Replies

1. 
   JeffBuck | Jun 29, 2002 11:21am | #1

   this is the kinda stuff that's nice to know before the material selection is made......Jeff

      She's exotic ,but not foreign, like an old Cadillac......she's a knockout!

1. 
   jeffm13 | Jun 29, 2002 07:40pm | #2

   And this is just the kind of assistance I was looking for.  Installing tile--ceramic or stone takes skill, but it definitely is not rocket science.  If I can't find someone with experience installing it, I'll ask the manufacturer. Or I'll ask a local tile shop. Or I'll figure it out myself.   Thanks again for the help.

1. 
   Joe_Fusco | Jun 29, 2002 07:47pm | #3

   Jeff,

   One might ponder why you didn't do all the above first? Would have been a good idea ay?Anyway, the install is similar to any tile installation. A wonderboard backer over 3/4 plywood sounds about right. You might also want to back "butter" the stone as opposed to just running thin set mortar and dropping them down. Since the stone is fairly porous. Have you thought about what you are going to seal it with yet?

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   Edited 6/29/2002 12:48:08 PM ET by J Fusco

   Edited 6/29/2002 12:48:58 PM ET by J Fusco

1. 
   jeffm13 | Jun 29, 2002 11:52pm | #5

   I got the tiles cheap. It was a last-minute purchase.

   I plan to "seal" the stones with mineral oil--whenever needed.  As I understand it, I'll have to do at least a half-dozen coatings the first month or so, and then periodically after that. 

   Thanks for the response.   

2. 
   Mongo | Jun 29, 2002 09:59pm | #4

   Jeff,

   I've used sopastone for several countertops, but never soapstone tiles. How large are they? Thickness?

   That said, run with what's already been mentioned. A good solid substrate, and a cement board to thinset them to. If it's not included in the raw material, add an admix to the thinset.

   I'd use a notched trowel to spread the thinset on the CB, and also butter the backs of the tiles as mentioned by Joe.

   For small grout lines...much depends on the tile. If the tile edges are eased or rounded over, you can square the edges on a table saw and butt them tight when installing. That raises some problems with the grout, as well as the requirement to get the faces of the tiles in a perfect plane to avoid proud (and eventually chipped) edges.

   Leaving a small gap between the tiles for grout may be best, that way you'll be assured fo getting some grout between the tiles so as to prevent gunk from getting between poorly butted tiles. After grouting, clean the face of the tiles as best as you can. You can always sand them afterwards to get any residue off the surface of the stone, then oil if that's your intention.

   Seal the grout with a commercial sealer before you oil the soapstone.

   If you're worried about the thinset holding the tile to the CB, if the tiles are thick enough you could slightly score the backs of the tiles (using your tablesaw) to give the thinset a bit more tooth.

   
   

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   Edited 6/29/2002 9:41:56 PM ET by Mongo

1. 
   jeffm13 | Jun 30, 2002 12:01am | #6

   The tiles are 12" x 12", 1/2" thick.  The edges are not relieved or rounded over.  It looks like a thin slab was simply cut into 12x12 squares.

   I was worried about having a substrate that was stiff enough to prevent cracks, and that thinset wouldn't give me enough grip. Scoring the backs of the tiles sounds like a good idea.  If I leave a 1/16" gap between tiles for grout, would it be advisable to use a router or table saw to slightly relieve the edges to prevent chips?

   Jeff

1. 
   Mongo | Jun 30, 2002 12:25am | #7

   I was hoping that the tiles were thicker...say 1" to 1.5".

   If you have to score the tiles, barely score them...say 1/16th of an inch or so. Try to maintain as much thickness as you can.

   A non-deflecting substrate is mandatory. A minimum of 3/4" ply. On top of that trowel on thinset. On top of that, half-inch CB, either nailed or screwed. I prefer screws, but do not use drywall screws.

   With a 1/16th gap between the tiles, if you need to take down the sharp edges of the tiles, I'd just break the sharpness of the edge with sandpaper. For uniformity, you could put a small radius roundover bit in a router table and set the height so it just skims the edge. The intent should be to just take off the sharpness. A slightly eased edge will allow you to bring the grout as close to the face of the tile as possible so you end up with a grout-tile surface that is, for the most part, in plane...unless you want recessed grout lines. However, with a 1/16th inch grout line, any recess will be a garbage magnet.

2. 
   Joe_Fusco | Jun 30, 2002 12:52am | #8

   Jeff,

   I haven't ever found the need to "score" any tiles. Let me know how it works out.I'd also loss the mineral oil as this is more a penetrate then a sealer. It does nothing to protect the stone from staining. After you spill some beet juice you'll know exactly what I mean .As Mongo said I go with a commercial sealer for everything, sealing first before grouting then after. This will prevent the grout from getting into the pores of the stone.

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1. 
   Mongo | Jun 30, 2002 05:10am | #9

   Joe,

   I'll agree and disagree with you on this post.<g>

   First, you're right that the tiles don't need to be scored. I remember reading some soapstone info long ago that mentioned that thinset had some difficulty bonding to soapstone. It bonds, but it's not a top-notch bond. I remembered that, which is why I offered the scoring idea for a better mechanical bond. I think scoring would be an okay idea were the tiles thicker, but half-inch? That made it iffy for me.

   I dug into one of many stacks of paper and found some soapstone info. They recommend, for soapstone tiles, to use a bonding agent on the backs of the tiles before bedding them in the modified thinset bed.

   That'd work for me. Soapstone dust is as nasty as MDF dust, so the less of it, the better.<g>

   I do disagree with sealing the soapstone tiles with a commercial sealer. Soapstone itself is pretty impervious to stains. It really doesn't have pores like other stones have. This makes is essentially impervious to water penetration. It also prevents staining, as well as etching from food acids which will easily etch marble, concrete, and some granites. Soapstone's resistance to staining is the reason it was used for laboratory countertops before synthetic surfaces came along.

   I'd actually like to recommend jeff use an epoxy grout...but that could get very ugly.

   Still, I'd tile, then grout, then seal the grout, then oil the sooapstone.

   The mineral oil isn't for sealing...it simply accelerates the natural darkening process fo the soapstone.

1. 
   Joe_Fusco | Jun 30, 2002 05:40am | #10

   Mongo,

   And disagree you should. It seems I had the wrong information on soapstone from memory. Jeff has the right information on using mineral oil and you have the correct information on the stones "hardness" and resistance to stain according to these people anyway.Thanks for bring it to my attention.

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   Edited 6/29/2002 10:42:30 PM ET by J Fusco