Planning your Tile design, pattern & installation

Any job worth doing is worth doing it right. Planning the design and patterns is something anyone would enjoy doing but when it comes to the figuring, getting the proper tools, and doinng the actual work they can become overwhelmed. Because a tile job is a big investment that you will have to live with a professional tile installer will be called who has all the knowledge and tolls to do the project right the first time. If you feel you are able to do this project on your own then continue on and read how to plan your tile design, pattern & installation.

If you are planning to tile a bathroom by yourself, this article will help you plan your bathroom tiling installation in the best and cost effective way as well as giving you some tile design ideas. We will guide through your new bathroom tile design and installation planning step by step.

Attention - Note that planning your tiling installation properly is the most important step for smooth, easy going and problem free bathroom tile installation.

Remember a DIY bathroom tiling installation isn't a quick job, so don't miss the point and plan it right. All the time spent planning your tiling installation will save you money and headaches.

You have to plan your bathroom-tiling project carefully; choose the tile design and tile patterns, what materials you need and which tools you require.

Choose your Bathroom Tile design & Tile patterns
The tile patterns that you can create with different tiles are limited only by your own Tile design ideas.  A large variety of standard tile designs, ideas and tile patterns are available. Some tile manufacturers may make special custom tile designs for you.

Choosing the tile design is obviously the first thing you need to do, with out deciding this you can not start planning your bathroom tile installation.

You can find a few basic bathroom tile design ideas & tile patterns, check it out.

For some Inspiration you can check Google pictures for some Bathroom Tile design ideas, there are over a million bathroom pictures here.

Tile suitability - Tiles are made in porous and non-porous varieties. When planning a bathroom tile installation, you should choose the non-porous ceramic tiles.

If your bathroom is small and the tiles have designs on them, you may have to go for smaller sized tiles as they have smaller designs. Too large tile designs may not suit small bathrooms so choose a smaller tile design for smaller bathrooms.

If you go for a plain color, the size isn't that important, however try to follow the rule above anyway.

A good tile design idea is to choose contrasting colors for the floor tiles and wall tiles. Then have a skirting line the same color as the floor tile.

Another tile design idea is changing color at chest level, which will change the look of your bathroom.

Try to choose bathroom accessories that compliment the color of the walls.

Materials - How much will you need? -  To calculate the quantity of materials that you need, you must take precise measurements of the total area that you wish to tile.

From the total area and the size of each tile, you can calculate the number of tiles required (you must know the size of the tiles you have chosen).

You must also remember to take into account the gaps between tiles when calculating the number of tiles needed, so make sure you include spacers appropriate to the tile size chosen.

If this equation becomes a little complicated, you can always use the table "Calculating your Tile needs" (link here) on this page.

When calculating consider more than half a tile as a full tile and less than a half tile as a half tile. If you have chosen a multicolored bathroom, calculate each color separately and note down the tile requirements.

Ordering tiles - Order the tiles on the basis of the measurements taken. Note that tiles are packed in boxes and the supplier is unlikely to sell tiles individually.

Remember to order extra tiles as you can be sure that some tiles will break during installation (even the best professional breaks tiles). In addition some of these extra tiles could be used in the future if any tiles need replacing. This is not only good but an advisable practice.

Always order additional tiles since the tiles you have ordered may not be available in future, and if you require replacement tiles, you will have difficulty finding a match.

Best tools for a good job - Make sure you choose the right tool for the job. It'll make the job easier and safer too. You probably have a basic toolbox however for tiling installation you need special tiling tools.

Some of them are expensive but don't waste your money buying professional tools that you won't use enough to pay for themselves. Instead hire them. For some $$ you can have the best tools for a few days.
And if you've done your planning properly you'll only need them for a few hours.

Remember, that planning your tiling installation properly is the most important step for smooth, easy going and problem free bathroom tile installation.

I hope it's been useful, happy tiling!

Mistakes You'll Want to Avoid When Laying Tile in Your Bathroom

Doing any job is worth doing right. A job like laying tile can turn into a real headache quicker then you think when you don't know what to look  out for. Even then some mistakes you can't prevent unless you have a few tile jobs under your belt and have already learned from your mistakes. That is why you should get a professional tile installer to lay your tile, but there are some people who decide to actually install their own tile on their own.

If you happen to decide to put down the new tile for your bathroom remodeling project, then you'll have a big job to do. When you get started, there are a few mistakes that you should definitely avoid, including the following ones.

Preparing the Easy Way
One thing that you need to avoid is doing the preparation the easy way. When you go the easy route, it can make the whole job harder. Before you lay the tile, it is imperative that you make sure that the surface is both clean and smooth. You can use a sander to help get the surface smooth enough to work with. If you don't do this, it is going to be more difficult to install your tile.

Not Getting Enough of the Tile
Not getting enough of the tile you have chosen is another mistake you really need to avoid. You see, you never know when you may need a bit more tile. Your measurements could have been off, you may make a mistake or even crack a tile, then you'll need a new one. So, it's a good rule of thumb to get about 15% more than you plan on needed, just in case there is a problem. Then, if you do have a bit left over, you can keep it in case there is a tile that gets cracked or damaged at a later date.

Not Using a Waterproof Adhesive
Not using waterproof adhesive is another big mistake to avoid. Since you are laying tile in the bathroom, where there is a lot of water and moisture, you need to make sure that you use an adhesive that is waterproof. If you don't use a waterproof adhesive, it can later crumble or rot away and cause problems with your tile. So, make sure that you go with the right adhesive for the tile in the bathroom.

