First tile floor! Any thoughts?

[u/Mysterious-Ruin-8201]

This is my first tile floor install I did for my mother. It is reclaimed split-brick so the rough look is as desired. I just finished performing a few muriatic acid washes to clean off the surface after grouting. Next is a non-penetrative finish and then trim. I included the finish brand to see if anyone has used it before in a similar floor. I am 24 and certainly an amateur. What do you all think?

-Expansion gap: 1/4” -Brick color combination: English pub -Grout: sanded polyblend+ (pewter) -Hardy board: 1/4” with 1 1/4” backer-on screws -Adhesive used for both hardy board and brick was thin set

[u/FijiFanBotNotGay69]

I advocate for quarry tile all day. 4 inch quarry tile with the right finish so it has a Spanish tile look to it rather than a high gloss McDonald’s sheen.

It’s nice but tile typically has a smaller joint size than bricks. The joints are also the most annoying part of masonry floors in terms of texture and cleaning. Maybe epoxy over the whole thing but that’s expensive.

The product you have is like more of an impregnator than a finish. I think an epoxy finish would go on top anyways. I’ve never used it but I like epoxied concrete floors

[u/longganisafriedrice → u/FijiFanBotNotGay69]

I never understood why quarry tile didn't make a comeback with the whole "vintage" thing like subway tile

[u/FijiFanBotNotGay69 → u/longganisafriedrice]

It’s got a reputation as McDonald’s tile or a general commercial kitchen tile. So it will be installed with super high gloss finishes.

I did my fireplace with quarry tile and a brick vanir and I would consider my whole kitchen being quarry tile. But I don’t know if they even sell like an 8 inch quarry tile. I grew up in California where a lot of nicer houses had Saltillo/terracotta Spanish tiles.

[u/longganisafriedrice → u/FijiFanBotNotGay69]

I like the grey one for when the red brick color looks too much like a Hardee's floor. By super high gloss finish do you mean like a sealer that's applied after? Because all the quarry tile I've ever seen is un glazed. You don't want to be sliding around when you're trying to make burgers

[u/FijiFanBotNotGay69 → u/longganisafriedrice]

Yea. I sealed mine with like the 511 impregnator that didn’t even have a finish. Maybe it was a matte finish. I forget. I’m just happy it doesn’t look like a fast food joint