Search previous month(s)    Jun  May  Apr  Mar  Feb  Jan  Dec  Nov  Oct  Sep  Aug  Jul

rehab 

Jul-31-2007 23:54

is there an easy way to place a non-slip texture on glazed slick tile installed outside. I saw a clear finish with what appeared to be coarse silica sand scattered on top, but was not able to gain any other information. Is such a product best investigated at a paint store, or where, if not there? Any other trade names for this type of coating?

Dear REHAB:

There are products available to do this.You can find them in most tile and stone magazines,also at your local tile dealer. Gerald Sloan NTCA

hylin 

Jul-31-2007 23:44

I built a new house recently. When the house was less than a year old I began to notice cracks in my ceramic tile. The store I bought it from says this is not unusual. Is this true? Could the "grade" of tile be the problem?

Dear HYLIN:

I prefer no cracks and most installations that are installed properly do not crack. There are many crack suppressant products available in the tile industry and a large selection of installation techniques and methods that can prevent cracks in most cases. Gerald Sloan NTCA

glenn11434 

Jul-31-2007 23:08

I discovered a few cracks in my ceramic tile shower grout. After removing the grout I noticed moisture in the grout lines. I let the shower dry for 1 week, then after installing new grout discovered the new grout wicked moisture. I have since removed the grout again ... and now question how to proceed? Do you recommend sealing the grout lines before adding new grout? How can I dry the grout or seal to enable adding new grout that will be able to cure?

Dear GLENN11434:

Cement grout is not waterproof and if you add a sealer it's still not 100% waterproof. It sounds like the shower pan is not prepitched. If there is no prepitch in the shower pan then the water that soaks through the grout, builds up until it can go through the weep holes at the drain. A sealer may not be of any help in this case but I don't think it would hurt either. Drying time will vary but you can use a fan to help speed it up. Gerald Sloan NTCA

G 

Jul-31-2007 22:13

I instell ceramic tile in the bathroom floor and I added the rout, the problem I am having is that I let the grout sit on the tile with out wiping it of,after I got back home 8 hours later the grout is still on the tile, how can I remove it.

Dear G:

Use a lot of scrapping and scrubbing with clean water and a scuffing pad. Be careful using acidic cleaners, they can damage the tile and grout and the surrounding materials. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Fish59 

Jul-31-2007 21:14

Tile Doctor, I tore my bathroom floor out down to the joists (16" OC). I nailed in 2x4 braces from joist to joist, flush with tops of joists, about every foot and laid 1/2" plyw down. It feels very stiff and solid to walk on. Old floor (30 yrs) was 1/2" plyw and tile, ply had rotted. How much more plyw/ what size do I need to put on top before I can do a ceramic tile installation (6" squares). Do I need backerboard? I am new to this. Thank you.

Dear FISH59:

There are several methods available in the TCNA hand book www.tileusa.com these methods include a 3/4" ply wood sub floor and then either a backer board or another type of underlayment. I would suggest that you meet the minimal sub floor thickness and then proceed with either a backer board or other underlayment and then the tile work. Gerald Sloan NTCA

beatrix 

Jul-31-2007 18:35

I tiled my laundry room floor and a leak developed overnight soaking parts of the newly laid tile. What should I do?

Dear BEATRIX:

Unless there is obvious signs of the thinset being washed out, it should be ok. Just dry it out good before grouting. Gerald Sloan NTCA

terrazzo 

Jul-31-2007 17:30

Can you lay tile over terrazzo? I was told you could sand the terrazzo so the thin set would adhere to it, is this true? If so, what type of thin set would I need? Thanks

Dear TERRAZZO:

Yes, you can bond to terrazzo if you strip and clean it properly. I would use a modified thinset that meets ANSI-A118.4 however in some cases a non modified thinset may work better. Gerald Sloan NTCA

harmerd 

Jul-31-2007 12:53

Tileman, 12 x10 mudroom floor, concrete, was metal troweled but not "marble" smooth. It has its roughness in places. Tile area is less a 4 x 4 stair set. Would it be a hugh pain to bush hammer, by hand, this small area instead of a $175.00 scraifyier rental+dust+travel........I don't mind the labor. Don H

