Small bathroom remodel..

[Vegas_sparky]

Its too hard to get it to the edges with 3 little blobs of mortar behind the tile. LOL And yes, I'M KIDDING. I've stuck with the 1/2" trowel, and have pulled an occasional tile to check coverage. I get 95% sometimes. Sometimes its less, I know.

I plan on smooshing a little back there with the flat side of my trowel. I've done that before. I've been trying to clean the joints(with sponge and brush) as I go, and scrubbed the crap out of that area, because it wouldn't get filled til today. I've had squished out thinset burn me the next day. Usually I have joints like the ones in these pictures. You should see it before I clean them.

Thanks for the compliment on the picture, bro.

 

[Jadnashua]

The industry guideline is 100% on all edges...you can live with less in the middle, though, but strive for full coverage there, too. If you slide the tile back and forth slightly, if you have the proper amount of thinset on the wall (or floor), that usually takes care of the spot where the trowel may have been down to near zero thickness.

The Europeans have been using trowels shaped more like this one...instead of your mortar being symmetrical humps, the thinset is taller and falls over, giving almost a flat surface - better able to get full coverage without jossling the tile back and forth.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Vegas_sparky]

Yesterday ended up being all ceiling. Nothing more than ceiling.

10 tiles, and a little strip of Rondec. Whoopeee. The tile for the can light took me an hour+ to cut. I'm really liking how its turning out.

Going around the tub now. Leave them 1/8" above, for caulk?

 

[ShowerDude]

Yesterday ended up being all ceiling. Nothing more than ceiling.

10 tiles, and a little strip of Rondec. Whoopeee. The tile for the can light took me an hour+ to cut. I'm really liking how its turning out.

View attachment 27310

Going around the tub now. Leave them 1/8" above, for caulk?

who cares how long it takes, the method and result is the focus.

Nice clean work vegas..... i like an 1/8 "& no more @ tub deck

 

[Vegas_sparky]

Thanks, bro. -1/8" it has been.

Check this out. This is crazy. I cut the first tub leg piece.

I moved it to the other side, just for shits, and giggles. IT FIT! I mean like just about perfect! WTF? That never happens to me. LMAO!

If I can set these 2, i'll be at 11 tiles for today. LOL

 

[Vegas_sparky]

For my skill level, that's money!

 

[Vegas_sparky]

Last weeks Rondec turned out alright, I guess. Had a slight dip in the center of the width of the ceiling. Tried to correct for it with a little more mortar on the outside tiles. I caulked it in, and should be able to texture/paint to it while leaving the profile line sharp.

I'm happy with the little jog on the side wall.

Demo'ed vanity and toilet finally. Extended the drain and supply lines about 14" to center them for new vanity. Set 1/4" Hardi on thinset, screwed, and caulked the 1/8" perimeter gaps I left. I'll cover most of this floor, and side walls next to the tub with even more Redgard. Might as well use up what I still have.

Am I on track? All my steps make sense in my ignorant mind. LOL

 

[ShowerDude]

looking great Vegas , you did your math twice i see.....

if i had a concern it would be 1/4"hardi! hate that stuff.

how did you determine a 1/4" hardi was the proper choice for your subfloor? OC and span of joist ? and whats all under there?

just curious...... nice clean work bud.

 

[Jadnashua]

The only logical reason to use thicker than 1/4" cbu on a floor is if you want to raise the floor height. Now, your choice of Hardie verses some other product is totally subjective. One should never count on cbu to help stiffen a subfloor...it must be sufficient before the installation of the cbu and the tile. Hardie is particularly thirsty, so SSD is more important with it than with some other products (saturated, surfaced dry).

 

[Vegas_sparky]

John Bridge Deflect-o puts me at +1100. I didn't know that when I started putting in the main floor tile. I just knew these floors had NO bounce(by this electrician's standards). I'm used to SW SOG.

Here's the band camp story. House had 2 previous owners, and was built in 2001. The basement/foundation, first floor support was a major point when I bought this house. I saw the wrapped beams, and wondered what was up there.

RE agent found inpection report from first sale showing unfinished basement. I made an offer, and bought the house. Structure was solid.

When I opened the floor to run new additional circuits everywhere, I got a good look at what was in there. Build up is 18" steel I beams on 9' centers, with 8" steel mid beams on top/perpendicular to the big beams on 6' centers, 2x8" doug fir floor floor joists on top/perpendicular to mid beams on 16" centers, with 5/8" plywood subfloor on top fastened with glue and gold looking ring shanks.

