How much lippage is acceptable?

Industry guidelines allow a small difference, but many clients want a floor that feels flat and reflects evenly. Grinding gets natural stone there.

Can lippage be fixed without replacing tiles?

Often, on marble, limestone, travertine, and terrazzo.

Will grinding make my tiles thinner?

We remove only what it takes to flatten the floor, usually millimetres at the high edges, and we check tile thickness and the subfloor first.

Is lippage the same as uneven polish?

No. Uneven polish is wear on the surface. Lippage is a real height difference between tiles, and polishing alone can't fix it.

Can you grind lippage in an occupied lobby?

Yes. Where access allows, we work one floor at a time or overnight, with dust control suited to commercial buildings.

Uneven tile edges

Tile Lippage

Tiles set at different heights, ground flat so the floor feels smooth underfoot and reflects light evenly.

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Marble floor tiles with lippage, where neighbouring tiles sit at different heights

What is happening

Lippage is when neighbouring tiles sit at different heights. You feel a lip at the grout lines, light catches the raised edges, and dirt collects along them. It comes from the installation.

What to look for

Signs of uneven tiles

01
Tile edges that catch a toe or sandal
02
Shadow lines along the joints in low, angled light
03
Some tile edges glossy and others dull
04
Dirt collecting along raised edges

Common causes

What causes it

Poor installation

Tiles set without proper levelling.

Floor movement

A floor that flexes or settles pushes tiles out of line.

Uneven tile thickness

Natural stone tiles vary, and it shows if the installer doesn't allow for it.

Thick grout

It can hide the height difference until grinding shows the real step.

Before you DIY

Mistakes that make it worse

Polishing without grinding first, so the reflection stays uneven
Taking an angle grinder to one tile, which leaves dips
Filling the step with grout, which leaves the trip hazard
Using wax to hide the edges, which traps dirt and yellows

Our process

How we fix uneven tiles

01
Measure
We check that grinding won't thin the tiles too much, or expose too much of the chips in terrazzo.
02
Repair cracks and holes
We fill them first so the grinder doesn't pull out loose stone or grout.
03
Grind flat
Coarse diamond tooling takes down the high edges across the whole floor.
04
Hone and polish
Finer pads bring the flat floor to an even satin or mirror finish.
05
Seal and maintain
A sealer where the stone needs it, and a maintenance plan for busy commercial floors.

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The service

Floor Flattening & Lippage Removal

Grind uneven tile floors flat and level.

Explore Floor Flattening & Lippage Removal

Stone types

The stones it affects most

Surfaces

Where it shows up

Entry and hallway floors
Hotel and condo lobbies
Kitchen and bathroom floors
Pool decks and patios
Commercial corridors

When to call a pro

When DIY won't fix it

If any of these sound familiar, send photos and a short description. That is usually enough for us to size up the job before a site visit.

01
Uneven tiles across a whole room or lobby
02
A trip hazard at an entrance
03
You want a mirror polish but the tiles are uneven
04
An occupied building where grinding has to happen in stages

Keep it from coming back

Daily habits and the right products matter as much as the repair, especially on marble, limestone, and travertine.

Browse stone care products

Set flatness requirements at installation, especially for large tiles
Hire experienced stone setters who use levelling systems
Fix a subfloor that flexes before the tile goes down
Don't rely on thick grout to hide height differences

Often mistaken for this, or found with it

Dull, worn marble entry floor that has lost its shine

Dull Stone Polishing

Honing and polishing that bring back the shine on dull floors, counters, showers, and lobbies.

Dull, grimy travertine floor with ground-in dirt and soap film

Deep Stone Cleaning

Stone dulled by ground-in dirt, soap film, and old coatings, deep cleaned so polishing and sealing can do their job.

Fine scratch lines across the prep area of a polished marble countertop

Surface Scratch Repair

Fine lines and scuffs from grit, knives, and dragged furniture, smoothed out and polished to match the rest of the stone.

Chipped corner and hairline crack on a marble countertop edge

Chip and Crack Repair

Chipped edges, broken corners, and hairline cracks filled with colour-matched epoxy, levelled, and polished to blend in.

FAQ

Questions about uneven tiles

Free quote

Fix uneven tiles without replacing your stone.

Send photos of the damage. We'll confirm the stone, explain the fix, and quote the work before we start.

Get my free quote Call (905) 270-2959

No obligation · We reply within one business day

What causes it

Poor installation

Tiles set without proper levelling.

Floor movement

A floor that flexes or settles pushes tiles out of line.

Uneven tile thickness

Natural stone tiles vary, and it shows if the installer doesn't allow for it.

Thick grout

It can hide the height difference until grinding shows the real step.

How we fix uneven tiles

Measure

We check that grinding won't thin the tiles too much, or expose too much of the chips in terrazzo.

Repair cracks and holes

We fill them first so the grinder doesn't pull out loose stone or grout.

Grind flat

Coarse diamond tooling takes down the high edges across the whole floor.

Hone and polish

Finer pads bring the flat floor to an even satin or mirror finish.

Seal and maintain

A sealer where the stone needs it, and a maintenance plan for busy commercial floors.

When DIY won't fix it

If any of these sound familiar, send photos and a short description. That is usually enough for us to size up the job before a site visit.

Uneven tiles across a whole room or lobby

A trip hazard at an entrance

You want a mirror polish but the tiles are uneven

An occupied building where grinding has to happen in stages

Questions about uneven tiles