Uneven Spacing of the Tiles
You'll also want to avoid the mistake of getting uneven spacing between the tiles you are installing. If the spacing is off, in the future your tiles may come loose. So, it is best to measure the gaps that are between the tiles, so you know that they are spaced correctly and you don't have problems in the future that could have been prevented.

Grouting Before the Tile is Ready
Grouting the tile before it is read is another problem to avoid. Many people try to grout right away, but you should really wait a whole 24 hours before you decide to do the grout work. This way you'll be sure that the adhesive on the tile has really set and they won't move around while you are adding the grout to the tiling.

How To Grout Your Tile And Stone

Doing any job is worth doing right. Any do it yourselfers can do a good job if they know why something needs to be done first in the preperation. If it is not done right then it can make an expensive project like froutting your tile and stone a complete nightmare on top of wasting money. Remember that if you don't feel comfortable doing something it is better to get a professional tile installer than take a chance of doing $100's in damages.

More and more homeowners are experiencing the satisfaction of repairing their tile and grout. The high cost of labor for even small jobs, has driven people to the stores looking for tile, materials, products and information.

This is GREAT! Why shouldn’t homeowners learn to tile and
grout?

I’ve seen many new homes with completed ceramic tile jobs that have made the hair on the
back of my neck stand up in fright … especially tract homes where the bottom line for the
developer is speed and corners to cut. So the more we learn about the different trades and the
applications and techniques thereof, the better we will recognize a well performed and finished
product to be proud of.

With this in mind, here are some grouting techniques to install in your memory banks for your next tile or stone job around the house. Whether you have laid new tile or have scraped out the grout from an existing tiled area, make sure you clean the grout joints thoroughly and have taped off the areas you don’t want the grout to “spill over.” Wiping grout off of sealed cabinets and semi or glossy paints won’t hurt those materials if you use care when wiping, but sometimes a little labor invested in taping adjacent areas will make the job easier in the long run.

When the grout joints are clean and ready to fill; mix the powdered grout with clean water and according to the package specifications. The grout should be lump-free and a consistency that will not easily pour out of the bucket.

Use the appropriate grout for your application. A non-sanded grout should be used for grout joints that are 1/8” and smaller in widths, while sanded grouts are to be used in joints which are larger. Typically you’ll find the smaller grout joints with the non-sanded grout in the bathroom and shower areas.

Use some latex gloves to protect your hands and with a grout float held at a 30-45 degree angle, spread the grout firmly into the grout joints. Don’t worry about the mess on the tiles as this will clean up with your sponge at the proper time. Some areas that are hard to float, you can force the grout into the joint by hand.

When all the joints are filled completely, scrape the excess grout off the tiles by holding the float at an almost 90 degree angle and pulling diagonally across the joints so you don’t remove grout from the joints. Put all the remaining grout back in the bucket.

Allow the grout to set for about 10 minutes then with a clean bucket of water and grout sponge, lightly wipe the tiles with a damp sponge, (not a dripping sponge). Always wipe with a clean side of the sponge, flip the sponge over and wipe another section, then rinse the sponge clean. The initial sponging wipes most of the
unwanted grout from the surface. The second sponging smoothes and neatens the joints and the third cleans the haze or residue from the tile. Always allow a few minutes between the three sponging cycles as this will allow the grout time to properly set. Remember, you don’t want water from the sponge to puddle on the grout as this weakens and deforms the consistency.

Lastly, a final wipe will smooth any remaining high spots in the grout joints and clean the tiles of the remaining haze. After the grout dries, you can polish the tile with cheesecloth or a soft cotton cloth to
remove any remaining residue. Nice Job!

Building a Custom Ceramic Tile Shower starts with a Shower Pan Membrane Liner

Doing any job is worth doing right. Any do it yourselfers can do a good job if they know why something needs to be done first in the preperation. If it is not done right then it can make an expensive project like putting in a custom ceramic tile shower a complete nightmare on top of wasting money. Remember that if you don't feel comfortable doing something it is better to get a professional tile installer than take a chance of doing $1000's in damages.

Installing a custom ceramic tile shower in your home is something a do it yourself homeowner can do with a little upfront knowledge. The most important aspect of a successful custom ceramic tile shower installation is properly installing a shower pan membrane liner. The shower pan membrane liner is used to ensure a leak-proof shower.

Shower pan membrane liners are used to funnel any water that seeps through the floor or wall grout to the shower drain below. The shower pan membrane liner is made up of a flexible type of plastic material that sits below a bed of mortar, and the tile, in the shower floor area.

Prior to installing the shower pan membrane liner, the floor of the shower needs to be pre-sloped to ensure that the water will flow towards the shower drain assembly. The pre-slope is accomplished by applying a layer of mortar to the floor of the shower unit area. The layer of mortar is troweled in such as way as to create a gentle slope from the shower wall edges to the center of the shower where the drain resides.

Once the pre-slope mortar has cured, the flexible shower pan membrane liner can then be installed. There are a couple of types of shower pan membrane liners on the market, with each having their own benefits. With either type of membrane, the homeowner needs to form and fold the material into the base of the shower area and secure it to the sides of the shower wall frame with staples and/or nails. In addition, an opening in the membrane should be cut out to allow the adjustable shower drain assembly to slip through.
With the shower pan membrane installed, the cementitious ceramic tile backerboard can then be secured to the framed shower walls. The backerboard is a rigid material that is ideal for attaching tile in wet areas such as a shower stall.

After installing the ceramic tile backerboard, a final coat of mortar needs to be applied on top of the membrane to protect it and to provide a solid base for laying the ceramic floor tile.
With the final coat of mortar cured, the ceramic tile can then be installed in the shower.
Once the tile and grout have been installed, the shower drain assembly should be adjusted so that the drain height sits flush with the finished ceramic tile floor.