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Silicone Caulk: How to Caulk a Bathtub or a Shower
Silicone Caulk: How to Caulk a Shower or Bathtub The problem: If you’ve ever tried caulking with 100% silicone caulk you are well aware of how frustrating it can be. First of all, it can create a huge mess, be almost impossible to clean up, and can make your shower look uglier than before you started. […]
Tips & Tricks
Subway Tile Installation: Three Basic Tips
Subway Tile Installation: Three Basic Tips Subway tile- what’s not to like? It’s classic and timeless. A fairly easy tile to work with and install. And the white subway tile is usually pretty inexpensive. In this post, I will talk about three things that can help to get you started with your subway tile installation. […]
Working Clean | Tile Tip | Guest Post
I am pleased to introduce a guest author for this post: Ben Santos. I’ve been approached before about using guest authors but it’s never been the right fit. As you’ll see, Ben has a very candid writing style and he’s a star on video as well. So I hope you enjoy this post and be […]
Building a Custom Shower Niche from Scratch
The Ultimate Guide to Building a Preformed Custom Recessed Shower Niche Part 4: Building a Custom Shower Niche from Scratch This post covers: Cement board, foam board, and Hardibacker Cutting into wall framing Waterproofing LOTS of photos! Sometimes there’s no good way around it. Building your own custom recessed shower niche from scratch can be […]
Waterproofing
5 signs your new tile shower will leak
What to look for in proper tile shower construction You’ve hired someone to build your tile shower in your bathroom, but how do you know he or she’s doing it correctly? How do you know that you won’t have an upstairs shower leaking into your downstairs kitchen? This post contains affiliate links. The site owner […]
Why You Should NOT Buy a Newly Remodeled Home
I get it. Nobody gets excited about moving into an old, outdated house. Additionally, why would you want to go through the trouble of moving and then having to live through a renovation or even multiple renovations?! But, hear me out on this. There’s a dark side to purchasing newly remodeled homes and it’s something […]
Kerdi no longer acceptable for tile steam showers
TCNA tightens steam shower requirements In 2013, the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), the organization that sets the guidelines for tile installations, is rumored to have made a modification to their specifications for constructing tile steam showers. It’s all about perm ratings- and Schluter Kerdi fabric no longer cuts it. (edit: this is now […]
Tutorial
Why a centered tile layout is a bad idea
This post deals with tile layout as a concept. If you are looking for a more How-to, nuts & bolts post then be sure to check out my related post on Bathroom Floor Tile Layout in 5 Easy Steps. Typical tile layout advice is: Measure off of each wall Find the center of the […]
Bathroom Floor Tile Layout in 5 Easy Steps
Bathroom Floor Tile Layout It seems like a simple project- a small bathroom floor. You’ve picked out your tile at the local box store along with a few supplies and you’re ready to go. The problem is: Where do you start? See my previous post on tile layout concepts and why this layout was chosen. […]
How to Build a Recessed Shampoo Shelf
The Ultimate Guide to Building a Preformed Recessed Shower Niche Part 2 Building, Installing, and Tiling a Recessed Shampoo Shelf In this post we discuss: How to cut an inset niche into the wall What tools to use to build the recessed shampoo shelf Blocking (framing) for a recessed niche How to make sure your […]
Tile Installation Products
5 Ways to Screw Up your Cement Board Installation on Floors
Cement board installation is not something that is incredibly difficult. I think most people worry about how to cut it and once they have a plan for that then they think it’ll be a breeze. But I’ve seen these screw-ups for several years now. It’s the same ones over and over. Which products are we […]
Ebbe Drains: The shower option that you never knew you had
Usually when one is designing a shower or remodeling their bathroom they put a lot of thought into the tile, paint, and faucet selections but the boring shower drain is selected based on whatever the plumber has in their truck. Why put an ugly drain in your brand new tile shower pan if you […]
Tile Backer Board Breakdown
Which Shower Tile Backer board is best? I often get questions on what sort of tile backer board to use for showers and tub surrounds. When it comes to installing a tile backer board the easiest to install is usually the worst choice or most expensive option. The types that are the most difficult to […]
