So you’re thinking of upgrading your existing shower to a custom tile shower.  First, let me say that is a very wise decision.  Nothing can be customized to meet your personal taste like a custom tile shower.  Features that are unique to each shower include bench size (if any), shelving or recessed niches, faucet type (single shower head, body sprays, handheld, rain head) the possibilities are endless!

Let’s start at the beginning

The first thing we have to do is get rid of your existing tub/shower and floor covering.  Removing the existing shower down to the studs allows us to have access to your shower plumbing and framing.  Having the framing exposed allows us to locate your recessed niche and build your bench.  This is also the stage where your drain line can be relocated, if necessary.  Our shower includes a 4″ square drain with a metal finish that matches the other metal trims in the shower.  A linear drain (a drain that runs the length or width of your shower) opens up many other tile options including using large format tile on your shower floor.

Your Shower Experience

Your shower experience begins with the shower faucet.  The Moen lifetime guarantee of plumbing parts is why we recommend and use their products.  Features that can be added to your plumbing fixture include body sprays, rain head (shower head located in the ceiling) and a handheld unit located on any wall of your choice.  Depending on your shower size you can even add more than one shower faucet, for the perfect shower built for two.   Contact us today to set up your personal consultation.

Schluter Systems waterproofing membrane over sheetrock.

Waterproofing

Now that your old shower has been removed and your new drain, faucet, bench and niche have been located it’s time to start installing the waterproofing.  No tile, grout or sealing will make your shower waterproof.  Your shower must be waterproof prior to any tile being installed.  Our waterproofing is made of a membrane called Kerdi, manufactured by Schluter Systems.  Your shower walls will be constructed of Kerdi board (already has the waterproofing membrane on it) and will run from floor to ceiling.  The shower pan is constructed the old fashioned way out of Portland Cement and sand.  After the pan has cured, we place a layer of Kerdi paper over it to complete the waterproofing in your shower.  We also use a waterproofing membrane that doubles as a backer board for the bathroom floor called Ditra.  We waterproof the floor to shower connection so that water won’t drip from your shower into the wood causing mold and rot to occur.  Using this method we can also install a heated floor under your bathroom tile, and it will never get wet.  Contact us today to learn more about Kerdi, Ditra and heated floors.

Tile installation

The price of our shower replacement includes a glazed porcelain tile, a mosaic floor tile and a border tile.  Our base tile has 6 colors to choose from for the wall and bathroom floor.  There are hundreds of tile options for your border tile, we are happy to assist you with your selection and we can offer suggestions to personalize your shower.  TEC Power Grout is included in the base price of our shower replacement package and is very stain resistant without having to ever be sealed.  Contact us today to set up your personal consultation.

Shower Door

To complete your shower makeover we have included a custom clear glass frame-less shower door.  Your shower door will be custom made for your shower, it’s not something that you can buy in a store and it takes about a week to 10 days to be installed after the measurement has taken place.  Once your shower is complete, you will experience a unique spa-like experience.  A custom shower adds value to your home and can be a great expression of your individualism.  Contact us today for you personal consultation.  We look forward to working with you!

Recently I tiled a couple of floors in a basement. I thought it would be a great opportunity to break down some of the techniques I use when setting tile. Most of these steps can be used when tiling over a wood sub floor. Prior to beginning your tile installation you must check your floor for flatness. A good length for a straightedge is 10′, however you can use shorter lengths with a little simple math. The minimum industry standards for setting tile requires the floor to be within 1/4″ in 10′, if you lay your straightedge down and there is more than a 1/4″ gap anywhere under it, you need to use a Self Leveling floor patch (also called Self Leveling Cement). As you will see in the pictures below, the floor I was working on required the outside edges to be filled with Self Leveling Cement as there was a high spot in the center of the room (right where the cabinets sit). To fix this I used the Self Leveling Cement on the outer sides of the room so that the cabinet would not have to be shimmed on the outside edges, thus leaving a gap between the cabinet side wall and the floor tile. When I tile a floor, I like the sub floor to be as flat as I can get it. Typically I don’t want to see any space between the straightedge and the sub floor, however in 10′ having a space up to 1/16th inch or so is acceptable for me. Remember when I said if you don’t have a 10′ straight edge you can fix that with simple math? If you can come up with a 5′ straight edge you would want your floor within an 1/8th of an inch, a 2.5′ straight edge would require no more than 1/16th of an inch, etc.. Use the longest straightedge you can for the room you are working in, if you can’t find a straight edge a string line or chalk line can also work (though a string line is much more difficult to work with without two people). Most floors feel straight when you walk on them, you will be surprised to find out that your floor could be out quite a bit and require leveling. Prior to pouring your self leveler you must prime the surface to be leveled with the primer specified by the manufacturer of the Self Leveling Cement you are using. I also recommend to seal off any areas you don’t want the Self Leveling Cement to seep into by either caulking them (such as floor plates in the framing) or building a dam of some sort (such as at doorways or around heating and cooling ducts). Self Leveling Cement is very liquid (hence the fact it self levels) and is always looking for someplace to run, don’t let the lever run into adjacent rooms unless you intend for it to! Be sure to properly mix your Self Leveling Cement according to the manufacturer. Unless you have a way to measure out smaller portions I recommend mixing full bags at a time. Be precise with your measuring, no guessing with Self Leveling Cement! Also be sure to mix the Self Leveling Cement as long as the manufacturer recommends, don’t just think it looks ok. Again, if you follow the directions on the bag, Self Leveling Cement is very easy to work with, albeit a little messy. If you are in the area and would like me to come by and look at your floor, just give me a call at (573) 289-1045 to set up an appointment.

