TileMasters provides tile installation and tile repair in River Forest, IL, a village where the housing stock demands a different level of care than a standard suburban job.
River Forest has around 860 properties inside its historic district, covering Gothic Revival, Victorian, Prairie School, Tudor Revival, bungalows, Art Deco, and Moderne. Frank Lloyd Wright built the Winslow House here in 1893, and William Drummond, E.E. Roberts, and their contemporaries left work all over the village. Tiling in a house like that is not just about setting a level floor, it is about not wrecking something that cannot be replaced. Finished work, including jobs in period homes nearby in our project gallery.
That shapes how we work here. We protect original trim, plaster, and floors before demo rather than after. We match sightlines and proportions to the period instead of defaulting to whatever is current. And when a homeowner asks whether something original can be saved rather than replaced, we give an honest answer even when replacement would be the bigger invoice. Not sure where to start? Reach out and we will walk the space with you before anything is decided. Much of our work sits between here, Oak Park, and Forest Park, where the housing has a lot in common.
From a single original floor repaired to a full bathroom rebuilt. All services here.
Porcelain, ceramic, and natural stone floors for River Forest homes and businesses. We level and prep the subfloor first, so the finished floor stays flat and the grout lines hold.
Learn MoreBacksplashes chosen and laid to suit a period kitchen rather than fight it, with cuts planned around original details.
Learn MoreWalk-in showers built from the studs out and fully waterproofed before tiling. Niches, benches, and curbless entries are all options in River Forest bathrooms.
Learn MoreBathroom remodels in older homes, protecting plaster, trim, and floors through demo rather than after.
Learn MoreTub surrounds rebuilt with modern waterproofing behind period-appropriate tile.
Learn MoreCracked tile, crumbling grout, and failing caulk fixed before they cause water damage. In most River Forest homes a repair costs a fraction of a full replacement.
Learn MoreEight decades of architectural styles in two and a half square miles.
Horizontal lines, wide eaves, and low proportions define these interiors, and tile that ignores that reads wrong immediately. Large-format laid horizontally usually sits better than anything busy or vertical. We mock the layout up before committing.
Many River Forest bathrooms still have their original hex or mosaic floor in good condition. Where it can be saved, we repair and regrout rather than tear out. Where it genuinely cannot, we source the closest period-correct match we can find.
Behind the tile in these houses is plaster over lath, not drywall, and it does not behave the same way. It needs different fasteners, different prep, and a lighter touch during demo. Crews who only work on newer construction tend to find that out the hard way.
Careful work in houses that deserve it. See what owners say in our reviews.
We protect original trim, plaster, and floors before demo, not after.
Tile that suits a Prairie or Tudor interior rather than fighting it.
Fully licensed and insured in Cook County, with paperwork up front.
If original work can be saved, we tell you, even when replacing pays us more.
Recent projects in and around River Forest. Click to enlarge or open the full gallery.
Common questions from River Forest homeowners before starting a tile project.
Yes, and the near west suburbs are where most of that experience comes from. The main difference is pace: more protection up front, more care during demo, and more time spent matching what is already there instead of imposing something new.
Often quite closely. Hex, penny round, and square mosaic are all still manufactured, and reproduction lines cover a lot of period patterns. Exact matches on decorative or hand-glazed tile are harder, and we will show you the closest option and be honest about the difference.
Regularly. On historic homes there is usually someone else involved, and coordinating early on layout, transitions, and material saves problems later. Put us in touch and we will work to their drawings.
Interior tile normally does not trigger historic review, but River Forest does have preservation guidelines and the rules depend on your property. We will tell you if we think something needs checking before we start.
Get a free, no obligation estimate for tile installation or tile repair in River Forest.