Dear HARMERD:

In most cases this would not be needed if you clean the concrete properly and use the appropriate thinset. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Jon 

Jul-31-2007 11:50

Dear Tileman, I am laying a number of tiles on open terraces which are all large,[135sq yds] I understand the need for expansion joints in the tiles but do I need to use joints in the 11/2 inch layer of sub base? This sub base will be a weak sand cement mix over structual concrete with felt membrane. Thanks JoN

Dear JON:

Yes, the expansion joint need to go through the mud bed. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Hiro 

Jul-31-2007 10:50

Please advise on which thin set you would use for putting down the ditra, and then the ceramic tile on top of it. I have radiant staple up heatway hose under my 3/4 OSB(which I primed about 2 yrs ago with water base primer). I can't find hydroment ditra set anywhere out here(Montana). I've found Kerabond(with keralastic) by Mapei and Flex bond by Custom building products for under the ditra(the modified stuff). On top of the Ditra I've found Kerabond and Premimun Plus (the unmodifieds). Which one would you use? I've been told that using the kerabond with the keralastic is better than the modifies you just add water to,(like the Flexbond). But since it must be soupier than the instructions on the package to put down the ditra, would it be safe to cut the kerabond by adding water like one would do with just adding more water to the Flexbond? I noticed the Flexbond and Premium plus have longer open time and higher shear psi's. Also, I have 4x4 Dal tub tile, I would like to use the nubs that give it <1/16th grout spacing. Is that enuf for the grout to stay or do I have to use an additional spacer to open the gap up? Thankyou very much, Hiro

Dear HIRO:

I highly recommend that you contact Schluter Systems to get their technical advise on these questions. 1 800 472 4588 or info@schluter.com Gerald Sloan NTCA

irish tile 

Jul-31-2007 08:58

Hello again Tile Man, This has nothing to do with tiling but i hope you may be able to help. I am boxing out a wall to make if flush with a plywood plastered nib which houses the shower. To make the finish flush i think its best to use plywood and tape the joint but i dont know how to bond the plaster to the timber. or would i be best to shave down the existing nib timber and the boxing out finish to be plasterboard and tape the joint. Not sure if any of that makes sence. if it doesent, can you sugest how to get plaster to hold on plywood. regards, Paul

Dear IRISH TILE:

You may try using metal lath by attaching it with staples and/or roofing nails, then brown coating it or scratch coating it . Let it set for about 2 days and then finish coat it. Gerald Sloan NTCA

bubba 

Jul-30-2007 21:54

I have a ceramic tile shower that appears to be leaking along the back wall where the shower head sprays. I noticed water on the kitchen ceiling below the shower. After removing some drywall from the ceiling to reveal the drain and drain piping, there is not a leak coming from the plumbing or the corian shower bottom. I could see the leak only when the shower was spraying directly on the back wall of the shower. I removed some of the tile along the back wall and the cement board appeared to be wet along with the wood studs along the top of the back wall. (The back wall is a half wall with glass) Could this be a grout or caulking problem? If so, when replacing the cement board and tiles, is there something I can do to prevent this from happening again? Thanks for your help!!

Dear BUBBA:

This little mention of (the back wall is a half wall with glass ) is probably the lack of information that I'll need to be able help. Is the half wall with glass glass block? or glass tiles or a window .Just remember a tile man almost always needs to think like a plumber on water control. Tile work in and of its self is not water proof. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Alie 