After you get your sub floor flat you are ready for the tile installation, or are you? I prefer to not bond my tile directly to concrete, ever! In Columbia, Missouri (where I live and work) the ground moves too much and that causes the concrete to crack. We have all seen stress cracks in tile from direct bonding them to concrete and I don’t want to worry about cracked tiles in the future. Using a roll on membrane, such as Red Guard is an ok product to use and is the minimum I would recommend. The best solution, in my opinion, is to use Schluter Ditra. Ditra allows the substrate under your tile to move independently of the tile itself. This lets two different materials move at their own rate without affecting the other. I also recommend using Ditra over wood sub floors in place of traditional backer boards. The backer board installation again is trying to force different materials to act the same way and that never ends up being a good thing! To install Ditra you should review Schluter’s installation handbook, which is supplied with every roll of Ditra sold. In the case of the job I was on I set the Ditra with a 5/16 x 5/16 V notched trowel using non-modified thinset. Non modified thinset is generally less expensive than modified thinset and is sometimes harder to find. To install the Ditra, mix your thinset a little loose (but still within the manufacturer guidelines) and trowel the thinset on the floor. Lay you Ditra into the fresh thinset bed and force the Ditra down with a grout float or concrete magnesium float. I prefer the concrete float as it provides a wider working area and seems to go pretty fast. We offer the Schluter Ditra and all setting materials at our shop in Hallsville, Missouri.

Now that the Ditra is down, we are ready to tile the floor (finally!). Over Ditra you always want to use a non-modified thinset mortar. Since I was able to get the floor flat prior to installing the Ditra (manufacturer required anyway), setting the tiles is a snap. As you can see in the picture I snap a reference line with a green chaulkline, and am careful not to cover it up while I lay that row of tile. If you are tiling over Ditra you must be certain that waffles in the Ditra are completely filled with thinset by using the straight edge of your trowel to “burn in” the thinset. Once the waffles are filled completely, turn your trowel over to the notch side and comb the thinset in one direction (it doesn’t matter which direction, only in one direction). Combing the thinset in one direction prevents air pockets from forming under your tile and leaving hollow spots. Once you have combed and set your first tile, pull it back up and make sure that you are achieving the desired coverage with your thinset. You should do this periodically throughout the job to make sure that you don’t have a job failure.

To grout the floor be sure that your joints are clean and free of debris. You also need to be sure that there is no thinset squished up between your tiles in the grout joint. If there is thinset in the grout joint, scrape it out (if it is the day after your tile installation the thinset should scrape out fairly easily), then clean the joint. When you are setting the tile it’s a good idea at that point to scrape out thinset as you see it. Follow your grouts mixing direction on the bag and be sure to let the grout slake (sit in the bucket for 5-10 minutes before using), then mix it again with your mixer. After your grout has slaked DO NOT ADD MORE WATER, mixing the grout up again will bring it back to the same consistency it was before it slaked. Slaking allows the grout to be more uniform and extends the pot life. You should also let your thinsets slake as well.

Finally, the tile installation is complete. I know I don’t have pictures for every step, I get into a job and forget to stop and take pictures. If you have any questions please contact me or post them here. Thank you for reading, I hope this will help you with your next tiling project!

Did you know that before the first tile is set in your shower that your shower must be completely waterproof?  Many installers and Do It Yourselfer’s think that all of the waterproofing comes from the tile installation itself, and that the vapor barriers behind the tile are for “insurance” only.  This is completely false and is what leads to dark and discolored tile around your shower wall base, mold growth, and possible extensive water damage.

If you want to have a custom shower installed, we highly recommend Schluter’s Kerdi Waterproofing system.  Schluter Kerdi is a waterproofing membrane that can go over practically any surface (for proof of that, see pictures below!!).  Kerdi Shower membrane installs quickly and easily and prevents water from seeping into your walls.  You can use Schluter Kerdi with another Schluter product, called Ditra, that replaces the use of concrete backer boards and can also be made waterproof.  Using both Schluter Kerdi and Ditra in conjunction with one another can provide a completely waterproof room in your home.

