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Showing posts with label marble mosaic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marble mosaic. Show all posts

Friday, December 25, 2015

Do it Yourself [DIY] Backsplash Secret Techhniques

A tile backsplash is one of the quickest easiest ways to improve your kitchen without spending an arm and a leg to get it done. There are certain pointers and techniques that I've learned over 30+ years of tile installation that will make the job more manageable.


The first consideration is the tile you pick out;  it makes all the difference in the world. Remember a kitchen backsplash is a "right in your face" kind of tile installation . You will see it many times each day and it's the first thing seen by anyone who ever goes into your kitchen, Make sure you pick out a tile that  compliments your  décor. If you plan on doing the [DIY] tile yourself it's probably a good idea to keep it simple.


There are some extraordinary glass tiles available at Home Depot or Lowes for great prices or online.  Be aware If you shop at a tile store the designers there tend to market/push more intricate tiles and more complicated iinstallation designs. As you add to the intricacy of the design then you also add to the complication of the installation. Subway tile is about the easiest installation out there and some pencil strips of color  all along on top of a  row of tile is a nice simple custom installation yet still uncomplicated. 4 inch by 4 inch tile in squares with some deco tiles added in also is a non complicated colorful installation. Each of these tile installations require no spacers because they are self spacing tile and use unsanded  grout. Glass mosaic tile has some complications in cutting the material and it would be advantageous to pick out a glass tile that will require at least cutting as possible. 1/2 inch squares or 1 inch squares usually fall close enough to corners and under cabinets that little cutting is necessary . When installing a backsplash I would recommend using Thinset concrete and not a adhesive because of clean up and grouting issues. Just remember thin set is concrete and  ALWAYS wash it off your tile before it dries or tomorrow you will need a chisel.


There  is a secret I am about to share with you now about glass tile installation that makes all the difference in the world because of the nature of the material. Some glass tile is transparent and you can see right through it. Other types of glass tile are  very,  very thin and it is impossible to thinset the tile to the wall without getting thinset in all the joints of the
and hampering grout coverage.


The info I am about to give you I have NEVER shared publicly before and Is a method I figured out on my own some years ago.  When installing glass tile I always  use unsanded grout  and I get a shade darker grout than what I want as a finished color. NOW here it is:

Using white thinset mix the grout color into your thinset and color your thinset to your grout color the ratio would be about 2 parts thinset to 1 part grout .



You could also do this with acrylic paint coloring your thinset to the desired grout color. Then your transparent tile shows behind the tile and any thinset bleeding through the joints  with thin tile will cover with grout. I've been installing glass tile in this manner for many years and have had great success as you can see below .

Marble Mosaic Picture Framed Backsplash
Marble Mosaic Picture Framed Backsplash

6”by 6” Tile Picture Frame | Hand Cut 3” dots

6”by 6” Tile Picture Frame | Hand Cut 3” dots

Pencil Trim Marble Picture Around Marble Mosaic

Pencil Trim Marble Picture Around Marble Mosaic



Glass Subway Tile with Diamond Design

Glass Subway Tile with Diamond Design

Flower Marble Backsplash Behind Stove

Flower Marble Backsplash Behind Stove

Glass and Marble Tile Backsplash

Glass and Marble Tile Backsplash

4 by 4 Tile with Glass Tile Mosaic Tile

4 by 4 Tile with Glass Tile Mosaic Tile

Custom Glass Tile Countertops with Colored Thinset

Custom Glass Tile Countertops with Colored Thinset

 Rainbow Glass Mosaic Tile

Rainbow Glass Mosaic Tile


Flower Design Marble Tile Backsplash

Flower Design Marble Tile Backsplash

3 ft by 6 inch Tile with Design Strip Custom Backsplash
3 ft by 6 inch Tile with Design Strip Custom Backsplash

Teardrop Glass Tile  Cut at Every Straight Edge

Teardrop Glass Tile  Cut at Every Straight Edge

Glass Tile Fireplace With Colored Thinset Used to Grout this 90 sq ft of Tile

Glass Tile Fireplace With Colored Thinset Used to Grout this 90 sq ft of Tile

Glass Tile Centered Backsplash with Travertine Border

Glass Tile Centered Backsplash with Travertine Border

Glass and Travertine with Marble Pencil Border with 45 Degree Angle Cut

Glass and Travertine with Marble Pencil Border with 45 Degree Angle Cut

 Mother of Pearl Glass Backsplash

Mother of Pearl Glass Backsplash

Rainbow Multi-Color 1” Glass Mosaic Tile

Rainbow Multi-Color 1” Glass Mosaic Tile

I hope this info on backsplashes has been helpful to you and as always I'm here to field any questions you have to help you out   thanks  Chris


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Intricate Marble Bathroom Installation

Deco Marble Base, Chair Rail, Pencil Trim and  Mosaic Border

          
This is the final part of the 3 series marble blog.

