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r.foster 

Sep-30-2007 22:44

replacement tiles for tile fabricated 20-25 years ago, where do i find?

Dear R.FOSTER:

See answer 10518

r.foster 

Sep-30-2007 22:42

where can i find out of stock floor tile fabricated 20-25 years ago?

Dear R.FOSTER:

It's probably not available. Try you local tile dealer Gerald Sloan NTCA

bd6106 

Sep-30-2007 22:06

ok. i just put up the concrete backer board around the tub. i am only going 5' high and the tiles plus 1/4" space is exactly 1'. i would recommend using the curved tiles across the top and down the sides, but the homeowner only wants them down the sides. if i try using sanded grout to finish this out, wont the shower water wash it away? should i use a special tile and tub grout? also, since he doesnt want to do curved tiles across the top, should i apply grout, then a layer of clear silicone caulking so water cant get behing the backer board? also, do i need some kind of sealer on the floor tile?

Dear BD6106:

You should use a 100% silicone at all dissimilar surfaces and changes in plane. Gerald Sloan NTCA

jubbie 

Sep-30-2007 17:41

I am beyhond despair. I posted earlier about my NEW tile floor in my NEW house. I have yet to have the contractor come and look at it. I did go to a tile store to get some advice. They thought it might be grout haze. I bought the cleaner and used it on a small area. Still no luck. It's so hard to describe what the floor looks like. All I know is it looks like crap. My neighbour has the exact floor and his looks great. It sort of looks like fingerprints or some sort of dirt or embedded material. What can I do?? Is there a way to send a pic?? Julia

Dear JUBBIE:

Yes, send me a picture at www.tile-assn.com Gerald Sloan NTCA

wade 

Sep-29-2007 17:55

can you put a sealer on ceramic tile and if so what kind?

Dear WADE:

Most ceramic tile will not accept a sealer but it would not hurt either. Contact anyone of several sealer companies to get their suggestions. Gerald Sloan NTCA

John 

Sep-29-2007 17:15

Do you know where to find the old style ceramic shelf support, basically a 4"x4" tile with an integral ceramic post jutting out on which to set a shelf? I rent a room in which one is busted off; I requested that my landlord repair it but was told it's impossible to find them. Thank you very much!

Dear JOHN:

You may check with your local tile dealer Gerald Sloan NTCA

redvizsla 

Sep-29-2007 11:38

II plan on tiling the shower floor and want to use 12 x 12 tiles. However, I noticed that I rarely seen anyone using 12 x 12 on the floor. I assume this is do to the of potenial tile cracking. Can I simply cut the 12 x 12 into 6 x 6 and use them or is the straight edge cut that results from this is going to be a problem when grouting?

Dear REDVIZSLA:

This can be done but it may not look appropriate especially if the tile has a cushion edge or rolled edge. The cut edges will look different than the factory edges. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Tom S. 

Sep-29-2007 10:56

will grout harm granite countertop during installation of backsplach?

Dear TOM S.:

In most cases no but in some yes such as a white or light color granite that has not been sealed and black or a dark colored cement grout can cause a dark stain that is very difficult to remove. Gerald Sloan NTCA

dan the man 

Sep-29-2007 10:38

Dear Tile Man, I would like to put ceramic accents on top of my existing tile in my shower. Are there decorative tile in the market place and will they stick on top of the existing tiles? Dan the Man

Dear DAN THE MAN:

Yes, there are many deco tiles available and even though it's not common to bond a row of deco's to an already tiled wall, it can be done with a modified thinset or an epoxy. Gerald Sloan NTCA

apizio 

Sep-28-2007 23:57

I'm trying to identify the manufacturer of my tiles. I want to extent the tiled area, naturally a perfect match is necessary. In the back of the tile there's a diamond figure with the letters "diamond" at the top, "ceramic" on the left and "Indonisia" on the right.Any suggestions?

Dear APIZIO:

I'm sorry, I can't help you with this but you may check with your local tile dealer. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Shelly 

Sep-28-2007 18:07

My kitchen tiles that were installed approximately a year ago are loosening. First the grout started cracking and chunks were coming out and then the tiles loosened and I removed some of the loose tiles and the mortar is just dust. What could have happened? Could it have been bad mortar from the store?