Jul-30-2007 17:38

Hi, I have a faux fireplace w/ ceramic logs (uses sterno cans for fire) and want to tile the surround as in the picture you post on your welcome page. My surround is made of some sort of hard plastic molded to look like cement blocks w/ grout lines. I am on SSDI and treated myself to mini gllass tikes 1x1 sheets for my birthday last year. Laticrete told me I needed to use thin set mortar to even out the bumps and so I did that. After I realized that all this did was encase the top of the plastic and I began to wonder ablout adhesion problems w/ the tiles. I was right it began to crack. I had to chisel the whole thing off. I have rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus, etc., and so the silica was an issue and my hand was totally black and blue after i was done. It has been laying on my dining rm. floor since last October. i am now ready to try this again and finish it. I really need someone who knows what they are talking about for I have little energy and little funds being on disability. Every time I go to Home Depot or Lowes it is a different story and I am scared now to make another mistake. I have bought thin 1/4 inch or less wood to glue over the plastic to even evrything out and I will try to add small screws. I was told that was the problem the unevenness. Please please help. Thanking you in advance, sincerely...alie

Dear ALIE:

I'm concerned about trying to answer this question without knowing more information about this. Is this fire place to be used with a real fire? If so, the heat generated is a major factor.Trying to bond tile to any kind of plastic can be challenging but trying to bond glass and to wood in a fire place is a real challenge. I'm sorry I can't answer your question based on the information you've given me. This sound as if you may need to contact a professional tile setter to do this properly. Look up www.tile-assn.com go to member locater to find a member near you. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Michelle D 

Jul-30-2007 17:16

We are tiling the tub surround. How far out past the tub should the tile go? THANKS!

Dear MICHELLE D:

This varies with tile trim, tile sizes, and personal preference. In years past, it was common to 2" past the edge of the tub but now days, it can be flush with the edge of the tub or more than 2" past. Gerald Sloan NTCA

215tile 

Jul-30-2007 14:49

Greetings Mr tile- i am trying to achieve a 1 hour fire rating on a wall that has 2x4 studs covered on one side with 1/2" Dry wall. I am considering covering the side of the wall that has the drywall with 1/4" backer board and ceramic tile applied with either thinset or adhesive. Will this provide the desired 1 hour fire rating?

Dear 215TILE:

Most building codes will not recognize this application as a 1 hour fire rating. Check with you local building inspector for the appropriate materials to do this.Gerald Sloan NTCA

Ana Cecilia 

Jul-30-2007 13:31

Mr. Tile man, I own a 6 unit apartment building (3 above and 3 below). I decided to take out the carpet and tile the living room and kitchen. It's already been done. I was about to this on a another unit when I started thinking about the noise the first floor people may experience. Is there any sound reduction material that is compatible with tiling. Also should I worry about the weight of the tile on my second floor. I'm holding off on tiling until I hear from you. The floor appears strong but how can I know for sure.

Dear ANA CECILIA:

There are several company's that offer sound control materials for tile installation. These include cork, plastic, a mesh covered rubber products, and more. You can see these products and learn more about them at your local tile dealer and in most tile and stone magazines. As far as the weight concerns, this can be a limitation if the building was not designed to support the added weight. You need to consult an engineer as to the design. Gerald Sloan NTCA

cindy 

Jul-30-2007 11:55

can i put ceramic tile on a wood table

Dear CINDY:

Yes, there are several different ways you can do this. One way is to use a mastic to bond the tile, another is to use a highly modified thinset meeting ANSI A118.4 . Be careful when bonding some tiles such as glass tile that is larger than 3"x3". These materials need to be installed per the manufacture instructions. Gerald Sloan NTCA

czayas 

Jul-30-2007 02:39

simple question... i have porcelin matte tile all over the downstairs installed about a yera ago. everyone has a different version of how to clean it right - one says use water only, another one suggests heavy cleaners. help the tile is looking a luittle dingy already. carmen

Dear CZAYAS:

You can certainly use plain water if this is sufficient to properly clean the tile. If not then use a PH neutral cleaner that lifts the dirt up so you can either wetvac or mop it up. Be careful not to use acidic cleaners, they tend to deteriorate the cement products in the grout and setting materials. There are some good cleaning products just for tile on the market. Check with your local tile dealer to decide which one may be best for your application. Gerald Sloan NTCA

backsplash 

Jul-29-2007 21:20

in june i asked a question. backsplash could you find your answer for mr? Thanks backsplash

Dear BACKSPLASH:

You can find your question by clicking on the month you posted it at the top of this page. Your post of 10072 is listed under June.

