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 … [Read more...] about Ebbe Drains: The shower option that you never knew you had
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How to hire a contractor for the neurotic perfectionist
Does "anal-retentive" have a hyphen? ~Alison Bechdel Recently, on the John Bridge tile forum, someone wrote a post titled "After enough time, do all pros become this sloppy?" in which they describe their (not-so-great) experience with a tile contractor that they had hired. Among their complaints … [Read more...] about How to hire a contractor for the neurotic perfectionist
Wood plank tile floors: What you need to know
Wood-like planks and other large format tile Be sure to take a look at my newer post: More tips for installing wood look tile flooring that talks about patterns, grout joint size, and has additional installation tips. There are some frustrating things about porcelain wood planks that your tile … [Read more...] about Wood plank tile floors: What you need to know
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 … [Read more...] about Kerdi no longer acceptable for tile steam showers
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 … [Read more...] about Why Schluter Ditra is so cool: Uncoupling membranes explained
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 … [Read more...] about Don’t let your tile accent strip look like this
6 Things NOT To Do When Building a Tile Shower
6 Bad Remodeling Ideas for Tile Shower Construction Sheetrock in a shower and other bad ideas Sometimes it's nice to know what-not-to-do when remodeling a tile shower in your bathroom. Here's a list of just a few of those things: This post contains affiliate links. The site owner may earn a … [Read more...] about 6 Things NOT To Do When Building a Tile Shower
Tile Layout and the Golden Ratio
Using the Golden Ratio for Tile Installations The golden ratio is a mathematical equation found everywhere. From snail shells to hurricanes; from pyramids to stock market charts. We don't need to know every detail to use it in tile applications, nor do we have to be a math wiz to know how it works. … [Read more...] about Tile Layout and the Golden Ratio
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. … [Read more...] about 5 signs your new tile shower will leak