The floor is what you see and touch every day, and it is one of the hardest things to fix after handover. Most of the tiling complaints owners raise, such as raised edges, hollow-sounding tiles or water that won't drain, don't start when the tiles are laid but before, during levelling and preparation. This guide covers the mistakes we see most often in Riyadh homes and how to catch each one while it can still be put right.
Why tile problems start underneath
Tile, especially large-format porcelain, is rigid and unforgiving. Laid on a base that is bowed or weak, it either shows the fault as lippage between edges, or hides it over voids that later turn into cracks and hollow spots. So the work splits into two equally important stages:
- Levelling: a flat, sound base at the correct level, usually a sand and cement screed, or a self-levelling compound where it suits.
- Tiling: laying the tile with the right adhesive, the right joints and full coverage on the back.
See our Floor Levelling & Tiling service for how we scope the work.
Mistake 1: Starting without fixed levels
Every floor needs a finished level taken from one fixed datum for the whole storey. When each tiler starts from his own room, the result shows at the doorways: unwanted steps between rooms, doors that bind on the tile, a visible change between hall and corridor.
Avoid it by marking one finished floor level around the storey with a laser before anything starts, allowing for tile plus adhesive thickness when setting the screed level, and agreeing deliberate level changes, such as at bathrooms or external doors, from the drawings.
Mistake 2: A screed that is uneven or weak
Common faults in the screed itself:
- A weak or poorly mixed screed that dusts or crumbles when scratched.
- Screed laid over poorly compacted fill on the ground floor, which later settles and takes the tiles with it.
- Tiling before the screed has cured and dried enough, trapping moisture and weakening the bond.
- Leaving dips and waves for the tiler to "make up" with extra adhesive, giving uneven bedding.
Owner's test: lay a straight aluminium edge about two metres long across the floor in several directions. Clear gaps underneath, or the edge rocking on a high point, mean the base needs correcting first. Ask for the acceptable flatness tolerance to be written into the specification.
Mistake 3: Adhesive that doesn't cover the tile
This is the main cause of hollow tiles. The old habit of setting tiles on a few dabs of mortar leaves large voids, and with Riyadh's heat cycles the tile eventually debonds or its edges break when something heavy drops on it. The right approach is a proper tile adhesive for the tile type and location, spread with a notched trowel sized to the tile, and back-buttering large formats. A good tiler lifts the odd tile while working to check that the back is almost fully covered.
Mistake 4: Misusing levelling clips
Levelling clips and wedges are excellent for reducing lippage on large tiles, but they are often misused:
- Relying on them to fix a floor that isn't flat. They line up edges, not the plane of the floor.
- Over-tightening, which lifts the centre of the tile or traps a void.
- Removing them before the adhesive has set.
- Using too few along the long edges of plank tiles, leaving lippage in the middle.
Level base first, clips second.
Mistake 5: Ignoring movement joints
Tiles and concrete expand and contract, and Riyadh's swings between day and night and summer and winter are large.
| Joint | Where | If it's missing |
|---|---|---|
| Grout joint | Between tiles, at the width the manufacturer recommends | Edges touch and chip, grout cracks out |
| Perimeter joint | Between tile and walls or columns, hidden under the skirting | Tiles lift and "tent" in the middle |
| Movement joint | Large areas, long corridors, over structural joints | Long cracks running across several tiles |
Tiles butted hard against the wall are one of the most common causes of lifted floors we find on renovation jobs.
Mistake 6: Wrong falls in wet areas
Bathrooms, showers, kitchens and roof terraces need a gentle, planned fall to the drain. Typical faults are a fall towards the door, a low corner that holds water, a drain set higher than the surrounding tile, and tiling before the waterproofing has been flood-tested. The right order is: screed to falls, waterproofing turned up the walls and flood-tested, tiling that keeps the same falls, then a final water test.
Mistake 7: Poor setting out
Starting from a wall that isn't straight, or leaving thin cut pieces at the entrance, makes a perfectly flat floor look wrong. Good setting out puts full tiles where they are seen, balances cuts on both sides, and carries grout lines through connected rooms.
Mistake 8: Mixed batches and rushing the finish
Tiles come in production batches that can vary slightly in shade and size. Check the batch numbers on delivery, open several boxes and dry-lay them to compare, and keep spare tiles from the same batch for future repairs. After laying, don't grout too early, don't stack materials on new tiles, avoid strong acids on fresh grout, and cover the floor with board during painting and fit-out.
How Marafi does it
We start with levels, not tiles: one datum per storey, the screed checked with a straightedge before tiling is approved, and approved materials matched to each tile and location. We follow the engineering drawings for levels and falls, flood-test waterproofing in wet areas before it is covered, and use levelling clips on large formats to refine the finish, not to hide a poor base. Owners get photos at each stage, so they see what is under the tile before it disappears. Our sequence is on How we build, and flooring is part of our wider Interior Finishing work. Since good floors also depend on good walls, see our plaster quality checklist.
Quick checklist before you accept the floors
- One level throughout the storey, with no accidental steps.
- A straightedge shows no obvious gaps or rocking.
- Tapping reveals no hollow-sounding tiles.
- No noticeable lippage when you run your hand across edges.
- Even grout lines, and a perimeter gap under the skirting.
- Water runs to the drain in every wet room.
- Consistent colour with no patches from mixed batches.
For the whole-house handover, use our interior finishing checklist. Planning new floors or replacing old ones in Riyadh? Contact us to arrange a site visit and measurement, and we will send an itemised proposal.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some tiles sound hollow when tapped?
Usually because the adhesive does not cover the back of the tile fully, or the base underneath is uneven and leaves air pockets. These tiles tend to crack or come loose over time, and the proper fix is to lift and re-lay them.
Do tile levelling clips replace a level screed?
No. Clips pull the edges of neighbouring tiles into line and reduce lippage, but they cannot correct a base that dips or bows. A level screed comes first; clips refine the result.
How soon can I walk on newly laid tiles?
It depends on the adhesive and the weather, and the manufacturer states it on the bag. As a rule, don't load the floor or grout before the adhesive has had its full time, and protect it from heavy traffic in the first days.
How do I check that a bathroom floor has the right fall?
Pour water at the point furthest from the drain and watch where it goes. All of it should run to the drain without pooling in corners or at the door.
