grout it with an acrylic urethane grout. It looks like it's better though out than the old Edge flooring, which was ceramic on a laminate backer board. So far it's been far too expensive for me to even consider bringing a display of it in. I'll wait for some feedback myself. Traditionally ceramic has been one of those very tricky kinds of floor covering. You do it right and it lasts forever. There are plenty of ways to do it wrong though and then you have a nightmare. The product I was shown is so new to the market that I wouldn't consider installing it until it's got a few years on the market to see the long term results.


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## canadaclub (Oct 19, 2006)

I saw an ad somewhere for it. I think its called Avere. Looks like a pretty cool product to me. Its not available here in Canada yet so I have no experience with it.


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## TRACKER (Jun 13, 2010)

I have purchased the Avaire tile and am willing to give it a try. I am only doing 50 sq ft. so I think it will be worth it. There is another product out which doesn't require grouting. It is installed just like the Pergo floating laminate flooring. The tile is actually porcelain and the grout is already attached to the various sides of the tile. I decided against this type since there has to be a seam which is not sealed. I thought grouting would be better at preventing water seepage under the tiles. This should help prevent molding. I'll let you know how it works but only time will tell. 

Found an Avaire website with a discussion forum which is helpful.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

http://www.avairefloors.com/
http://www.snapstone.com/

Same identical products basically made by the Snapstone Company in Omaha Nebraska. Snapstone has been around for several years now and has proven to be a good product. A year or so ago they decided to offer their products in a Good-Better-Best, marketing scheme. The original Snapstone is the "Good" and the prices are higher on the Avaire, that ranks "Better" and "Best", for no real good reason. They are all quality products. You must use their proprietary grout packaged under their own name, last I heard it was really Quartz Lock brand labeled for them specially. The porcelain tiles are made in China, the plastic trays in Iowa, and the assembly is done in Omaha.

Snapstone is available in Canada at all of the Home Depot stores and has been for several years.


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## TomServo (Sep 6, 2009)

This type of product seems like a pretty good solution to my situation. To save you from reading the whole thread, only part of which is relevant, I'm trying to avoid building up my kitchen floor since it is now (due to another phase of my remodeling) open to the dining room across about 8-9'. I'd like to keep the transition very clean/low profile. I was hoping to avoid T-molding, if possible.

The floating tile products seem like a decent way to avoid using the extra layers of plywood and cement backer board.

Any reason not to consider to consider Snapstone (which I have seen at my local Menards) for this application? Any thoughts on how to make the transition to hardwood? I assume something like the Schluter products are out since there's no thinset involved?

Unfortunately, I've already purchased tile. It was $0.47/sq ft from a local builders' outlet store (that does not do returns), so not a huge investment.


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## TRACKER (Jun 13, 2010)

Thanks for your web links. I was looking for an installation video and even the store where I purchased my tile had nothing. This product is very new to my area and no one seems to know much about it. The tile store manager asked me to call him and let him know how the installation went. He's looking for feedback. Your links were very helpful. Thanks.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

Snapstone also maintains a low profile semi secret Discussion Board that is tended to by real live company wigs. Answers straight from the horses mouths, no dancing around issues here. 

http://boardserver.superstats.com/list.html?u=SnapStone&f=1


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## TRACKER (Jun 13, 2010)

I have almost finished my avaire installation. It was very easy to install. As with most tile projects my most difficult area was around the toilet flange and the curve cuts. Using a wet saw and making the straight cuts I found the plastic-rubber backing more difficult to snip into shape than traditional tile. It would have been much easier if I had an angle grinder. You definitely need to leave the floating space between the walls or you will hear the tiles grinding. One nice feature is you can shift an entire row of tiles at a time w/o removing them and relocking.  I plan to grout tommorrow.


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## bpINva (Apr 4, 2011)

*StileLock porcelain tile: just did bathroom install*

We are pleased with StileLock.
Easy to install and looks great.

I completed a small 5x7 bathroom in about 6 hours.
All prework was done: sink and toilet removed, baseboards removed, flat and clean floor to work on.

A weekend home maintenance point-of-view:

Spacers are critical. Without them the floor moves all over the place and the tiles will not lock together. There has to be a solid backstop to pound against. I paid another $20 for the install kit and it was worth it. The Lowes guy also tried to sell me a $19 sand-filled mallet, but my good old $4 rubber mallet was A-OK. I can reuse the install kit on the next bathroom.