Its over 36" from top of plywood, to bottom of big I beams. This area of stairwell shows how thick it all is.

After this bathroom, redoing this stairwell is the next project. I didn't put those lights there! I'm going to put new T&G on the walls(2nd owner started that work), tile the stair treads, and T&G on the risers. That'll show tile from the top, wood from the bottom. Fun!

With all that said, I'm just kinda building willy nilly.

 

[ShowerDude]

thats a stellar deflection rating!



here is the TCNA standard for porcelain/ceramic

and here is the CBU version

you have met the residential service rating for your tile choice..... you win!

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

I think you need more screws. I don't like such a large space between the screws on the edges like that.

Did you use thin-set when it was installed?

Did you back butter the cement board?

Was it clean?

Was the floor clean?

If so then tape the seams with a nice fat mesh 4"-6" and thin set. GTG

 

[Vegas_sparky]

I followed the dimples on the board for screw spacing(8"). I'll add more if it'll keep the tile fairy happy.

I did thinset under the CBU(1/4" x1/4" notch/loose mortar), but didn't back butter the board. Never heard to do that. I learn something new every time.

Seams were taped(2"), and mudded last night. I need to find a source for wider tape.

Redgarded the side walls last night, and cut in around the tub. Had to catch up on drywall. Masked off the alcove, and sprayed the room.

Cutting the Rondec for the niches now. I'm using a hacksaw and mitre box. Is there a better tool to cut this?

I can't count for crap! I forgot to order the 4 corner pieces for the window. All I thought about was the niches!

 

[Jadnashua]

There is no good reason to backbutter cbu! IF your trowel size is proper, and your screw (or appropriate nail type) is correct, you'll have full coverage. Unlike a tile on top of cbu, one could really care less if the thinset holds the cbu in place...the fasteners do, and the thinset is there to ensure 100% contact so that there are no voids. Not one manufacturer suggests it as necessary for any use or warranty, nor does the TCNA. When you screw it down, or nail it down with the proper pattern, unless you let the thinset start to cure before installation, you'll get all of the coverage you need. Again, the thinset is not there to hold it in place, it's to hold the cbu up. You can waste your time and efforts if you want, but it won't make things any better. Now, on TOP of the cbu, backbuttering the tile can and does help, especially if it is a larger format tile. There, you don't have any nails or screws holding things in place.

Understanding the why something is done helps here. Don't over think it, or waste your time.

 

[Vegas_sparky]

So, if I butt the long sides together, rip them with the blade perfectly centered, then repeat, I get tiles that will accommodate my vertical to horizontal transition while keeping the grout lines acceptable. Me and my stupid ideas!

 

[Vegas_sparky]

I gotta talk to my electrician. He almost screwed me putting that box there!

Oh wait. Nevermind.....

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

Do both tiles fit under the saw like that? I would think you need an off cut for the side where the motor is supported.

I like your tolerances. Well done.

 

[Vegas_sparky]

Thanks, John. The tile did fit side by side on the saw for those long edge rips. Held them tight together, made the first cut, then lined them up again for the second cut. Cutting them both helped keep things straight, and the blade from wandering. You guys know what I mean.

I'm working on my tolerences. When nothing's perfect, it's difficult for an amateur. Big tile, with little grout joints is definately time consuming.

Cleaned everything up this morning to see what I got. Those tiny rips did the trick. Turned out alright.

Redgarded the floor last night. Gonna try to get it down today.

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

Things look tight to the floor wall change of plane. Any room for expansion? Silicone. What about around the water supply for the toilet. Same thing there. Check that.

You mentioned you allowed expansion by the tub. Keep that clean as well.

 

[Vegas_sparky]

1 1/8" hole through sub and backer for toilet supply, then siliconed. She can wiggle.

I probably should have waited for the floor to do tub legs. For the long cuts to the floor I accounted for thinset, 1/4" Hardi, thinset, tile. I want a 1/16" between wall and floor to caulk. I "think" I nailed it. I'll know for sure in about an hour. LOL

For the floor to wall, if I lay it all out JUST RIGHT, I'll be under the walls about 1/8", with 3/8" left for expansion/caulk. That's not cutting any tiles to width. I just dry set these to see. It was too close to call with a tape measure for me.

At least the toilet flange is in the middle of a grout joint for once. LOL