"Tile Installation Tips," in the Floorcovering Installation & Maintenance Tips forum, begins: "Hello all! I thought it would get things going here on the tile tread if we shared some tricks of ..."
Hello all! I thought it would get things going here on the tile tread if we shared some tricks of the trade. I use a carpenters wood rule for all my wall cut measurements and just slide the metal extention part out to either 1/16,1/8,1/4,3/8, or 1/2" whatever my grout joint spacing is then just read the rule for my cut size. I think it speeds it up a bit and eliminates potential for error.
What othe tricks are out there??
Thanks
Bruce Milligan
When you need to cut out a toilet flange or register vent in the middle of a tile, I like to take the tray off the wet saw, and do it by hand under the wet saw blade. I think it's easier and cleaner than using the dry diamond blade and grinder.
For those of you into more than just covering floors with tile, when doing any kind of design work, I've found it very helpful to keep 2 or 3 different color chalk lines in the pail. Then, one can be used for the main grid, another for the design, and maybe a third for any kind of border work. Helps alot keeping things straight when it comes time to cut and lay the floor in.
I use blue chalk to lay down my first layout, red chalk to correct my mistakes and lay down my second modified layout, and orange chalk to correct my second layout and lay down my third, then when all is finally going my way I use a sharpie so I can see what the hell I'm doing after all the damned chalk is all over the place.
Some of the new Stone products out there are fabulous for use in showers. They have a great look and are very east to fabricate trims for.
The 2x2 stones wrap nicely around curbs and make very nice feature stripes around the walls or as a Dot combination with similar thickness tiles.
Step up your custom installations by purchasing a blade for your saw or your grinder that will help you to fabricate your own bullnose.............its one way to increase yourdollar earnings while creating one of a kind custom showers that may become your trademark.
As the DIY market steadily increases I believe we will start seeing more and more showers being handled by the professional installer and less floors. The industry is making things too EZ for the average homeowner..............set yourself up in your market NOW as the premiere Shower installer.............remember to charge for these one of a kind customs, do a nice job and you will never ever lack for work.
As the DIY market steadily increases I believe we will start seeing more and more showers being handled by the professional installer and less floors. The industry is making things too EZ for the average homeowner..............set yourself up in your market NOW as the premiere Shower installer.............remember to charge for these one of a kind customs, do a nice job and you will never ever lack for work.
this is some good insight
i very rarely do floors outside of the bathroom anymore
(the old knees get angry if i do)
New to this forum, and appreciate all the help that this and other forums provide. I'm not a tile setter by trade, but have experience in various construction trades and want to share info if I can.
Here's an extra tip on the chalk lines. I like to use these (see photos) japanese made chalk boxes that don't leak chalk and put down a thin line. In the photos you will see a packaged thin pink line..this is what I use in chalk boxes that don't come with thin line....I think it's intended for ink layout boxes, but it works great with chalk, especially fine japanese chalk.....initialy work the chalk into the line with your fingers. There is also a photo of a spool of bright pink line, which is a thin, strong (I think its nylon), twisted line that I use for accurate layout. It works much better than the masons layout line when you want tighter tolerances.
Extra tip: If I'm working alone and I can't hook the end or pin it into the surface, I wrap it around a small piece of wood and set something heavy on top to hold its position...usually a piece of 1" steel plate about 6" x 8"....
If you ever run into a problem with grout haze... before you get your white vinegar solution or Haze Remover bottle or even muriatic acid... just try one of those erasers. In most cases it will remove normal grout haze with very little effort.
I'm not talking about someone who got lazy and left a real thick grout film because he/she got lazy in rinsing... thats not haze to me... thats a totally different story. But it will remove some of that too.
I have a crain super saw but I almost always use my multimaster to cut door jams. It may go just a little slower but I like the precision clean cuts. The EZ cut blades are stupid expensive at about $40.00 each local retail. I sharpen them using a dremel tool with a cut off wheel. Just put the blade in a vice and cut new teeth. One quick pass with sandpaper to remove burs and you are good to go. The new teeth cut very well and it saves tons of money. Hope this tip helps some of you. This forum has been good to me, thank you!!!
