Tile Installation Edmonton: Backsplash in The Palisades

Whole-Home Tile Build in The Palisades, North Edmonton

The Palisades is a quiet north Edmonton neighbourhood west of 97 Street, made up almost entirely of newer single-family builds on tree-lined infill lots. This new-build tile package covered the full home: a 12 by 30 custom shower in the basement bathroom, 24 by 24 large-format porcelain across every floor in the house, two stacked-lay 12 by 30 wall features in the main bathroom, plus mosaic at the fireplace and kitchen backsplash. The Tile Experts coordinated the entire scope, including self-leveling clip systems on the 24 by 24 floor field to lock the tile against lippage across every room.

The 24×24 Floor With Self-Leveling Clips: Why This Detail Matters

The single biggest enemy of a 24 by 24 large-format floor is lippage, the visible step at the joint where one tile sits even a fraction of a millimetre higher or lower than its neighbour. The bigger the format, the more visible any lippage becomes. Self-leveling clip systems address that problem by physically locking adjacent tiles together at the same plane while the mortar cures. A wedge or cap is driven into the clip to pull both tiles down against the bond coat at the joint; the clip is snapped off after cure, leaving a clean grout joint. On this Palisades build we used a clip system on every 24 by 24 floor in the house, which is the right call on any large-format floor and is non-negotiable on a 24 by 24 module across multiple rooms.

VersaBond LFT: The Setting Material for 24×24 and 12×30

The 24 by 24 floor field and the 12 by 30 basement shower walls were both set with VersaBond LFT Mortar. Purpose: VersaBond LFT is a large-and-heavy-tile rated mortar specifically formulated to support oversized formats without slump on a vertical or lippage on a horizontal, which a standard thinset cannot do on tiles of this size. Property: the medium-bed capability lets the mortar fill any minor variation in subfloor flatness or substrate plane so every large tile sits true. Relationship: the LFT formulation is the bond coat that lets a clip system actually work; if the mortar slumps or the bond depth is inconsistent, no clip system can rescue the install. The two products work as a pair on large-format work.

The 12×30 Basement Shower: A Custom Stacked Surround

The basement bathroom on this Palisades build features a custom 12 by 30 tile shower surround, set with VersaBond LFT and laid in a vertical orientation. A 12 by 30 module on a shower wall reads tall and modern, which is exactly the design intent for a basement bathroom where the ceiling height is typically lower than the main floor. The vertical orientation visually lifts the room. Each tile was back-buttered before placement to ensure full bond coverage behind the large face, and the layout was set off the centerline of the showerhead wall so the cut tiles at the inside and outside corners land at balanced widths.

The 12×30 Wall Features in the Main Bathroom

The main bathroom on the Palisades home includes two 12 by 30 wall features laid in a stacked pattern, both set with VersaBond Mortar. Purpose: a stacked-lay 12 by 30 reads architectural and contemporary on a vertical feature wall, especially in a clean modern bathroom. Property: the polymer-modified bond layer holds the heavy tile flush against the substrate without slump while the mortar grabs. Relationship: the stacked geometry is the most demanding wall pattern because every joint aligns vertically and horizontally, and any drift in plumb or level shows up immediately. We laser-snapped every horizontal reference and verified every vertical joint course-by-course. See our feature wall service page for more on this style of work.

Planning a new build or whole-home tile package in The Palisades or anywhere in north Edmonton? Call The Tile Experts at 587-333-9800 or request a quote.

Fireplace and Kitchen Backsplash: Mosaic on Both

The fireplace surround and the kitchen backsplash on this Palisades home both carry mosaic tile, set with ReliaBond Tile Adhesive. Purpose: ReliaBond is a Type 1 organic mastic engineered for interior dry-wall installations on mesh-backed mosaic, with the grab strength to hold a sheet vertically without sag. Property: the white-bodied adhesive does not bleed tone through any translucent mosaic edges. Relationship: using the same mosaic product family on the fireplace and the kitchen creates a visual thread that ties two otherwise separate rooms together as part of one design language for the home. The fireplace surround sits in the great room; the kitchen backsplash sits within sight of it; the shared mosaic detail makes the floor plan read as integrated rather than as a series of standalone rooms.

Grouting Across the Whole Build

All tiled surfaces in the project were grouted with Prism Grout once setting was complete. Purpose: one grout product across the project simplifies long-term maintenance for the homeowners. Property: Prism cures harder than standard portland-cement grout and resists efflorescence and stains. Relationship: we matched the grout tone to each surface’s dominant face so the joint disappears into the tile and the design carries the visual story.

The Palisades New Build Tile FAQ

How much does a whole-home tile package cost on a Palisades new build?
For a build with 24 by 24 large-format floor across the main level, a custom 12 by 30 basement shower, two 12 by 30 wall features in the main bathroom, plus mosaic fireplace and kitchen backsplash, plan on 32,000 to 55,000 dollars in labour and material, depending on tile selection.

Why use self-leveling clips on a 24×24 floor?
A 24 by 24 module is large enough that even small variations in bond depth or subfloor flatness become visible as lippage at the joint. Clip systems physically lock adjacent tiles at the same plane while the mortar cures, which eliminates the lippage at the joint and is the difference between a builder-grade large-format floor and a high-end one.

How long does a new-build tile package take from start to finish?
For a Palisades-scale build, plan on three to four weeks of tile work staged across the trades schedule. We typically come in after rough mechanical and drywall and before the finish carpenter starts on baseboards, casing, and cabinet install.

Tile Installation in The Palisades and North Edmonton

The Palisades sits in north Edmonton west of 97 Street and north of 153 Avenue, anchored by newer single-family builds on a tree-lined street grid. Whole-home tile packages on new builds in this neighbourhood typically span custom showers, 24 by 24 large-format floors, fireplace surrounds, and kitchen backsplashes coordinated as a single trade scope. The Tile Experts install bathrooms, kitchens, floors, custom showers, and feature walls across The Palisades, Beaumaris, Lago Lindo, and the rest of north Edmonton, plus the full capital region. Contact us or call 587-333-9800 for a free site walkthrough.