Main Content
Featured Post
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 […]
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. […]
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
Flood testing a shower pan: Why it’s done and how to do it
Flood testing a shower pan. I get several calls per year about showers that are leaking. Some of these showers are leaking after just a few years. Some, just a few weeks after they’ve been built. I estimate that those calls could probably be cut in half if this one simple step were done. Doing […]
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 […]
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 […]
Tutorial
Don’t let your tile accent strip look like this
How to install tile of different thicknesses flush, flat, and even with each other Getting your mosaic and glass tile accent strips to be flush and flat with the surrounding tile can be difficult unless you know a trick for it. Here’s a technique for building up the thinner decorative tile so that it’s even […]
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 […]
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 […]
Tile Installation Products
Ditra Heat Mat Installation: Ignore these two rules
Typically I encourage people to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Especially when the company has clear, detailed, and easy to understand instructions. But when it comes to both Ditra Heat and Ditra Heat TB [edit: now called Ditra-Heat Duo] there are two things that I just don’t feel are good ideas. This post contains affiliate links. The […]
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 […]
Shower Waterproofing Crash Course
4 Shower Waterproofing systems for tile showers Waterproofing a shower. This seems like common sense, doesn’t it? Well, a lot of showers that are built these days still have no shower waterproofing whatsoever. Or they have poor or improper waterproofing. This post contains affiliate links. The site owner may earn a commission should you click […]
