Ask Tile Excellence!: thinset

Showing posts with label thinset. Show all posts

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Ceramic Tile Repairs: Floor Tile Replacement and Shower Re-grouts

Tile repairs are a very specialized service and it can be hard to get tile contractors interested in small, sometimes difficult, detailed repairs. The trick to these repairs is to remove and replace the broken materials without it being obvious that it has been repaired. To complete these repairs and have it not look like an afterthought is a very tricky undertaking.

The first step

is to remove the grout around the targeted tile so as not to disturb the tiles around it that will not be removed. Grout binds together tiles and gives it solidity and if not removed then action against one tile can affect others. Many times it takes a hammer and a chisel to remove tiles and if the grout is not removed first then the impact can break surrounding tiles as well.

After the grout is removed, the tile to be replaced can be broken from the middle out in

pieces and removed carefully using the hammer and chisel a little at a time or all at once if the tile is not bonded very well. If it is bonded strongly, then a little at a time is the only way to remove it. After the tile is removed, the task of chipping off the thinset or adhesive is the next step and can be very difficult and time-consuming - as well as creating a mess and a lot of dust! Again, the hammer and chisel will be your best bet unless you have an electric alternative. Once you've removed all the adhesive, you can re-adhere your replacement tile back in place of the one you've removed, wait some time for it to dry, and then re-grout the repaired area with the same color grout as the rest of the area around the repair.

Shower re-grouts are in some ways much easier because you don't have

to worry about breaking tiles from removal. But scraping and cleaning of the grout and old caulk can be very patience-testing. Any loose grout or caulk has to be removed completely before the new can be applied. The trick to these repairs is getting the new grout to adhere to the old grout. This is generally accomplished by removing enough grout from the area so the new grout has room to stay. Generally you need 1/8 of a inch of new grout on top of the old for it to adhere and not flake out later. Repairs are in some ways much harder than standard installations and in many cases you should get a professional to come out and implement the repair if possible. If you can't seem to gather any interest from any tile guys to do your repair, I will be glad to assist you in any way I can - just give me a call and I'll gladly walk you through it right over the phone!

Monday, December 28, 2015

Installing Natural Slate Tile | Here's How to do it

Natural Slate is One of the Most Challenging Materials to Install

because of the variation in the natural materials. Some pieces of slate can be as thick as 3/4th of a inch while other pieces are only 1/8th of a inch. So when installing this beautiful material it is required to start installing the thickest pieces first then build up with thinset the thinner pieces to make your installation flat and flush. As well as being different thicknesses, the slate is also different sizes in square dimension. It is very imperative that you use care and patience to space and keep your lines as straight as possible. Natural slate tile is one of the most color variant material I install. I often refer to it as rainbow slate because of the wonderful color variation in the material.

Installing natural slate is most certainly not to be done by the inexperienced tile setter and a slate specialist is a true artist. I love the challenge myself and the slate material is without a doubt my favorite natural material. I hope you enjoy the pictures below and appreciate the care and patience it took to install the tile in the photos See previous blog on slate installation on Tile Excellence's Google+ page. THANKS Chris

Side View of Slate Showing Variation in Thickness of Material

Wall Slate Ungrouted Showing Variation in Size of Tile

Grouted Wall Slate with Design Strip

Ungrouted Wall Slate

Grouted Wall Slate with Design Strip

Shower Wall | Ceiling Slate

Shower Wall Slate

Slate Tile in Wall Soap Box

Wall Slate | Slate Backsplash

Slate in Wall Soap Box

Wall Slate and Floor Slate

Floor Slate | Wall Slate

Design Strip Slate Meets Shower Wall Slate

Wonderful Color in this Slate Floor

Slate Shower Curb Shower Floor | Outside Bathroom Floor

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Under Tile Radiant Heat Installation | Electric Heat Pad Installed

There are many systems for under tile radiant heating It is a comfort that in the winter makes all the difference your bathroom. Some use water under the floor, this system is very efficient but costly to install.

The most common that we work with is the electric heat pad. The electrician sets up the system hardwired into he wall directly into the thermostat with a scream box wired in, A scream box is always required because it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the heat pad is still in working condition after the tile has been installed. The way it works is it is wired directly into the live system and very simply is constantly checking the circuit continuity and if the circuit is broken will emit a loud unmistakable ear piercing scream if the circuit is broken. This is a must for the installer as insurance and proof that after the tile is installed the heat pad is still in working order.