As a small sample of what these two products are capable of I have made a sample box.  The box is a cardboard box I had lying around (nothing special, but I did paint it black).  For the box “floor” I used Schluter Ditra and for the walls I used the Schluter Kerdi.  I wanted to use both products to highlight how the two work together.  If these Schluter products can waterproof a cardboard box, imagine what they can do for your bathroom or laundry room!! I will be keeping this box to take with me for in home estimates, if you would like to see the box for yourself let us know, we would be happy to show it to you.

This is the empty cardboard box before any Schluter products were installed.  The only item not cardboard is the thin layer of cork on the bottom because the cardboard flaps did not meet (there is a large gap in the cardboard)

The floor of the cardboard box is made up of two pieces of Schluter Ditra.  I used two pieces instead of a single piece to show how to waterproof Ditra seems.  To waterproof Ditra, simply thinset a 5″ piece of Kerdi Band or strip of Kerdi over the seem and your floor seem is waterproof.

This final picture is the cardboard box filled about 2/3 full of water.  To waterproof the box I cut four pieces of Kerdi the size of the box sides, then I used 5″ wide strips of Kerdi at all the corners and where the bottom meets the sides.  Finally for the corners I used four pre-made Kerdi inside corners.  To apply the Kerdi, simply mix thinset apply to the entire surface Kerdi will cover, then set the Kerdi into the thinset and smooth out.  Wait 24 hours for all the thinset to cure before testing with water.

If you would like to learn more about Schluter’s Products, check out their website at www.schluter.com

I had a customer contact me recently about fixing his shower.  As you will see in the pictures below, his shower had a very poor design which caused mold growth.  The shower was completely enclosed by concrete blocks on four sides and had a small shower door to enter and exit from.  When the shower door was closed after use, the moisture would be trapped and that caused the ceiling to grow mold.  Because the shower was fully enclosed, it also had a very claustrophobic feel.  The last major problem this bathroom had was carpet on the floor. If you have read any of my other posts regarding carpeting a bathroom, you know my feelings on that.

We fixed the problems in the bathroom in several steps.  The first thing we did was to protect the rest of the house from the dust that would be created by cutting out the block wall to make room for a much larger shower door (5′ bypass door).  Once the block wall was removed and the mess cleaned up, we had to prepare the cut surface for the new tile installation. By removing the block wall, we would also make the shower open from curb to ceiling to get rid of the claustrophobic feel.  Inside the shower we installed four custom shelves for storage, used stainless bull-nose tile edging to match the shower door, installed a new ceiling and tiled the remaining bathroom floor to match the shower tile.

As you will see in the pictures below, there is no comparison to what the bathroom is now, from what it was before.

This is what the bathroom used to look like.  A very small shower door that did not provide any room to get into or out of.  With the fully enclosed wall system it definitely felt very tight as well.

The carpet was halfway removed when I got there to give an estimate. The carpet was always wet from the shower not providing a comfortable place to dry off. Because there are several people showering a day, the carpet did not have time to dry out between uses. Save yourself a headache and don’t have carpet installed in a bathroom (if you already have carpet installed, have it replaced).

The shower door has been removed along with most of the block wall it was attached to.  You can see how big the shower is (it’s actually a very comfortable 32″ deep on the inside and nearly 6′ long).  Because the moldy ceiling fell down during the demolition, I don’t have a picture of it.  Before we can begin tiling the walls, we will have to scrape the loose paint off the remaining block walls and do a little more prep work.

The ceramic tile has been completely installed and grouted!  Notice the four corner shelves along the back wall for soap and shampoo storage.  There is also a 2″x2″ floor tile installed on the floor covering up the old slick 4″x4″ tile.  We also used metal trim for the bull-nose that matches the finish on the shower door.

Completed shower with the new door installed.  You will also notice in this picture the outside walls of the shower have been tiled as well.  Although the floor was not pictured, the same 12″x12″ tile was used on the bathroom floor and all the grout lines line up right into the shower wall.

Notice the hairline crack in the concrete

When you install tile over concrete foundations keep a keen eye out for hairline cracks.  Cracks like this one is an indication of slab movement.  If the slab moves any more (very likely since it is cracked) it is likely that the crack will transfer through the surface of the tile.

Crack is now safe to tile over

To prevent the crack from appearing on the tile surface, install crack isolation membrane over the crack in the slab.  Crack isolation membranes are available at any home improvement store and are fairly inexpensive (especially when taking into account the cost and time of replacing a tile).  Crack isolation membranes will allow the surface under the tile to shift slightly without transferring that shift through your tile surface.  Proper installation of crack isolation membrane is extremely important and easy to do.  You know your time is well spent when you don’t see that crack come through your tile.

