First some background. The closes that I have do to a tile job is to dig out some cracked grout and replace it.
I am do one, but don’t want to jump into quicksand with my feet in concrete blocks.
Got a call for some one that I have been doing handyman work for if I wanted to tile their bath room.
I was tempted.
I was very clear about my NON-experience, but that I wanted to do a tile job. They responded that they understood, but saw how I handled other job and felt that they would be satisfied by my work.
Then they mentioned that it had vinyl (which I knew) over tile (which I did not know). They said that they could demo the old floor.
Then I found out that orginal tile is on a mud base (1970’s house). At that point I felt that there was enough unknows that I was not ready to tackle this as my first tile job.
But I am always like this when starting to do somethign that I have never done before. I always find some way to make it work, And while I often find fault with the end job the clients don’t see the problems that I do and like the work.
In my mind I did not have any concern with doing the basic tile setting and grouting. Although I, knowing me, I would be sweating enough to have a problem washing way the thinset at first. I am assuming that it was “standard tile” and basic pattern, nothing exotic materials or fancy patterns.
My concern with “messing” with the new vanity which might or might not be partial over the old tile. I know that they there is new luan in that area. The condition of the mud base and what I would do if it had problems. And how to handle the threashold.
As I said I like a challange, but at the same time I get cold feet on unknows and felt that they one had several too many unknows.
What say you?
Replies
So Bill, how much do you figure you lost by not doing a 3 day job that would have turned into 3 weeks?
Wait for the easy one to start your career with tile.
Side, you're an old fartt too, floor tile is for the young & dumb.
Joe H
So what do you recommend for a dumb old fart?
Start with a tile countertop, where you don't have to be on your knees. Or a backsplash. Or replacing vinyl flooring with tile, but in a newish house where the only thing under the vinyl is the subfloor.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Im going to give you some very solid advice .
http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php
They do it for a living day in and day out . Thats all they do. When I have a tile question thats where Im at .
You can ask one question and have 6 full time guys answer you in one evening .
They rock.
Not to say we dont in our area , cause we do.
Tim
start with this one ... the only unknown is the mudbed ... which U know about ...
so what's unknown about that again?
we know it's all gonna come out. We know it's gonna be hard and messy ... but we still know it's gotta come out ... so start there. Plan on going down to the joists.
it's a bath ... can't be they many sheets of ply to start fresh.
Ply ... at least 3/4 + 1/2 ... then ... the backer ... either 1/2 CBU or 1/8th ditra ...
plus the tile thickness ... fudge a 1/4" for thinset ... and there's yer thickness.
just pad it up as needed ... luckily ... U started with an easy one ... one with that now gone mudbed ... so most likely ... it'll all be padding up.
around here I find that 2 sheets of 3/4 ply plus the 1/2 backer usually brings me close to the old mud bed height ... kinda sorta sometimes.
Anyways ... now .. new clean surface. Take the time for a nice layout ... nothing smaller than half a full tile showing ... maybe either a full time centered on the doorway or off the tub/shower ...
lay it out ... then dry lay in all directions. test fit everything. Way easier to unbox and restack 90% of the tiles than to realize that last one really don't fit.
Use a good modified thinset ... trowel and lay.
grout as you've been doing ...
and don't forget to price in the new base and shoe.
one snap scorer and a grinder with diamond blade will get U thru 99% of all bath installs.
oh yeah ... make life easy ... shoot for a final level that works with the existing toilet flange ...
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Bill -
Jeff's right. If the toughest part of the job is busting out the old tile - aka demolition, there's no reason not to do it.
Build it up to where you need to be. Fasten it all down tight. Remember what layers you need to put in. Lay it out so the tile work out, stick it down, make it fit, put the fixtures and grout in and collect your money.
There are lots of jobs that could scare you. This isn't one. You have enough experience to do it.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
Bill, tile is very easy, in my opinion, especially a horizontal surface. You can lay the whole thing out dry if you want and see how it will work. The main issues with tile are technical things like floor deflection, materials compatibility, etc. If you make sure you have all of that covered then the manual labor is a piece of cake. A bunch of reading on the John Bridge site is in order, maybe also 'Setting Tile' by Michael Byrne.
I agree with your whole post .
Its all in the substrate. Setting tile is easy compared to whats under.
Tim
It looks like I might be doing it after all.For some reason I was under the impression that the mud base was 3 or 4" thick. Don't know where or why I thought that.Looked at it and one place where it was crumblying and the is about 7/8" of mud over a tarpaper over a wood base.And it is simple 6" tile with not fancy pattern. The only "difficult" area is against the tub edge which is not straight.So taking out the existing tile and mud base (the HO is going to do that) and add 1/2"-3/4" plywood (after I get an exact height) along with 1/4" backer board and I am good.Only question that I have is how is the tub set. Would it be over mud base and if so how stop it at the tub.
I would tile up to the tub, not under it. The tub can be installed on the subfloor and the CBU and tile run up to it. You may need to cut some precision tiles around the tub, possibly stuff with curved edges, but it's easy if you put plain masking tape on the face of the tile, mark the cut in ink, then use the wetsaw blade to carve the shape. If you want to go all-out you can make templates for the special tiles first, using chunks of door skin and your familiar woodcutting tools, then transfer those shapes to the margin tiles.
A good caulk joint againt the tub is essential, because this is where the kids will splash water. I would first caulk the CBU to the edge of the tub, then set the tile and caulk it to the tub separately. You will be tempted to use the acrylic caulks that are sanded and tinted to match the grout. They are OK in a spot like that, they're not so OK inside a shower stall. If you can make silicone work, so much the better.
At first it sounded like you might be in a position to have to patch the existing mortar bed. That can be done, I would post at John Bridge about it. If the HO can demo all of the mortar and tile and give you a wood subfloor to start, then yer cookin'!
Caulking the backerbord to the tub is a good idea.But the youngest "child" just went off to colledge.But I might not have made it clear. After posting this, I though that it would be best to start a more specific thread where I made this clear.The existing tub and tile surround are being left in place.