Angie 

Jul-29-2007 18:03

I want to know if I can apply ceramic tile onto solid wood walls without using backerboard? The walls are pine that have been painted. I am wanting to tile my backsplash in the kitchen. Thanks, Angie

Dear ANGIE:

This is one of the very limited places that I would recommend a mastic glue to adhere tile to a substrate .Follow the manufactures directions on applying the mastic and be sure to allow proper drying time before grouting. Gerald Sloan NTCA

tile Rookie 

Jul-29-2007 08:52

I'm picking flooring for a new home on which we break ground in about 2 weeks. Most of the first floor will be tiled including the Entry, the Great Room, the Dinette and the Kitchen ( all of my high traffic areas ). I understand that there are softer tiles such as Terra Cotta which I'd like to avoid. What I'm confused about are the durability's of the different types of harder tiles. Are there more and less durable tiles in all types Travertine, Terrazzo, Quarry...etc. Or is there a definite hierarchy in tile hardness in which one type of tile is always more durable than another? I've seen you say more than once that you truly get what you pay for in the tile world. What ballpark price per foot should I be in for an PEI and Moh Heavy Traffic tile? Thanks!

Dear TILE ROOKIE:

Quarry tile is among the strongest tile and is offered in many sizes, shapes, colors and designs. Another good choice is porcelain tile in either glazed or unglazed. There are some ceramic and mosaic tile that make a good choice for your application. Be careful when choosing soft stone like marble. Most manufactures list what their tile is design to be used for whether it is for residential, commercial, or industrial . The price varies a lot. Check with your local tile dealer to determine the best choice for your application. Gerald Sloan NTCA

jnell 

Jul-29-2007 03:07

How can I remove dried grout from the surface of porcelain tile?

Dear JNELL:

There are several ways to remove grout from tile.The most common is to use an acid cleaner but this can be damaging to some tile and grout and the surrounding materials. These acid cleaners are available in several types, the most common in the tile industry today is a powdered crystal form that dissolves in water,these only work with cement grouts and not with epoxies. Epoxies grout residue can be removed with a heat gun. The safest way to remove grout residue is scrapping and scrubbing with a stiff brush and a margin trowel and a lot of effort. Gerald Sloan NTCA

millers13309 

Jul-28-2007 16:51

Tileman. I am gutting my first floor bathroom, 5'x7'. The bathroom was added in 1986 and the color choice was a nice robin's egg blue. I was able to get my hands on a mini-jack hammer and just finished removing the old 1 inch tiles. All of the tiles came off with ease with the help of the mini, but some of the webbing that is used to hold sheets of 1x1s together is still on the floor imbedded in the thinset. Can I just go over the old thinset with new thinset for my 12x12 tiles? Or do I need to install some cement board first? Thanks for your help. Mark

Dear MILLERS13309:

I'm assuming this is on concrete,if that is the case, there's no need for a backer board. Most all thinset manufactures offer a product to true up or skim over old thinset that is similar to thinset but is designed to fill in and bond to old thinset. Contact the thinset manufacture to get this product. Gerald Sloan NTCA

sargeant nana 

Jul-28-2007 16:42

I just installed ceramic tile on my kitchen counters I want to make them smooth and shiny. Can I put polyeurethane on them and a water sealant to keep moisture out?

Dear SARGEANT NANA:

You could put polyurethane on the tile but it can yellow and peel over time. You may want to consider any one of many different sealers that are available from several company's that specialize in tile sealers. Check with your local tile dealer for these products. Gerald Sloan NTCA