At first I was worried about seeing the seams between the tiles, but as tiles were pounded into place everything got tighter.

The wet saw is also necessary. Luckily I borrowed one, but they can be rented for around $50 a weekend here in VA. 
Newbie Sawing note: I chipped the end off my first cut of an entire tile. After that I stopped the saw with a couple inches to go, flipped the tile and ripped to the existing cut. No more chipping.
The tiles cut easily.

The new floor is higher than the one-piece linoleum tile that it replaced.
So don't cheap out by trying to reuse the toilet bolts.
They probably will be too short, you're going to sit a little taller.
Plus the old bolts are nasty.

Since the new floor is a bit taller, I didn't have to worry as much about the rough area where the floor meets the walls. New, thick baseboard on top of the new floor covers all that. No Quarter round moulding was needed.

The price was a bit more, but there are no other materials needed like grout, glue or cement.

My cost breakdown for flooring materials: 
6 boxes tiles at $41 box = $246 (seven tiles per box)
1 install kit = $20
(have six tiles left over for next job or future replacement)

Don't know if that is expensive, but it is real porcelain tile and I did it myself (didn't have to hire an installer).


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## kelli (Jan 1, 2009)

Thanks for the great review/ breakdown of StileLock. I happened to see this on display at Lowe's a couple of weeks ago and thought it looked amazing. I was hoping it would be easy to install for a clueless novice like myself. You should have posted pics of your finished job.


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## KAH (Jul 29, 2011)

Can anyone tell me the thoughts about using the Stile Lock in a bathroom and the possiblity of a toilet leaking under the floor? We've installed this floor in our bathroom (still in remodel process) and hubby is worried that if the toilet were to begin leaking that due to it being a floating floor the water would run under floor and wouldn't be discovered till damage to walls had been done or mold was growing. I'd like to hear opinions from others.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> ...hubby is worried that if the toilet were to begin leaking that due to it being a floating floor the water would run under floor and wouldn't be discovered till damage to walls had been done or mold was growing.


Legitimate concern, but in reality how often do toilets leak at the floor seals?

If a new seal is installed properly it won't leak.


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## TRACKER (Jun 13, 2010)

I installed this tile in my bathroom a year ago. I was worried about the toilet leaking as well ,especially with the floating floor concept. So far so good. I did get a plumber to reseat my toilet just to be on the safe side. My bathroom is on the second floor. I have been very pleased with the remodel and everyone who looks at the floor says they would never guess it was a floating floor. It was a bit more expensive but much easier to install and if you want to change it in the future it should be much easier to remove.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

The name "floating floor" is sort of a nutty thing to call any of those floors to begin with. The floors don't float.

When the floor is in place and the toilet (and its weight) sits atop the floor, and then the toilet pedestal is bolted to the subfloor compressing and trapping the "floating floor" it is not a floating floor for sure.

The whole naming of the concept is just nuts.

I guess if they had named those floors "disposable floors" they wouldn't have been near as appealing to the consumer.


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## lahclay2 (Aug 8, 2011)

*Stilelock click and Loc system*



bpINva said:


> We are pleased with StileLock.
> Easy to install and looks great.
> 
> I completed a small 5x7 bathroom in about 6 hours.
> ...


I am a first time DIY in the flooring area - currently I am installing my set of Stilelock porcelan tile and I have run into a few challenges with finishing the raw edges in the kitchen which has a few angles (in other words not a perfect square). Such as what can I do to close the gaps which have still another /8 and 1/4 inch gaps between tile and the now replaced old wood quarter rounder transitions. Also my husband fears removing the tackless metal transitions that is on the carpet side will cause more expensive repairs. As well do to these angles I have had to create patterns and get several pieces of tiles cut to fit the awkward corners, what else is available on the market to help me have a clean finished, I seem to be spending more money to get to the end of this 3-weekend project. Any ideas --- trying to finish ASAP!


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## DIYM (Jul 17, 2012)

*clicks tiles*

I've purchased clicks tiles through the Home Depot website , had them delivered, rented a tile cutter and voila! A new porcelain tile floor in 1 day. My 13 x 13 kitchen was done! It's been over a year and they still look great after all the use by 4 kids, 2 grandkids, and a dog. My son and I installed the floor with ease and amazement.:thumbup:. Highly recommended.


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