Gray Plank Kitchen Floor in Ken Caryl
This kitchen floor in a Ken Caryl home used 12x24 gray porcelain plank tile set in a 33% offset pattern. A 33% offset, rather than the standard 50% running bond, is recommended for plank tile with a length-to-width ratio of 3:1 or more. At a 50% offset, the long edges of planks can telegraph minor subfloor variations into visible lippage. The 33% offset reduces this risk while still providing visual movement in the pattern.
The kitchen had an existing ceramic tile floor that was well-bonded to the slab. Rather than remove it, we installed the new tile directly over the existing layer after confirming the combined height would not cause threshold problems at doorways. A skim coat of thinset was applied to flatten the existing grout joints before setting the new tile.
Project Details
- Area
- Ken Caryl
- Materials
- 12x24 gray porcelain plank tile, polymer-modified thinset, gray sanded grout
- Scope
- Residential kitchen floor tile-over-tile installation
- Timeline
- Two-day install
What We Did
- Confirmed existing tile was fully bonded; applied skim coat to flatten existing grout joints
- Established 33% offset layout lines; dry-laid to confirm pattern and perimeter cuts
- Set 12x24 planks with notched trowel and back-butter; maintained consistent 1/8-inch joints
- Grouted with gray sanded grout; installed flush transition strips at doorways
The gray plank floor reads as calm and contemporary without competing with the kitchen cabinetry.
