Checkerboard Foyer Floor in Aurora

Elegant foyer with black and white marble-look porcelain tiles in a diagonal checkerboard pattern

About This Project

This foyer floor in an Aurora home used large-format black and white marble-look porcelain tiles set on a 45-degree diagonal to create a classic checkerboard pattern. Diagonal layouts require more planning and more cuts than straight patterns, and the waste factor is higher, but the visual result in an entry space is significantly more dynamic.

The layout was centered on the front door threshold so the pattern reads symmetrically from the entry point. The home is a two-story colonial in one of Aurora's established neighborhoods, and the foyer connects to a staircase and a formal living room, both of which had hardwood floors. The tile-to-hardwood transitions were handled with a custom-fit threshold piece. The subfloor in this area was wood over joists, which required cement board installation and careful deflection assessment before any large-format tile could be set.

Project Details

Service: Residential Tile Installation
Area: Aurora, IL
Materials: Large-format black and white marble-look porcelain, custom threshold transition
Scope: Residential foyer floor
Timeline: Multi-day install

What We Did

01Subfloor deflection tested; cement board installed over existing wood subfloor to meet TCNA standards for large-format tile.

0245-degree diagonal layout planned from front door threshold; dry-laid to confirm pattern alignment before setting.

03Tile set with full back-butter coverage; grouted with light gray grout; threshold transitions installed at hardwood boundaries.

Have a foyer or floor project in Aurora? Contact us or call (872) 328-7975.

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