I were tiling a floor for the first time, here’s what I’d gladly spend an extra $50 on: • Upgraded tile leveling spacers – worth every penny for a smoother finish • Premixed grout – less mess, more control • White thinset – especially under light-colored tile • Beginner tile tool bucket – everything in one place • Renting a tile saw – 100% better than a manual cutter A few things I learned the hard way: • No mesh backing? Backbutter each tile. • Laying stone tile? You need both a stone sealer and a grout sealer. • Seal the stone before grouting to prevent grout haze. • You only need 2 spacers per side—not 4! More doesn’t mean better here. firsttimetiling diytileproject tilingtips learnfrommymistakes diyhome tileflooring homerenovation