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Archive for the ‘how to install tile’ Category

Core Hole drilling ceramic tile

Monday, January 11, 2010
posted by Craig

Preference has it’s values, and of coarse the hole of a preferred spot in your shower, the easy way out is to locate this between the grout lines. But if your like us we want it accomplished correctly every time. And the correct spot is smack dab center of that center piece of ceramic tile about 84″ up. But to do this you will have to obtain a diamond tipped coring bit, the diameter of your shower head’s plumbing of choice. Consistently 3/4″ outside dimension for the finish neck part, we suggest a 1″ bit to give you allowable play. Most will come with a escushion ring in the same finish IE., chrome, brush nickle etc.diamond pilot bitcore drilling masonry bitdiamond coring cutter tipped w/pilot bitYou may be suited best by pre drilling the center pilot hole before hand, this will ensure it’s accuracy and insurance in an existing bath remodel application, for the beginners. Otherwise there are variable options at your local home improvement centers, when you cant get one online. High speed rpm, in your drill and by applying a constant [not over doing it] pressure, spray water slowly and let the blades do the cutting. Be patient and alert as to when its going to finish cutting. You must heed this point, you won’t want any cutting going on inside your walls after you have completed the tile and mortar bore.

Tile flooring glass spots

Sunday, November 1, 2009
posted by Craig

Tiling a floor area and adding spots can truly break up the monotony and make a huge statement. glass tile spots for tile floorsThis beautiful accent gives a different illumination to the floor. So on, how to install tile floor with glass spots can be another simple process once you understand the plan of attack. When tile is purchased, typically in squares, each individual piece that goes down creates a larger square, IE four 4″ tiles ends up making an 8″ square. And if the glass spots are 2″ squares then placed in the center of the 8″ square (or middle of 4 surrounding tiles) the inside edge of this four group gets cut at a 45 degree angle to make the smaller glass tile center inside that square. Do a small mock-up and get the idea solid in your mind, be sure to use a corresponding color of thin set adhesive because of it’s transparency the glass tiles will show all that’s underneath.

How To ceramic tile

Saturday, October 31, 2009
posted by Craig

Step #1: Pick your place, area, room etc. Where the new tile will be installed, wall, ceiling, floor or maybe counter top. Measure the square footage and add roughly 15% for cuts and scrap. Now go choose the tile of preference and look for specials or clearance sales. Step #2: Rent, buy or borrow a tile saw and a 4″ grinder with a diamond blade. Pick up a notched trowel and a grout float. Get a sufficient amount of thin set to do the job, and 2 clean 5 gallon buckets. 1 for water and 1 for mixing the thin set, grout etc. tile spacerstile preperation installdry mix thin set for ceramic tile settingceramic tile toolsMake a designated space outside for cutting and working. Step #3: Prep the surface well, check for low and high points before floating the surface level, if on an existing slab, make notes of those bad areas. Step #4: Create your layout design ie diagonal, square, borders, spots as well as center of doors and the spacer size if any, etc. Step #5: Make a few practice cuts on the saw and acclimate what you can do when your mind is right. Wear goggles and gloves, and have as much fun as you want………this is just the beginning of how to install ceramic tile.

Ceramic Tile Base

Thursday, October 22, 2009
posted by Craig

This will be a how to install ceramic tile base in a bathroom. DIY a ceramic tile base board, creating a true water proof pan in the bathroom floor. wood base boardceramic tile base (waterproof base)This simple diy home improvement blasts out loud I can DIY. It’s just another approach but, brings a real sense of practicality. Removing a standard wood base and implementing a sealed system around the edge of a floor that has the propensity to flooding and water damage. A tiled base is not hard to do, and it can be a compliment to an existing ceramic tile floor, colorful and vibrant or earthy and textured. Either way it’s a long term solution with virtually no future maintenance.

Tile over Drywall

Saturday, October 17, 2009
posted by Craig

The best approach to execute how to install ceramic tile on top of drywall. In our professional opinion there is no way ever in this planet’s existence to apply any type of tile directly over drywall or gypsum board in a predominately wet environment, IE a bathroom. The constant daily heat and humidity (condensation) from the shower’s use breaks down the adhesion and causes problems.

tile over drywall prepThe exception to this rule is when installing tile to a backsplash such as a kitchen counter, but it is absolute prep work to get this right, and not unheard of. The drywall has got to be sound and well primed with a proven product, Kilz or another quality primer. A latex thin set adhesive is recommended here with the grout application and grout sealer giving all the insurance for water repellent and moisture protection because most ceramic tile has a glaze waterproof finish.

2nd Floor bath Tile Floor

Tuesday, October 13, 2009
posted by Craig

We recently got the job of tiling a upstairs bathroom floor. With the linoleum demoed off, we knew before hand that the height restriction were minimal. The owners selected the tile they wanted to use and we had to figure out how to install tile floor with a 3/8″ product and had to stay  built up a maximum of about 5/8″ total to finish floor. A 1/4″ backer board was first thought but we wanted to lay a moisture barrier and then thin set of coarse.expanded metal sub-float

So the remedy was to apply 2 layers of jumbotex paper first, rolled up behind the future baseboards,  then an expanded screen metal tight and flat, nailed 6″ o.c. throughout. Then with a  mortar mix, spread a well mixed batch completely covering the mesh metal, that gave us a strong water proofed, low profile cementitious substrate to adhere the thin set tile to. All the while keeping just under our elevation restrictions.

Tile over Wood

Tuesday, October 13, 2009
posted by Craig

Hardy backer board or Wonderboard is 2 common brands out there to use when you need to know how to install ceramic tile over a subfloor or wood surface. This cementitious flat panel is sold in manageable sizes to work with, they can be bought in 1/4″, 1/2″ or 3/4″ thicknesses. Many contractors will use these type of products in lieu of floating a pretile surface.cement board pretile application

The simple beauty of this approach is enabling a bang-bang, skip a step, screw it down and off to setting tile procedure. We recommend whatever you decide will be fine, as long as you follow manufacture rules and restrictions. That being said the down side to this is, however in-congruent the preconditions are this cement board will follow suit. Where as the float method is way more messy and laborious, but the end result is any thickness and any surface can be made perfect when applicable.