A warm tile floor is wonderful on the feet when stepping out of the shower. Also radiant heat keeps the bathroom toasty warm all the time. As the tile warms up the heat rises and keeps the room at a constant toasty temperature. Much like the fire bricks of a fireplace, the tile warms up, holds the heat and distributes it evenly throughout the room. It is very efficient and a big plus for any bathroom.

Tile Floor Installation Costs for 350 sq ft

Affordable Tile Installations are out there...

But shopping around is a must. This job was a repeat customer who had the exact same kitchen tiled 2 years ago and had a fire in his home and called to have it tiled again.

All the Hardi board was laid on Tuesday and all the tile laid on Wednesday then grouted today. The total time to install this kitchen was 18 hours at a labor cost of $1475.00.This is a price you will have to really search around to find but a experienced tile guy can get you installed for this cost and make really good pay at the same time.

The materials needed to do this tile installation job were as follows:

375 sq ft of tile
24 sheets of quarter inch Hardi board
12 lbs of 2 inch galvanized roof nails
4 - 50lb bags thin set
3 -25 lb bags sanded grout
1 -500 pc bag of 3\16 spacers

If you need a tile installation in your home be diligent shop around and do your homework to get the best installation at a reasonable cost.

On the first days all the Hardi board was installed. On the second day here you see the tile started

notice whole tiles in each door as the layout is squared and tile will all install off of this layout

Another view of layout with whole tiles in each door

View of whole tile in one door way

View of whole tiles in other doorway

Half of the room laid by noon time

A closer look at half of the room laid

Working in the rest of the room off of the finished half

Completed grouted room on the third day!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

The simplest tile pattern shower for the tile do-it yourselfer part 1

pic #1 raw concrete floor ready to tile

Broke joint tile or brick pattern offset tile is by far the easiest tile to install.And If I was to advise the homeowner of a tile that they could install themselves with limited experience this would be it.The pictures below show the work and the process of 3 hours of working time on my job this week.I will walk you through it and hopefully you will get the idea of how to do it and why its by far the easiest tile to lay yourself.picture

2 below shows the standard 6 by 6 ceramic tile.Picture 3 and 4 show the tile cutting machine and the 6 by 6 tiles cut in halves ready to start laying tile on the wall

picture 5 and 6 show the first level line of tile on the back wall and the beginning of the second and third course. Notice how on the straight part of the wall where the tile starts on the first row is a half tile then second row is a whole tile then third row a half again. This starting off with half whole half whole gives you the offset brick like pattern. Picture 7 and 8 show thinset mortar on the wall ready to continue tile up the wall and the 1/4 notched trowel used to put it on the wall. Picture 9 10 and 11 show the wall tile as it progresses up to 6 courses high. picture 12 is of a bear right side wall ready for tile ,The first thing is to install 2 by 6 bullnose on a level vertical line just past the joint of the durock and the finish wall.Picture 13 and 14 are side and full views of the bullnose .Picture 15 shows the first piece of bullnose installed on the wall and you can see the level horizontal line for the first course of tile .Picture 16 shows the horizontal first course line in a better perspective.Picture 17 and 18 are both side ways and show the bullnose as it works up the wall again these photos are sideways, please excuse my disabilities with tech stuff, I couldn't for the life of me figure how to rotate the photos.Picture 19 shows the finished bullnose to the ceiling on the right side wall.Picture 20 shows the first line of tile on the right side wall laid on the level line ready to stack rows of tile on top.Picture 21 shows where the right wall tile meets the back wall and matches the corner meeting lines.Pictures 22 and 23 show the 6 inch wide by 5 ft long marble threshold that will finish off the top of the curb.picture 24 shows 6 full courses of tile finished on back and right side wall and picture 25 shows the first corner soap dish installed on the top corner of the six courses.Picture 26 lets you see how to get and draw your level lines around and over your corner soap dish to make your precise cuts.Pictures 27 and 28 show the back wall with 3 more courses above the soap dish.Picture 29 shows the side right wall with 3 more courses filling all around the corner soap dish.Picture 30 and 31 show the second corner soap dish on top of the ninth course and the wall soap dish installed Finally The last photo ITS LUNCH TIME ha ha . All these photos and work was done in 3 hours from 9 am to noon.This tile installation is one of the more simpler installations because the tile lines are offset like bricks and no straight lines are required.If you start simply with a first row of level tile then progress off of one wall with a half tile then a whole tile one course at a time you cant go wrong.The finish product looks very nice and as you will see in part 2 add a little color with a design strip and you have a wonderful design shower!!So be on the look out for the second part of this blog when we do the rest of the walls,the floors,and finish the curb and complete this project with more photos