Patterned Exterior Entryway Tile

This was a very technical and challenging installation. It encompassed a few challenged which where all new to me at the time.

- Exterior application

-Inconstant tile sizes

-Spacer free install

-Tiling of risers

-Intricate profile installation

-Imperfect (exterior concrete) substrate

-Preexisting expansion joints needed to be honored

During an exterior application of tile, the elements make it challenging to ensure a lasting installation. special materials must be used for an exterior tile installation.

Each tile you see was slightly different in size so I could not use spacers. Instead I created a grid of our pattern size to keep our grout joints in line and pattern from shifting and drifting.

The tiling of risers presented a problem of height and also the installation of desired tile edging profiles the client wanted to use.

we had to ensure flatness of the substrate while also keeping the slope in two different directions of the concrete slab ( away from the house and towards the street). The slab was not flat and had a ton of low spots from poor finishing.

I speak a lot about overcoming challenges which in turn can help you grow in business and in life as a person. Most of you know I wasn't always a full-time tile setter and this installation was a list of many "firsts" for me. Although the project took me a lot longer I am extremely happy with the installation and grateful to have been able to overcome these challenges to make me a better installer.

Exterior Entryway Tile

We started with tiling the risers (front of the step) and than used the profile to create a boarder to tile inside. Here I am getting the layout ready to create my grid pattern as mentioned above. I payed out the tiles and measured the distance of the tile + about 1/8 grout joint to get the spacing.

Tiling the riser first allowed us to control a few things. We where able to make the height inconsistencies in the finished concrete more consistent and also gave us a square finished edge to tile inside.

Exterior Entryway Tile

The grid allowed us to stay consistent all the way through the install even without using spacers.

The finished product. It came out more amazing then I expected.

Thanks for reading! Go out and do something amazing. xo Schannon (ThatTileChick)