Slate-Look Kitchen Floor in Smyrna Ranch Home
About This Project
This 1970s ranch home in Smyrna, near Atlanta Road, received a full kitchen floor replacement using a dark slate-look porcelain tile in a 12x24 format. The kitchen had the original vinyl composition tile over the concrete slab, which we removed and disposed of before assessing the slab condition.
The slab had two dormant hairline cracks running diagonally across the kitchen floor area, a common finding in Smyrna's older ranch homes where Georgia's clay soil has settled over decades. We installed a Schluter Ditra uncoupling membrane over the entire floor before setting tile. The membrane's egg-crate structure creates a physical break between the slab and the tile layer, so if the slab continues to move slightly, the tile above it stays intact. This is a more reliable solution than hoping the cracks stay dormant.
The dark slate-look tile pairs well with the white cabinetry in this kitchen and the green glass subway backsplash tile, which was installed by the homeowner separately.
What We Did
- Removed existing VCT tile and adhesive residue; assessed slab cracks
- Installed Schluter Ditra uncoupling membrane over full kitchen floor area
- Set 12x24 slate-look porcelain in running bond pattern with 1/8-inch joints
- Grouted with dark gray sanded grout; sealed grout before kitchen use resumed
