Tile installation and repair in San Francisco

Saving the colorful vintage tile in San Francisco homes

SF Planning's historic context statement for the Sunset notes that its 1920s to 1940s tract houses often had colorful polychromatic ceramic tile in bathrooms and kitchens, with wood or parquet floors. Where that tile survives, it is usually worth keeping. Matching a color from that era can take some hunting, so the repair plan starts with what can be saved rather than what can be replaced.

We rake out crumbling grout carefully around old glazed tile, replace only the cracked pieces, and use flexible caulk at inside corners and the tub line. Any leftover tiles tucked in a closet or garage are the best source for a match. For new installs, the backer board, waterproofing and drain slope go in first, and grout typically cures one to three days before the first shower.

Worth knowing about San Francisco

• About 76.5% of San Francisco's 414,602 housing units were built before 1980, and 45.2% date from 1939 or earlier.
• Most Sunset District construction dates from 1925 to 1950. The standard house is stucco, with living space over a ground-floor garage, on a 25-foot-wide lot.
• Sunset tract houses of the 1920s to 1940s often had colorful polychromatic ceramic tile in bathrooms and kitchens, and wood or parquet floors.