Stress crack in tile

If you have tile with cracks in them it is likely that you have hairline cracks in your slab.  When you replace the cracked tiles, simply clean the crack in the concrete and use the crack isolation membrane prior to installing your replacement tile.  Again, if you see a hairline crack in any surface prior to installing tile, make sure to isolate the crack to prevent it from showing up in your tile surface. Let me know if you have any questions.

Stained carpet in Bathroom

A couple purchased a house recently and there was carpet in the bathrooms.  The house is only 8 years old (and so is the carpet) but due to daily use of showering and normal use the carpet had an odor.  We came in, ripped up the old carpet and installed ceramic tile.  The tile is easy to maintain, won’t hold odors and looks wonderful.

No more smelly carpet!!

Do you have carpet in your bathroom?  Contact us and see how affordable it is to throw out the carpet and replace it with tile.  We can even install heat sources under the tile to keep your feet warm in the winter!!

Step 1: This step by step instruction can be used as a guideline for installing beveled arabesque tile. These steps can be modified to fit your installation and they are designed to help you overcome obstacles encountered with this odd shaped tile. The first step is simple protect the counter-top. We use plastic over the counter-tops with a drop-cloth over the plastic for two layers of protection. This is also a good step to outline where the tile starts (centerline under microwave) and where the tile stops (horizontal line between back splash. With the shape of this tile, we don’t want to offset the center line because we want the two corners to be the same size (this is a U shaped kitchen, this is the center wall that the other two walls meet up with).

To level the tile installation you should use the longest level you have for the wall your are working on (48” is common), we use a laser level because it emits a solid line on all walls and can’t be accidentally covered up by the setting material. I don’t recommend using the counter-top back-splash as a level line because it can be out of level (our counter-tops were out almost 1/2” in this example), it is always best to set any tile with a level, failure to do so will result in headaches and frustration. Be sure to carefully set the first rows of tile working vertically and horizontally across the wall. Even with the level, the shape of this tile makes it difficult to maintain a straight line. Time is your friend, don’t get in a hurry.

The microwave has been successfully tiled!! To maintain a clean look, use tile edging that is the same thickness as your tile around cut edges. The tile edge gives you something to grout to, and will set your installation apart from others that skip this important step.

These next few pictures show how to cut around obstacles in the wall. Outlets are the most common, but it is likely you will also have to cut around cabinets and windows. The best way to do that with an odd shaped tile is to hold it in place and mark it. Since this tile is dark in color, I am using a yellow grease pencil. The other advantage of the grease pencil is the line is less likely to wash off when I cut it with my wet saw (tile saw).

Be safe when working around electrical outlets, it is always a good idea to take a couple of minutes and turn off the breaker. If the breaker panel is not labeled, now would be a great time to label it for later use (at a minimum you should label the kitchen breakers while they are switched off).

Notice that I am not spreading adhesive on the wall for these cuts. I am back-buttering these tiles (spreading the adhesive directly on the tile itself instead of the wall) to make the tile easier to mark. Using this method I also don’t have to worry about my tile saw getting adhesive on it either.

When you get to the corner of a wall, the pieces you cut off will be the starter pieces on the next wall (start from the cornet and work toward the final edge). You must start in the corner of the second wall to keep the same tile pattern going from wall to wall. The picture below is of these same tiles mounted in their permanent position.

Here you can see the tiles from the above picture glued to the wall. Once I set the next tiles in place, I may have to move these tiles slightly to get them exactly where I want them.

Here is the finished corner with the above cut tiles. Notice again how the pattern continues from one wall to the next.

Once all the tile is on the wall and completed you should wait until the following day to grout. Grouting is a messy job and again requires patience. The beveled edge of this type of tile means that we will not have full grout joints we want the grout to be recessed between the tiles so the tiles “pop off” the wall in a 3-D effect. As you can see in the photo, I started out by filling in the grout joints fully as I would have normally, from there we will begin the process of cleaning the excess grout out of the joints to achieve the look we are looking for.

As you can see in this step, much of the surface grout has been removed and the grout line is getting thinner. We will keep wiping the tile with a slightly damp sponge, changing our water frequently, until the grout lines are the desired depth. This step does take a while and will probably be messy. For this step I typically remove the counter-top protection so I can reclaim my grout (if is difficult to reuse grout once it has landed on a drop-cloth). Work in small areas, no more than a couple linear feet at a time to keep the grout from setting up on you.

Completely grouted corner!! As long as you take your time and don’t rush you will have grout joints that look like this.

Our kitchen back-splash is complete. When working with tile of any shape or size it is always a great idea to take your time until you learn the ins and outs of the tile you are working with. This type of tile is definetely not a weekend warrior type of project and will require many hours of dedication to complete. Once you are finished, the satisfaction of a job well done will be your best reward.

I hope that this has been helpful, if you have any questions or comments please don’t hesitate to ask.