Tile Fixing & Flooring in Dubai & Sharjah
Ceramic, porcelain, marble, granite, vinyl, SPC and epoxy - laid on a base prepared properly, so it stays down. New installation, replacement and restoration.
In this climate /
Nearly every failed tile job failed underneath the tile We are called to a great deal of remedial tiling, and the pattern is consistent: the tile was rarely the problem. The substrate was.
Tiles lift, crack and sound hollow because the screed was uneven and the adhesive bed was inconsistent, because coverage behind the tile was partial rather than full, because no movement joints were formed in a large floor, or because a wet area was tiled over a surface that was never properly waterproofed. In a climate with a wide daily temperature swing - particularly on terraces, balconies and pool surrounds exposed to direct sun - materials expand and contract significantly. Without movement joints, that expansion has nowhere to go, so the tiles tent, crack or debond.
Marble adds its own considerations. It is porous, stains readily, and reacts with acidic cleaners. Much of the dulled, patchy marble in Dubai villas is not worn out - it is damaged by the wrong cleaning products, and it can usually be restored rather than replaced.
We spend more time on preparation than on laying. That is the part that determines whether the floor is still sound in ten years.
Scope /
What we do
Floor and wall tiling
- Ceramic and porcelain, floor and wall
- Large-format tile installation
- Mosaic and feature tiling
- External and terrace tiling
- Pool surround and wet-area tiling
- Stair and step tiling
- Skirting, thresholds and trims
Natural stone
- Marble supply and installation
- Granite installation
- Stone polishing and crystallisation
- Stain removal and restoration
- Honing and sealing
- Chip and crack repair
- Countertop fabrication and installation
Other flooring
- SPC and LVT installation
- Vinyl sheet and tile
- Engineered and solid wood flooring
- Laminate flooring
- Epoxy and polyurethane floors
- Anti-slip and industrial coatings
- Carpet and carpet tiles
Preparation and remedial
- Screeding and levelling
- Self-levelling compound application
- Substrate assessment and repair
- Waterproof membrane installation beneath tiling
- Movement joint formation
- Old floor removal and disposal
- Grout raking, replacement and colour restoration
- Individual tile replacement and matching
- Hollow tile investigation and re- bedding
- Efflorescence treatment
Symptoms /
What we get called for most
Hollow-sounding or lifting tiles
Insufficient adhesive coverage on installation, or substrate movement. Isolated tiles can be lifted and re-bedded; widespread hollowness usually means the floor needs relaying, and we will tell you which it is after tapping through it.
Cracked tiles in a line
Almost always a structural crack or a missing movement joint below, telegraphing through. Replacing the tiles without addressing the joint means they crack again in the same place.
Grout that has discoloured, crumbled or grown mould
Grout is porous and takes the wear. Raking out and re- grouting with a modern stain-resistant product transforms a bathroom for a fraction of retiling.
Dull, stained or etched marble
Usually acidic cleaner damage rather than wear. Honing and re-polishing generally restores it, and sealing afterwards prevents recurrence.
Terrace and balcony tiles lifting
Direct sun, thermal cycling and no movement joints. The repair has to include correcting the underlying detail, including falls to drainage and the waterproofing beneath.
An uneven or bouncy floor
Failed screed. It must be corrected before any new floor is laid - a common shortcut, and the reason many replacement floors fail as fast as the original.
Wanting a modern floor without demolition
SPC and LVT can often be laid over existing sound tiling, avoiding the noise, dust and cost of removal. Whether that works depends on floor level, thresholds and how sound the existing tile is.
How we work /
- 01
Substrate survey
We tap through the existing floor, check levels and moisture, and assess what is really there.
- 02
Honest recommendation
Repair, overlay or full replacement, with the reasoning.
- 03
Preparation
Removal, screeding, levelling, waterproofing where required. This is the part that matters.
- 04
Setting out
Dry-laid and planned so cuts fall sensibly and patterns align. Bad setting out is permanent.
- 05
Laying
Full adhesive coverage, correct trowel notch, consistent joints, movement joints where required.
- 06
Grouting, sealing and cleaning
Then a joint inspection with you.
Indicative pricing /
What this work typically costs
- Floor tiling (labour, per sq ft)
- On survey
- Wall tiling (labour, per sq ft)
- On survey
- Marble installation (per sq ft)
- On survey
- Marble polishing and restoration (per sq ft)
- On survey
- SPC / LVT installation (per sq ft)
- On survey
- Screeding and levelling (per sq ft)
- On survey
- Epoxy flooring (per sq ft)
- On survey
- Grout replacement (per sq ft)
- On survey
- Individual tile replacement
- On survey
Work From Work From Supply and fix quoted separately. Free survey.
Why Spanex /
Why Spanex for tiling and flooring
We prepare properly
Screeding, levelling and waterproofing before anything is laid. It is the invisible part of the job and the reason ours don't fail.
Waterproofing under wet-area tiling as standard
Tiles and grout are not waterproof. The membrane beneath is. Movement joints where they belong. On large floors, terraces and anywhere with thermal exposure.
Restoration before replacement
Dull marble and failed grout can usually be restored at a fraction of the cost. We will quote the cheaper option where it is the right one.
Sectors we serve /
- Premium villas
- Residential buildings
- Retail and malls
- Schools
- Healthcare
- Industrial
- Sports venues
- Commercial offices
Related services /
Questions /
Frequently asked
Why do my tiles sound hollow?
The adhesive did not achieve full contact behind the tile, or the substrate has moved. Hollow tiles eventually crack or lift under load. A few can be lifted and re-bedded; widespread hollowness means relaying.
Can you lay new flooring over existing tiles?
Often yes, with SPC, LVT or vinyl, provided the existing tiles are sound and well bonded and the resulting floor level works with your doors and thresholds. It saves considerable demolition cost. We check first - laying over a failing floor just moves the problem up a layer.
How long does tiling a bathroom take?
Rushing the curing stages is a common cause of early failure.
Can dull or stained marble be restored?
Usually, yes. Most dulling is surface etching from acidic cleaners rather than genuine wear. Honing and re- polishing restores the finish, and sealing afterwards protects it. It costs far less than replacement.
Do I need waterproofing under bathroom tiles?
Yes. Tiles and grout are not a waterproof layer - water passes through grout over time. A proper membrane beneath the tile is what protects the structure. Its absence is one of the most common defects we find.
What causes white deposits on my tiles?
Efflorescence - mineral salts carried to the surface by moisture moving through the substrate. It indicates a moisture problem underneath, so we investigate the source rather than just cleaning it off.
Which flooring works best in a Dubai villa?
Porcelain for durability and heat tolerance, marble for appearance where you accept the maintenance, SPC for warmth and quiet in bedrooms, and epoxy for garages and utility spaces. We advise per room based on use, not on a single recommendation for the whole house.
Next step /
Get a fixed price for your tile fixing & flooring
Free survey anywhere in Dubai and Sharjah. Written scope and fixed quotation before work starts.