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Tile & stone installation

Tile and stone,
set right.

Showers, floors, patterns and fireplaces across the South Bay, Peninsula and coast.

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5.0 from 6 Google reviewsCSLB #880089

What we install

Tile and stone, wherever it goes in your home

Each drawing shows the job. Watch our own photo of it get set over the top, piece by piece.

How we set tile

The parts you can't see decide how it looks for years

Good tile work comes down to what happens before and under the tile. Scroll through the layers.

  1. 01

    A flat, solid base

    Before any tile, the floor or wall is checked with a long straightedge and corrected. Big tiles show every dip.

  2. 02

    The waterproof layer

    In showers and wet areas, a waterproof layer covers the base. Tile and grout alone don't keep water out.

  3. 03

    A full bed of mortar

    Mortar is combed out and each tile is pressed in for full contact, so there are no hollow spots to crack later.

  4. 04

    Laid out from the centre

    Tiles start from a centre line, so the cut pieces at both edges match and the pattern looks planned.

  5. 05

    Grout and finished edges

    Joints are filled evenly and edges are finished, then we walk the work with you.

Details you can see

Drawn to explain, photographed to prove it

Each drawing shows one detail. The photo beside it is the same detail on a Santos job.

  • Cutaway drawing of a shower corner showing each layer: timber studs, cement board, a green waterproof membrane wrapped into the corner and onto the floor, ridged thinset mortar, then large tiles with a tiled niche.
    Walk-in shower with white subway tile, a stone bench, a long niche and a herringbone stone floor
    On a Santos job

    The layer behind the tile

    Tile and grout aren't waterproof. In every shower, the green layer goes on the walls and floor first, wrapped into the corners, and the tile is set on top.

  • Drawing of four large floor tiles with a long green straightedge lying flat across the point where their corners meet, touching along its whole length.
    White hallway with a long run of large white tiles with soft grey lines, set flat and straight
    On a Santos job

    Flat, edge to edge

    A long straightedge laid across the joints should touch everywhere. That's how a big-tile floor stays smooth underfoot and in raking light.

  • Drawing of a chevron tile floor laid out from a green centre line, every point landing on the line and the cut pieces equal at both edges.
    Shower with grey marble chevron mosaic above a marble tile wainscot, a recessed niche and a hexagon mosaic floor
    On a Santos job

    Laid out from the centre

    Chevron and herringbone start from a centre line, so every point lines up and the cut pieces at both edges match.

  • Drawing of large floor tiles meeting a curved stone step, each tile cut to follow the green curve with an even joint all along it.
    Dark marble-look floor tiles cut to follow the curved edge of a stair opening
    On a Santos job

    Cut to the curve

    Where a floor meets a curve, each tile is cut and fitted piece by piece, so the joint stays even all the way round.

Our work

Every photo is a Santos job, taken on site.

See all our work

How it works

From first photo to finished floor

  1. 1

    Tell us about it

    Send the form with a few photos, or call. Tell us the room, the size and the tile if you've picked it.

  2. 2

    We look and measure

    We talk it through and, when needed, come out to see the space and check the floor and walls.

  3. 3

    You get an estimate

    A written estimate for the work, so you know what's included before anything starts.

  4. 4

    We set the tile

    We prepare, set and grout, then walk through the finished work with you.

Reviews

What clients say on Google

Screenshots from our Google Business Profile, October 2026.

Read all reviews on Google
  • Google review by Zahara J., 5 stars: “Santos Tile Works provided excellent customer service from start to finish. Their craftsmanship was outstanding, and they completed the work efficiently without sacrificing quality. I highly recommend them!”
  • Google review by Manny C., 5 stars: “Santos tile works did a ton of work during the remodel of our home, they were very professional, and the results were amazing, they even gave us a few recommendations that we are happy to have received. I would definitely recommend them and Im doing to definitely contact them for future work.”
  • Google review by Irma J., 5 stars: “Highly recommend! Appreciated the attention to detail and communication to get us what we wanted and what worked best for us.”
  • Google review by Paula C., 5 stars: “Awesome young men, friendly, and top notch work! Went beyond their tile work to help with furniture moving etc.”

Questions

Common questions

Where we work · Bay Area

  • South Bay
  • Peninsula
  • Coast

Where we work · Central Valley

  • Merced County
What areas do you cover?

The South Bay, the Peninsula and the coast, plus Merced County around Los Banos. If you're nearby and not sure, ask.

How do you keep a tiled shower from leaking?

Tile and grout aren't waterproof by themselves. Behind them goes a waterproof layer that covers the walls and floor of the shower. We build that layer first, then set the tile on it.

Can you install large tiles and slabs?

Yes. Large pieces need a very flat surface underneath, so we check and flatten it before setting. You can see large-format floors in our work.

How do I get a price?

Send your project with a few photos and rough sizes, or call. We'll talk it through and give you an estimate.

Do you work with builders and designers?

Yes. We install tile for homeowners, builders and remodelers. Send plans or a tile schedule through the form.

For builders and designers

Installing tile for your project?

Send plans and a tile schedule, and we'll price it. We work with builders and remodelers.

Send your plans

Tell us about your project.

Call (408) 763-0465 or email Nestor@santostileworks.com.

Request an estimate