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More tips for installing wood look tile flooring
Installing wood look tile Wood plank tile floors have gained a good amount of popularity in the last couple of years. For good reason: they don’t have ugly wear patterns after a couple of years, they don’t need to be refinished, and they don’t dent and ding like real wood floors do. But when it […]
Tips & Tricks
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 […]
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 […]
Ceramic Subway Tile: 3 Pro Installation Secrets
Ceramic Subway Tile: 3 Pro Installation Secrets I have 3 tips to share for ceramic subway tile. The first is a lesser known layout technique for subway tiles. The second is an installation detail and the third is a cutting method done tutorial style. Let’s get right into it. Also, don’t forget to check out […]
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 […]
Is Hardibacker and Durock cement board waterproof?
Reader question: Hi there. I recently finished grouting my tile surround in my shower. I posted photos on Facebook and somebody questioned whether I had waterproofed the Hardiebacker 500 board. Much to my dismay, I had never even heard of this… Anyway, I went to the James Hardie website and see nothing about waterproofing being […]
How to Modify your Recessed Foam Shower Niche
The Ultimate Guide to Building a Preformed Recessed Shower Niche Part 3: How to Modify your Recessed Foam Shower Niche In this post we cover: Situations where you would consider modifications A technique to check if your foam niche is still waterproof Method and tools to customize a foam shower niche Staying out of trouble […]
Tutorial
How to Install GoBoard Tile Backer Board | Video
Video Intro What is GoBoard Tile Backer Board? Why use GoBoard? How to Install GoBoard Tile Backer Board Tools needed Installation Cutting GoBoard Backer Board Fastening Applying the Sealant Cleanup GoBoard Alternate Sealant List How to Install GoBoard Tile Backer Board It’s time to work on DIY’ing your tile shower and you’re not looking forward […]
Self-Leveling Underlayment: The Ultimate Guide
Self-leveling underlayment. It sounds soooooo easy, doesn’t it? You simply pour the leveling cement over the floor and the product then just levels itself all on its own. Sort of like…magic, right? This post contains affiliate links. The site owner may earn a commission should you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase. Read […]
Sealing the tub flange for tile
That pesky tub flange. You have the tile backer board installed and everything is waterproofed. Everything except that gap between the backer board and the tub flange. How do you waterproof that? What to do with the tub flange? To begin with, you can try reading the instructions for the backer board… which then will […]
Tile Installation Products
Why Schluter Ditra is so cool: Uncoupling membranes explained
How tile uncoupling membranes work You’ve probably seen uncoupling membranes before. It’s not unusual to see these orange waffle-y products on some DIY television shows. You may have even wondered “Do those things really work?” This post contains affiliate links. The site owner may earn a commission should you click on an affiliate link and […]
What kind of grout do I need? Stain Proof edition
Stain Proof grouts like epoxy and urethane I know what you are thinking: Stain proof grout has over-promise and under-deliver written all over it. But these grouts are the best performing grouts when it comes to absorbency. They’re not cementitious so they don’t fade over time, they don’t need to be sealed, they are color […]
Do Uncoupling Membranes Really Prevent Cracked Tile Floors?
Do Uncoupling Membranes Really Prevent Cracked Tile Floors? This post contains affiliate links. The site owner may earn a commission should you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase. Read more You want to tile your concrete floor. But there’s a problem. The concrete has cracks in it. You know that if you tile […]