harmerd 

Jul-28-2007 09:42

Mr. Tileman, I just added a 22x16 kitchen addition that has an existing 12x12 triangluar section joining it to combine for 430 sq ft. The new section and old have a 12 foot joint where the existing floor meets the new floor. New is 23/32 T&G plywood on 16'' centers(10.5' spans) and the old has 23/32 osb on 16'' centers(11' spans). The osb is lightly "wavey" ranging from about 1/2 below the new deck to even....with one spot being 1/8 higher. Construction is now 10 months old and only the floor is left to complete(was going to be laminate but I demanded tile!). Since the osb side is 18 yrs old, having removed the vinyl/laun, I was going to pour a leveler where needed on that side, fix the kerfing the contractor did at the joint to make the transition even, and then lay 3/8 plywood across the entire new and old floor, bridging the joint first. Then use Schluter Ditra to lay tile. Joists run East West on the new and North South on the old. I will have a 21.5 ft East West run(2.5 x 21.5. the rest has cabinets) of tile on the new side, with 12ft of it having the joint line on one side. Question: Is this an okay way to handle this joint? Do I need an expansion/movement joint for this 12ft? Thanks Don H

Dear HARMERD:

With out me seeing this, it would be an assumption on many other variables . The Schluter Ditra is a very good product as long as it is installed per Schluter's directions. Contact Schluter for more information on this type of installation.Gerald Sloan NTCA

Jenn 

Jul-28-2007 02:10

Hi Mr. Tileman, I have searched for my answer to no avail. If by some chance, I did miss it, sorry......i really did try. We are about to remove a 1940ish cast iron tub (inset, no feet) and would one, like to know aprox weight. The second and most important is........the tile surrounding the tub is in very good shape and we like it very much. How do we remove the tub without damaging any of the tiles that we need to remove (or surrounding ones, for that matter)? After installing a new tub we would very much like to re- install the original tiles. Aside from actually liking the tiles, I cannot find replacements anywhere. The tile work runs all the way to the ceiling!!!!! We did not want to have to re do every bathroom wall from the floor up. Thank you very much.

Dear JENN:

I'm sorry to say but the chances of removing and reusing the old tile are very slim to none. The tile setters of the old days most often made sure the tile they set would not be easily removed. The chances of finding more of the old tile to match is almost impossible. I could not tell you how much the old bathtub weights, other than they can be more than two average people can handle. You may want consider a complete tare out of the old tile or just tile over some or all of the old tile. Gerald Sloan NTCA

gabby 

Jul-27-2007 13:50

My bathroom has ceramic tile on walls and floor. The walls I don't mind, but the bottom is a ceramic cove baseboard. I want to put new ceramic on the floor. Should I try taking up the floor ceramic - I think the floor tile goes under the cove baseboard. Can I go ahead and lay new tile and but it up against the baseboard?

Dear GABBY:

In most cases, yes you can leave the old base and just leave a caulk joint at the base perimeter of the bath room. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Decker32 

Jul-26-2007 20:46

Diagional cut of 18" tile. How to get a true straight cut? I have done so w/ smaller tiles using saw guides and scriber devices. Do any of these work w/ 18"tile??

Dear DECKER32:

Try using a speed square. You can purchase different sizes at most hardware stores. Gerald Sloan NTCA

get-r-done 

Jul-26-2007 10:22

We have cracking in our tile floor in kitchen area. Not only one place, but three different places, going all directions. Some cracks are minute, but some are quite noticeable and run the length of the kitchen. What could cause this. The contractor came over and said the tiles were "good" and "solid". I could understand a few tiles cracking but not "all over" the kitchen area.

Dear GET-R-DONE:

There are several different conditions that can cause these cracks such as but not limited to sub floor deflection in excess, backer board not spaced or taped properly, the foundation of the house settling, and more. This would need to be looked at by a professional to determine what the cause may be. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Oebur 

Jul-26-2007 09:28

I'm going to be installing a 36"x36" mesh backed mosaic on the wall of a tub surround. Is there any tips you could give me on installing such a large piece? Is there one thin set that would be better than another for such an application? Thanks for your time.

Dear OEBUR:

Check with the manufacture to verify that it is ok to install this in a wet area if your tub surround has a shower head. Some mesh back mosaics have a glue on the mesh mount the is not intended for installation in a wet area. You may want to make sure you have a helper with you during installation to help hold in in place.The thinset company's offer several different types of setting materials to do this type of installation.You should contact them on what they recommend that you use. Gerald Sloan NTCA