Dear SHELLY:

There are many things that may cause this. I suggest that you contact a well seasoned tile setter to determine what happened and what to do to correct the problem. Gerald Sloan NTCA

cpluls 

Sep-28-2007 17:26

what is meant by nominal tile size?

Dear CPLULS:

Being a size in name only, not the actual size Gerald Sloan NTCA

cpluls 

Sep-28-2007 16:55

I recently moved into a house that is tiled throughout with 12.4 inch square (about 12 3/8 " sq) white tile. Several of the tiles are chipped or cracked. I want to replace them. Who makes tiles this size and where can I get them?

Dear CPLULS:

I'm sorry, I can not help you with this other than you may want to ask your local tile dealer. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Stoneman 

Sep-28-2007 03:07

Hey there tileman. I work in the maintenance field and have been looking into something that will work for descaling. I scrub the floors daily and have tried different things that not only didn't work, but ate the grout out of the floor. I don't want to make the same mistake twice, so what route should I take in picking an appropriate chemical?

Dear STONEMAN:

For routine maintenance use a ph neutral cleaner. For more aggressive cleaning,call one of the many tile sealer company's that also offer cleaning supplies of which some are on this website. Gerald Sloan NTCA

jon 

Sep-28-2007 00:00

I removed the sheet vinyl floor covering and found 1/2" of cork panel underlayment, over plywood.....some black mold. Should I tile over the cork, remove it, or add a 1/4" HardiBacker sheet screwed down? Thanks.

Dear JON:

Black mold can be very dangerous and only someone trained should be involved to remove or treat it. You may want to involve an engineer on what is the reason for the cork and can it be done away with in favor of a backer board. Gerald Sloan NTCA

kbarbati 

Sep-27-2007 19:18

Can I put tile on top of vinyl flooring.

Dear KBARBATI:

There are some highly modified thinsets that do allow you to bond tile to vinyl flooring but the bond is only as good as the vinyl is bonded, so any loose vinyl needs to be removed or re bonded before you apply the tile. I suggest that you remove the vinyl so you can inspect the floor for other potential problems. Gerald Sloan NTCA

vonnie 

Sep-27-2007 15:52

can marble tile go on a bathroom wall. also is it durable for a bathroom floor with little maintenance. thanks

Dear VONNIE:

Marble is a popular material that is used in bathrooms for walls and floors but it does require more maintenance than ceramic. Gerald Sloan NTCA

wjmartens 

Sep-27-2007 02:25

Dear Tile Man: I just had someone install some ceramic tile for me and he used an epoxy grout. Unfortunately, some residue from the grout remains on the surface of the tile. How do I remove it? Thank you

Dear WJMARTENS:

There are some strong strippers available in the paint stores that will melt away epoxy but they themselves are very dangerous if you inhale the fumes or get it on your skin. The safe way to remove epoxy is to use a heat gun and a stiff brush of which both can be purchased at your local home improvement store Gerald Sloan NTCA

grammy1999 

Sep-27-2007 02:04

I would like to know if I can apply ceramic floor tile to my walls, and if there needs to be any special prepping for this. Thanks!

Dear GRAMMY1999:

No special prep needed. This is becoming more common. Gerald Sloan NTCA

cycat 

Sep-26-2007 23:19

what would be a good lightweight tile saw for cutting 16x16 tiles diagonally?

Dear CYCAT:

There are many saws available, it's your choice. Gerald Sloan NTCA

flankygogolfing 

Sep-26-2007 19:33

i need to find mtf brand tiles in las vegas

Dear FLANKYGOGOLFING:

You may want to check with your local tile dealer. Gerald Sloan NTCA

KKLaw   

Sep-26-2007 17:24

Dear tileman, My living room area floors were re-tiled about 3 years ago. Recently we discovered that there are a few grout joints which either had a hole or two on them or the grout joints kind of collapsed after being pushed by a finger. These problems appear to have been isolated in a few local areas so far. It looks like the tiler did not pack the grout into the grout joints really tight because the grout appeared to be on the top of the grout joints without grout within the trough between the tiles but underneath the grout to support the top of the grout surface when I used a small-tip screwdriver to pry loose the collapsed grout. I have a bag of the grout which is left over from the installation 3.5 years ago. I have stored the bag of grout in our garage which has been pretty dry. Do you think that I can use this bag of grout to regrout the damaged grout joints in some of the isolated areas? Thanks, K.K. Law

Dear KKLAW:

I would do a test first by mixing up a cup full and allow it to dry about 3 days to determine the strength and the color. Portland cement products in general do not keep much more than maybe 1 year. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Lydia 

Sep-25-2007 18:58

Can left over ceramic tile used in shower be used for exterior deck?

