Expansive, lippage-free floors and walls — substrate flattening, levelling systems and full-coverage back-buttering on big-format porcelain.
Large-format tile makes a room feel bigger and calmer because there is so much less grout interrupting the surface. It is also the least forgiving format there is: the bigger the tile, the more brutally it exposes a floor that is not flat.
Diamond Tiling installs large-format porcelain and stone across Toronto and the GTA — floors, walls, and shower surrounds — using the preparation and tooling this material actually requires.
Large-format tile demands flat substrates and the right tools. We use leveling systems and back-buttering to deliver expansive, lippage-free surfaces with minimal grout lines.
Industry tolerance tightens as tile size increases. A subfloor that is acceptable for 12-inch tile will produce visible lippage under 24 by 48-inch planks. We measure flatness across the room and correct it with self-levelling compound or patching before installation — this preparation is most of what separates a flat large-format floor from a bad one.
We use tile levelling clips to hold adjacent edges flush while mortar cures, and back-butter the tile so there are no voids behind it. Hollow spots under large tile are impact failure points — a dropped pan cracks a tile that has air behind it, and does nothing to one with full coverage.
Large-format tile should not be laid in a 50 percent brick offset — the natural crown in the middle of a long tile guarantees lippage at the joint. We keep offsets to a third or less, or run a stacked layout, which is both correct practice and usually the better look.
A look at the craftsmanship we bring to homes across Toronto and the GTA.
Mississauga, ON
Expansive large-format porcelain flooring laid dead-flat with minimal grout lines.
Etobicoke, ON
A crisp porcelain floor flowing through a hallway into a bright living space.
Riverdale, Toronto
A detailed hexagon mosaic floor adding a designer touch underfoot.
The questions homeowners ask us most about this service.
Generally any tile with one edge of 15 inches or more. Common sizes now run 24 by 48 inches and larger, and full porcelain slabs extend well beyond that — those are handled as slab installations with their own methods and equipment.
Lippage is the height difference between adjacent tile edges — you feel it with a bare foot and see it in raking light. It comes from an uneven substrate, insufficient mortar coverage, tile warpage, or an excessive brick-pattern offset. Flattening the floor first and using levelling systems addresses all of them.
Yes, and it often looks better than small tile there. Fewer grout lines makes a compact room read as larger and less busy. The constraint is cuts around fixtures and the number of full tiles you can actually land in the space, which we work out at layout stage.
We deliver large format tile installation throughout Toronto and the surrounding Greater Toronto Area.
Most projects combine more than one of our specialities.
No surprises, no mess left behind. Four straightforward steps that keep your project on track and on budget.
We review your space, materials and vision, then provide a detailed, transparent quote.
We plan tile layout, waterproofing and transitions so every cut and line is intentional.
Our crew prepares substrates, waterproofs wet areas and installs with millimetre precision.
We clean, detail and walk the finished space with you to confirm it exceeds expectations.
Tell us about your space and we’ll provide a clear, transparent quote — no pressure, just expert advice.