What does this tile and stone punch checklist cover?

9 items across 3 sections, covering repair, grout, trim and sealer, sealant and signoff. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.

Who should run this inspection?

The tile foreman on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing finish punch items.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

During closeout, after final cleaning reveals haze and after other trades have worked over the finished tile.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

7 of the 9 items call for photo evidence, 8 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.

What most often fails a tile and stone punch inspection?

Cracked tile replaced but the debonded ones next to it left in place, so the same crack reappears at the next tile over. Grout haze wiped from the center of the tile while a film stays in the surface texture and at the joint edges.

Can I use this checklist in RTI?

Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Free checklist

Tile and stone

Tile and stone punch checklist

Tile and stone punch is where small misses become callbacks after the crew has demobilized. This checklist walks the finished work the way the owner and the next trade will see it, with the photo that closes each item instead of a note that reopens it. Work is commonly verified against ANSI A108 / A118, TCNA guidance. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Repair

Cracked and loose tiles located and replaced
A close shot of each defect plus a wide shot locating it in the room, replacement tile matched for color and finish, surrounding tiles sounded before closing.
Grout haze and residue fully removed
Surface and joint edges checked in raking light, no film left in textured or stone surfaces, no residue bridging the soft joints.
Tile faces checked clean of paint, mud and caulk
Each room looked over for paint, drywall mud, caulk and rubber marks; any found removed with a cleaner safe for the tile or stone finish, no etching or dull spots on polished stone.
Drilled holes and chips at fixtures logged by trade
Holes drilled for accessories and chipped edges at fixtures, outlets and floor boxes recorded with the room, date and trade involved before the repair is made.
No photo

Grout, trim and sealer

Grout joints rechecked for cracking and low spots after traffic
Joints run by eye and by hand in each room; cracked or washed-low grout raked out and repacked to full depth, patch color checked against the field once cured.
Transition strips and trim checked for rocking after traffic
Thresholds, edge trim and bullnose pieces pressed and walked; any that loosened under carts and deliveries reset tight, no rocking or sharp edge left.
Sealer touched up over repaired stone and grout
Where the stone or grout was sealed, replaced tiles and patched joints resealed with the same product so the repair reads like the field.
No photo

Sealant and signoff

Sealant at changes of plane intact and tooled
Soft joints and fixture perimeters continuous and tooled, no gaps or grout bridging where movement is expected.
No remaining tile items before area signoff
All punch items per room or zone closed with photos before the area is released to turnover.

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Cracked tile replaced but the debonded ones next to it left in place, so the same crack reappears at the next tile over.
Grout haze wiped from the center of the tile while a film stays in the surface texture and at the joint edges.

Verified against

ANSI A108 / TCNA tile standards

Common questions

6 answers

What does this tile and stone punch checklist cover?: 9 items across 3 sections, covering repair, grout, trim and sealer, sealant and signoff. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?: The tile foreman on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing finish punch items.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: During closeout, after final cleaning reveals haze and after other trades have worked over the finished tile.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 7 of the 9 items call for photo evidence, 8 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails a tile and stone punch inspection?: Cracked tile replaced but the debonded ones next to it left in place, so the same crack reappears at the next tile over. Grout haze wiped from the center of the tile while a film stays in the surface texture and at the joint edges.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?: Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Related checklists

Tile and stone Rough-inTile and stone rough-in inspection checklistSubstrate, setting-bed system and dry layout confirmed before the first tile is set14 items13 photos Tile and stone Pre-coverTile and stone pre-cover inspection checklistWaterproofing continuity, slope to drain and the flood test observed before tile hides them14 items14 photos Tile and stone FinalTile and stone final inspection checklistFinished tile checked for lippage, joints, honored movement joints and hollow-sound spots14 items14 photos

Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 8 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.