Dear LYDIA:

It depends on several factors such as the climate in which it will have to endure ( freeze-thaw ) and what is the water absorption of the tile in question. Check with the manufacture of the tile to determine if it's suitable for exterior applications in your climate. Gerald Sloan NTCA

jean 

Sep-25-2007 17:59

I bought some 4x4 Rialto Terra Deco A tiles at a Home Depot in June and now can not find any more. Where can I find some?

jean 

Sep-25-2007 17:51

I bought some 4x4 Eialto Terra Deco A tiles at a Home Depot in June and now can not find any more. Where can I find some?

Dear JEAN:

I'm sorry there's not much I can help you with in this other than just check with your local tile dealer for more information. Gerald Sloan NTCA

QuestionPete 

Sep-25-2007 15:57

I am tiling a wall behind a wood stove I have the 1/2" backerboard there and the proper distances to meet local code my question is should I be using some sort of special mortar & grout to resist the heat- Thanks

Dear QUESTIONPETE:

Use a portland cement based thinset and a portland cement based grout. This should be fine. Gerald Sloan NTCA

brianf 

Sep-25-2007 12:07

I have a large wood stove sitting on a 2" high brick and cement pad surrounded by carpet. Canadian Code requires 8" on each side and 18" in front be fireproof. I plan to lay cement board and ceramic tiles. I am trying to figure out the sequence of events. Do I cut the tiles first and dry lay them to get the size of the cement board ?.

Dear BRIANF:

I would cut and install my backer board first making sure that I'm at or a little larger than what the code requires, then install my tile cutting it to fit as necessary. For layout purposes, you may want to just dry lay out the tile to determine cut sizes. Gerald Sloan NTCA

Holly 

Sep-25-2007 10:39

My house is over 44 years old and I have torn out the kitchen floor down to the joists. I would like to know if I can install cement backerboard directly to the joists. I have purchased 1/2 inch 3 x 5 boards. I used 1/2 inch plywood under the cabinets. I was told that I could lay the cement board down directly to the joists without using plywood. I want to know if that is correct or not. The joists are minimumly 3/4 of an inch wide if that makes a difference. I would appreciate any guidance on this.

Dear HOLLY:

Applying a backer board to the floor joist without a plywood subfloor is not recommended and will probably fail before you could complete the installation. I recommend that you get the TCNA handbook to see the necessary thickness and type of subfloor required in order to have a proper tile installation. Go to www.tileusa.com to order the handbook. You may want to consider coming to a class that I teach in South Carolina at CTEF (Ceramic Tile Education Foundation). Go to www.tileschool.org Gerald Sloan NTCA

nevil 

Sep-25-2007 07:27

Dear Gerald Sloan NTCA, Per your reply to question #10488. Do you have a feel for the tile I am referring? (4" high gloss-reds, greens, blues, yellows,etc.) Is there a web site that I may see sample patterns? Most web sites I've contacted have a very small selection & I haven't been able to find this tile. Can you recommend a web that I can search? Many Thanks, Nevil

Dear NEVIL:

I'm sorry that I do not have the information that you are asking for but there is a lot of information on tile selection on this site as well as many others like it. You may consider looking in the local tile dealers show rooms also. Gerald Sloan NTCA

jubbie 

Sep-24-2007 22:43

My husband and I just moved into our new home. Our tile looks horrible. We have the same tile as our neighbour and his looks great. Mine looks like a herd of elephants walked on it. It looks like someone was playing "patty-cake" on the tile. You can see it over ALOT of the tile. Espically when the sun hits it. How can two floors with the same tile look so different? His looks like they put a sealer on it. My grout also can be scratched with your fingernail. Needless to say I am NOT happy. I live in a new community so the tile guy is apparetly coming to the house soon. I would like to be armed with info. One thing I know for sure I have NOT cleaned with anything but water. Any thoughts?? Julia

Dear JUBBIE:

During the construction process, often the finish trades such as the tile installation can be damaged by other trades. Please allow the tile contractor to address any necessary repairs before assuming a bad or incompetent installation. Gerald Sloan NTCA