Tile Tip of the Day - tidbits of info to help hone your skills

Users who are viewing this thread

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
Tile Tip of the Day

whipple-02.jpg


Look at the intersection of the backer board and the shower pan? What's wrong?

The backer board is shown behind the shower pan. There is no plastic lapping the shower pan. With an install like this a topical approach to waterproofing should have been taken.


whipple-02.jpg


Look at the intersection of the backer board and the shower pan? What's wrong?

The backer board is shown behind the shower pan. There is no plastic lapping the shower pan. With an install like this a topical approach to waterproofing should have been taken.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Eurob

master tile and stone installer
Messages
824
Reaction score
53
Points
28
Location
Montreal
Website
www.houzz.com
Tip for Back Buttering the tiles --- Back Butter Buddy --


BBB 008.jpg


and is pretty resistant to loads

BBB 009.jpg
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
If only the tile setter on this job had one of those five years ago!!!

GraniRapid - one of the best setting materials. I set my exterior slate tile with that. Over NobleDeck. Awesome stuff.

I got one of those Back Butter Buddies.... Even signed by the owner. He sent it for free to me months ago. Then I got a $35.00 import charge from the duty broker..... LOL so much for the free-be. It would have been cheaper to order one I think.... lol
 

Eurob

master tile and stone installer
Messages
824
Reaction score
53
Points
28
Location
Montreal
Website
www.houzz.com
Another tip is -- MLT system --

MLT System 003.jpg



when used for tile or stone projects -- especially for large format tiles -- the outcome is much more predictable -- no lippage -- .

This , by no means , takes away the preparation of the floor but makes it easy in keeping the ahhh moments -- that corner just dropped -- away from your worries .

I've tried it -- set up , installation , removal -- and the concept is a first class experience .

MLT System 004.jpg



Mlt System - Removal 006.jpg



Mlt System - Removal 010.jpg
 

ShowerDude

Showers
Messages
710
Reaction score
66
Points
28
Location
Minnesota
Tile Tip of the Day

Notice the saw blade in the photo. It is setting against the vanities kick plate and held there with a brick. The brick is actually a grinding stone I use to rough up floors for thin-set. That's not the tip.

Notice I'm drilling that tile. You can see some water. Some mush.

The tip is. Why did I use the saw blade where I did?

Tile+Tip+July+10+Cutting+out+tile.jpg


You can see a half moon cut in the tile with some water to the right. I started drilling a hole in this tile. I had planned on drilling three medium holes (shown with x's in photo) but the drill bit was dull. Not the lesson here today.

Why is that saw blade sitting there for the drilling process?

Maybe some of you have drilled a hole in a door for a lock set. When you use a coring bit or some hole saws this tip is a handy one to know.

Answer goes up tomorrow. Picture gets replaced and a new photo gets loaded in its place....
 

ShowerDude

Showers
Messages
710
Reaction score
66
Points
28
Location
Minnesota
The saw blade in my case would be a drywall tape knive, and it would be there to stop my angle grinder blade or coring bit from getting loose on me and damaging the vanity????

just a guess. never tried a saw blade
 

ShowerDude

Showers
Messages
710
Reaction score
66
Points
28
Location
Minnesota
I hope you measured your grout mixture and can match/blend color!!!! Surely you used a scale and measure cups???

You may get lucky w/ the dental pic and pop that sucker out and salvage most the grout. Its hard to do, removing one hex without disturbing the hex of them....rest!! Ive used small spade tile bits to drill out mini hexs w/pretty good luck .....ive used sharp tiny chisels with not so good results ...
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
The dental pick worked like magic! I was so impressed. The key to the tip is using something that won't rust. So the stainless steel is ideal for this type of repair. I popped out the two tiles in now time.

Destroyed the dental pick! lol

New tip back at the top.
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
Yesterday's Answer: ( Images are posted on the first page at the top - daily )

The red strip is the heating wire clips from NuHeat. The light brown material is Ardex 8+9. What tip can you learn from this picture?

I learned that you need more 8+9 than a little coat. I tried a few options to see if this was a good idea and in the end was so so happy with the results. In the future I'll stick to mechanical fasteners since this approach was less than perfect.
 
Last edited:

Eurob

master tile and stone installer
Messages
824
Reaction score
53
Points
28
Location
Montreal
Website
www.houzz.com
So , you made your own '' sticky '' thread ...LOL

I use hot melting glue to attach the strips . Is this counting as a tip ?
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
I had no hot glue gun with me that day. But I did have Ardex 8+9 to prep the tile over tile areas.....

Sometimes the hot glue gives out. I thought I could get a great bond with the 8+9 since it would bulk up inside the voids in the mounting clip. It did but was a pain to do well.

The parts I used a 1/2" artist brush to back butter worked the best.

I gave the strips overnight to set up even!

Held for roughly 98% of the install. The remaining 2% I held the wire in place with scrap tile and used poly as a bond breaker.
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
Above is an old photo of NobleSeal TS. On the left side are some pencil lines to help me pre crease the membrane prior to it going in. I want a 4 1/4" flap on the left side. I have this line marked and another at 8 1/2"

Measuring the mark you need at double the distance allows you to fold to the line. When I measure to 8 1/2" I get a 4 1/4" fold.

A simple tip that helps save time and make for more accurate pre-creases...
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
What purpose does this water test serve in a shower build?

The red box above is the evaporation control measure. This box gets set at the same time as the shower's flood test to measure evaporation.
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
Yesterday's answer....

What does this brick have and what does it do?

The Brick has a course texture and tiny diamonds. It cleans and scratches very easily. Perfect for fine tuning and roughing up a surface for waterproofing or thin-set.
 

Koa

In the Trades
Messages
188
Reaction score
36
Points
28
Location
Honolulu, Hawaii
I am interested in hearing your logic for encapsulating the ply between two membranes. When I did an outdoor tile deck over a living space for a friend, I left a gap between the ply sheets for expansion. After exposing roof down to 2X6 T & G decking, I then built up with 3/4" ply spaced like you did, Peal & Seal membrane, backer board, Hydro Ban, then tiled over that.

I used the Peal & Seal as a back up since it seals around the screws used to hold the backer board.

koa-28.jpg


koa-29.jpg


koa-30.jpg


koa-31.jpg


koa-32.jpg


koa-33.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
Why is there such a gap between the sheets of plywood here. (My exterior deck in North Vancouver). Bonus points. Why is there Hydro Ban on the first sheet or subfloor?

Why is there such a gap between the sheets of plywood here.

Movement. A 1/4" gap is left between sheets and then that gets a filled with silicone. Can it Move. Will it move. Should it move. Questions to ask yourself at every stage of a shower or deck build.

I am interested in hearing your logic for encapsulating the ply between two membranes. .....

Why is there Hydro Ban on the first sheet or subfloor? -
That is a trick question and the reason is a silly one. I ran out of time building my home. I Hydro Banned the outside edge of my deck to last throughout the winter and get me to the following year.

When the second layer of plywood went down this hydroban was destroyed by nails and screws. But it did the job protecting the deck from harm - even though it is not designed as a wear surface. It held up nicely.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks