Floor Tile · Oak Island

A Beach House Floor That Shrugs Off Sand, a Little Dog and the Summer Heat

Two phases, two kinds of tile, and one floor that finally keeps up with life at the beach

Pete and Marie wanted a hard floor in their oceanfront beach house that would stand up to sand, foot traffic and a little lap dog who is one of the family, and still clean up in a minute. We tiled two bedrooms first in long wood-look porcelain planks, and then the great room in a small brick tile, which turned out to be the right choice once the carpet came up and we saw how wavy the old plywood floor underneath really was. Now they sweep up the sand and go on with their day, and the floor stays nice and cool all summer long.

Floor Tile · Oak Island · About 6 weeks, in two phases · Two bedrooms and the great room, subfloor repair, HardieBacker underlayment, new baseboard and shoe molding

Free in-home estimate · Written, detailed pricing · No obligation

The great room, where the old carpet used to hold on to every grain of sand.

Carpet, Sand and a Little Dog With the Run the House

When Pete and Marie called, the floors in their oceanfront beach house were carpeted, and anyone who lives near the ocean knows how that goes, because the sand works its way down into the fibers and never really comes back out. They have a little lap dog who is one of the family, so they wanted a hard floor that could take the traffic, the sand and the paw prints and still be easy to clean.

Phase One: The Bedrooms, in Long Wood-Look Planks

Since Pete and Marie were living in the house the whole time, we did the work in two phases, starting with two bedrooms so they could sleep in one while we worked in the others. Pete had his heart set on long porcelain planks with a wood-grain look, so that's what went down in the bedrooms, set over a new tile base so they'd lie flat and stay put for years.

Long wood-look porcelain planks going down over a new tile base in one of the bedrooms.

The old subfloor, cut back to the joists before anything new went down.

What We Found Under the Old Floor

In one room, once the old flooring came up, the subfloor underneath was in bad shape, so there was no way we were going to set new tile on top of it. We cut it out all the way back to the joists and put down new subfloor, because at least a third of every tile job is the prep work, and a solid, well-built base is what lets the tile hold up the way it should.

The Moment the Carpet Came Up in the Great Room

When the carpet came up in the great room, it was an eye-opener, because the plywood floor underneath looked more like a wave than a flat floor, and even Pete agreed it was a mess. I showed him how far out of whack it was and priced out a full subfloor replacement, but that wasn't in the budget, and going back to carpet wasn't an option either. So we leveled the worst spots and laid HardieBacker tile underlayment across the whole room, which shored up the floor and made it a lot more solid underfoot.

HardieBacker over the leveled floor, the base that made the whole room solid underfoot.

Brick tile going down along the kitchen run, with leveling clips holding every edge even.

A Trip to the Tile Store and a Smarter Choice

Pete, Marie and I took a trip to the tile store together to find a tile that would work with the floor he had, not the one we wished he had. He settled on a small brick tile, because short pieces make up for the waves in a floor in a way that long planks never could, and it still gave him the solid, hard-wearing floor he was after.

Built for the Busiest Path in the House

The great room opens right out to the porch and the beach, so this is the floor that sees the most sand, wet feet and dog traffic in the whole house. Tile doesn't mind any of that, and the warm, weathered color of the brick looks right at home in a beach house, so the floor feels like it was always meant to be there.

The brick tile running past the doors to the porch, where most of the sand comes in.

New baseboard and shoe molding, with the brick tile meeting the kitchen floor.

Finished Right, Down to the Trim

Once the tile was down and grouted, we finished the rooms with new baseboard and shoe molding, which covers the edge where the floor meets the wall and gives the whole job a clean, finished look. Where the great room meets the kitchen, the new tile runs right up to the kitchen floor, and yes, that's the little dog's water bowl, right back where it belongs.

Back to What They Bought the House For

With a floor that sweeps clean in a few minutes and stays cool on bare feet, Pete and Marie spend a lot less time cleaning up after the beach and a lot more time enjoying it. That's why they bought an oceanfront home in the first place, so they can sit out on the porch, relax, and watch the sun come up over the water.

The view from Pete and Marie's porch at sunrise.

At a Glance

- Oceanfront beach house with sand, foot traffic and a little lap dog to keep up with

- Old carpet out, two bedrooms and the great room tiled in two phases while the owners lived there

- Bad subfloor in one room cut back to the joists and replaced

- Wavy plywood in the great room leveled and covered with HardieBacker tile underlayment

- Long wood-look porcelain planks in the bedrooms, small brick tile in the great room

- New baseboard and shoe molding to finish every room

- A floor that sweeps clean in minutes and stays cool all summer

- About 6 weeks, in two phases

In Their Own Words:


"We really enjoy the tile so much better than the old carpet. It was almost impossible to get the sand out of the carpet. Now we just sweep up the sand and the floor stays nice and cool all summer long."

Pete and Marie M., Oak Island

Three Simple Steps

From Your Vision To a New Reality

Getting work done on your home shouldn't be a hassle. Here's how it works.

STEP 01

Tell Me About Your Project

Answer a few quick questions about your home and the job.

  • Takes about 2 minutes

  • Add photos if you have them

  • No cost, no obligation

STEP 02

I Will Meet You Onsite for a Quote

I'll call you to discuss the project, then set a time to see the job in person. You'll be talking with me, not a salesman.

  • A real phone call from me

  • In-home visit at a time that works for you

  • Straight answers, no pressure

STEP 03

You Get a Written Quote

I will provide all the details and specifications, line by line, no surprises. If it looks right, we pick a start date and I get the work done.

  • Firm, detailed written quote

  • Clean up every day

  • Finished on time

Free in-home estimate · Written, detailed pricing · No obligation

FREE IN-HOME ESTIMATE

Start Your Project

Fill out the short form and I'll call you to talk through the job. If it's a good fit, I'll come out, look it over, and give you a clear written quote. Prefer to talk first? Call me at (828) 761-6760.

Where I Work

  • Asheville, Arden, Hendersonville, Brevard and Waynesville

  • Nearby areas, just ask

Remodel Asheville · John McMullen · (828) 761-6760

Serving Asheville, Arden, Hendersonville, Brevard and Waynesville
Privacy Policy · Terms
© 2026 Remodel Asheville