The first one walked the reader with pictures thru the demolition of a tub and the installation of a walk in marble shower.

The second one involved the installation of a 8 inch brown marble boarder with a Marble mosaic medallion at a diagonal in the center.

Each part of the series was much more detailed and difficult than the one before. This 3rd and final presentation is a 5th degree more difficult than the 1st .These Blogs are written here in order to inform and help people , for those of you who are handy with some experience you could do it yourself. For those of you who need to hire a professional to do it, very importantly this blog will inform you so you don't get taken advantage of. One of our up coming blogs will address this exact issue. Some good people out in Groveland Ma. had a major chain home improvement co give them a price on tiling their bathroom. And needless to say they were really glad they came across tile excellence.com because they saved a unbelievable amount and we will tell their story in a Blog soon. We are finishing up their job this week.

This bathroom installation job is located in Wakefield, MA. And was a intricate and detailed installation with deco marble base , chair rail , pencil trim and a mosaic boarder and floor. There are over 30 photos in a effort to show the detail and give the reader a clear idea of what has to be done to accomplish such a installation.

The first  9 pictures show the Hardi board preparations for tile with captions . The homeowner installed all the hardy board on the entire job all I did was seal up all the joints with the silicone pictured.

garden tub with Hardi board installed ready for tile

                                              

shower walls with Hardi board installed ready for tile

 

Hardi board seams sealed with silicone II to seal in any water


another picture of sealed Hardi board

all Hardi board seams get sealed with the caulk below


silicone II caulk used to seal all Hardi board seams


another picture of garden tub with Hardi board ready for tile


floor Hardi board installed  ready for tile

floor Hardi board is sealed at all joints here pictured where floor meets curb

 

 

 


 The next 3 pictures are of the garden tub with captions . notice the large granite one piece bench top installed with thin set 

Tile installed on garden tub with chair rail trim finishing the top of the wall tile


garden tub marble meets solid granite bench installed with thin set mortar

Another picture of the solid granite bench top installed  notice the 1 inch overhang

The next 3 pictures are of the shower floor with captions. One of a sealed concrete sloped to drain floor with Redguard ready for tile 

concrete sloped to drain with Redguard sealer on top

  

Finished mosaic broke joint tile on shower floor


 shower floor tile with granite thresholds used as finish for curb and bench end

The next 9 pictures are of walls being installed with captions. The walls are in a "broke joint " pattern and are 2ft by 1 ft marble.

Tile installed on front of bench against granite threshold

broke joint 2 ft by 1 ft tile going up wall


  
marble lines meet level in corners while horizontal lines are offset like bricks
                           

once vertical level ines are established then the brick pattern just stacks on top


once lines are matching in all corners the marble just stacks right up to ceiling
Double soap dishes are installed in the corner notice the granite threshold as a door finish
A close up of the cut in soap dish in corner
A mosaic design strip in the wall at eye level with pencil trim on top and bottom gives elegance

a marble wall behind toilet with a design strip  finished off with chair rail on top and bottom

There are 2 pictures of floor lay out with captions showing the lay out to start laying marble with a whole piece from the door.
notice  the lay out whole piece of marble in doorway layed out with the spacer to be used



a close up of whole tile to be started next to granite  threshhold


There are 3 photos of laid floors with captions. Again they are 2 ft by 1 ft marble laid in a broke joint pattern
laid floors notice the brick pattern of the 2ft by 1 ft marble

look at the top of the picture see the marble base where meets the back wall

a small hallway really highlights the broke joint pattern



Finally there are 3 pictures of deco trim tile used to finish off this job . The detail and difficulty of this job is amplified by the use of such
 trims and base throughout this entire bathroom.
hand rounded finished chair rail around garden tub

 hand mitered 45 degree base corners require great care and detail

inside corner 45 degree mitered  marble base




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