Before & After: Texarkana Ranch Home Gets Tile Throughout

The Project

A ranch-style home in Texarkana, Texas — single story on a slab, open floor plan connecting the living room, dining area, and kitchen. The owners had carpet throughout and had been planning to replace it for years. They wanted large-format porcelain tile that would work with the openness of the layout and be durable enough for a working household.

Here's how the project came together.

Slab Assessment

Big slabs look flat. They rarely are. We walked the entire install area with a long straightedge before touching anything — and found a 3/8" dip in the center of the living room where the slab had settled slightly over time. Not unusual. Not a problem, as long as you address it before tile goes down.

Large-format tile is the most unforgiving surface for subfloor variation. If you set 24×24 tile over a slab with dips and high spots, the tiles rock, the thinset doesn't bond fully, and the tiles crack. The fix is self-leveling compound applied before installation — and it's a fraction of the cost of replacing cracked tile two years later.

Moisture vapor testing on the slab came back within acceptable range. We proceeded.

Layout Planning

The open floor plan meant the layout had to work across three connected spaces without a tile break. We planned the starting point from the center of the living room, running the tile on a slight offset pattern that made the diagonal lines of the space feel wider.

The grout joint width and color came from a sample board we brought to the estimate visit. The owners chose a medium-gray grout — tight joints, clean look, easy to maintain.

Installation and Result

Four days from prep to final grout clean. The result is a floor that makes the whole house feel cohesive and updated — the openness of the floor plan now works in its favor instead of making the space feel disconnected.

Ready for Tile in Texarkana?

We serve both sides of the state line — Texas and Arkansas. Free in-home estimate, written quote, same-day response. Call Kevin at (318) 250-4948.