Ceramic Tile Flooring Questions

[KJ94GT]

Ok, I'm going to try my hand at some ceramic tile flooring. Correct me if I'm wrong, but all you need is tile (obviously), adhesive and grout, correct?

When you're laying tile up near a wall, do you go all the way to the wall and grout, or do you use some kind of caulking between the wall and the tile on that area?

Also, what determines whether you use sanded or unsanded grout?

[Wicked SVO]

Kenny,

You should let someone else do it, it's not that it's complicated, it's just to fucking messy and time consuming to deal with it. Especially since you can get someone else to do it at a fraction of the cost. 2 cents.

Good luck if you do try and tackle it.

-k

[KJ94GT]

Kenny,

You should let someone else do it, it's not that it's complicated, it's just to fucking messy and time consuming to deal with it. Especially since you can get someone else to do it at a fraction of the cost. 2 cents.

Good luck if you do try and tackle it.

-k
Tilework ain't that cheap. No one's labor is cheaper than mine ;) I'm gonna at least try one room. If it's a PITA, I'll let someone else do the rest.

[Fast.0]

I did it the other day and my house looks awesome. It was easier than I thought

[barronj]

I took the free classes at home depot to learn how to do it. I tiled approximately 1300sf, including completely tearing the bathroom down to the studs & rebuilding the shower enclosure, the back splash, leveling the floor, and tiling damn near everything.

I took two classes, at different stores, to get the perspective of two different tilers. One said to tile up to the baseboards, the other said to take the baseboards off & tile to the wall, then go back & replace the baseboard. This is the more time consuming way to do it, but IMO the right way.

There were a few other differences in their techniques.

I still have my trowels & my grouting blades (name?).

Chalk lines are essential, or atleast they were in the size & shapes of rooms that I did.

[KJ94GT]

I took the free classes at home depot to learn how to do it. I tiled approximately 1300sf, including completely tearing the bathroom down to the studs & rebuilding the shower enclosure, the back splash, leveling the floor, and tiling damn near everything.

I took two classes, at different stores, to get the perspective of two different tilers. One said to tile up to the baseboards, the other said to take the baseboards off & tile to the wall, then go back & replace the baseboard. This is the more time consuming way to do it, but IMO the right way.

There were a few other differences in their techniques.

I still have my trowels & my grouting blades (name?).

Chalk lines are essential, or atleast they were in the size & shapes of rooms that I did.

So when you tiled up to the wall, did you use caulking between the tile and the wall, or did you grout all the way to the wall? Don't you have to allow for thermal expansion?

[Fast.0]

So when you tiled up to the wall, did you use caulking between the tile and the wall, or did you grout all the way to the wall? Don't you have to allow for thermal expansion?
I tucked mine under the trim

[HECDOGGIE]

They make grout caulk that expands and contracts, use that up near the wall,

Grout joint size determines sanded or unsanded..

Let me know if you have any questions.

I know how to do it all, however, I will never do it.. Its a lot harder than you think.

I hope you have patience and common sense :D

[barronj]

So when you tiled up to the wall, did you use caulking between the tile and the wall, or did you grout all the way to the wall? Don't you have to allow for thermal expansion?

I cut the tiles to allow for a gap between the tile & the sheet rock ( I pulled off the baseboards). The baseboards covered up/over the gap, and I put a bead of caulk btw the tile & the baseboard to clean it up. It was seamless.

[HECDOGGIE]

I cut the tiles to allow for a gap between the tile & the sheet rock ( I pulled off the baseboards). The baseboards covered up/over the gap, and I put a bead of caulk btw the tile & the baseboard to clean it up. It was seamless.


Thats a good way.. :D

The right way actually..

[barronj]

Thats a good way.. :D

The right way actually..

It was extra work, but just seemed to make the most sense. I frown when I see tiling up to the baseboard, and shudder at the thought of having to repair any wall damage, such as water.

[r**3_82gt]

I had most of the tile in my house done, but this summer I decided to try my hand at it and did the sunroom. Not too bad to do yourself, but now that I have it out of my system, I'll pay to have any more done . I used the matching caulk around the edges so the tile could expand.

Here's a pic of how mine ended up:

[KJ94GT]

They make grout caulk that expands and contracts, use that up near the wall,

Grout joint size determines sanded or unsanded..

Let me know if you have any questions.

I know how to do it all, however, I will never do it.. Its a lot harder than you think.

I hope you have patience and common sense :D
Perfect. Thanks for the info.

And thanks everyone else too.

So, about the sanded or unsanded grout again, what joint size dictates the use of sanded or unsanded? My shower has unsanded grout with small joints and the entryway has sanded grout with larger joints.

[1fst4II]

Perfect. Thanks for the info.

And thanks everyone else too.

So, about the sanded or unsanded grout again, what joint size dictates the use of sanded or unsanded? My shower has unsanded grout with small joints and the entryway has sanded grout with larger joints.

If you try and use a non-sanded grout in a large grout line it will end up cracking and breaking. The sand in there acts like the aggregate in concrete.

Under 1/4" can get away with non-sanded. Anything over that you need to use sanded grout.

The tile in showers if 4" or possibly 6" will have butt edges made into them that dictate the grout line when you butt them next to each other. Sanded grout in a small grout line will not fill in well.

Also if you are laying marble or travertine you need to use a tight grout line and non-sanded grout. Other wise when you are spreading the grout, a sanded grout can scratch the surface of the tile.

Laying tile is VERY easy. It is VERY labor intensive, but not difficult at all if you have any kind of mechanical aptitude.

Good luck with it!

[KJ94GT]

Thanks dude. I'll probably be starting real soon. Thanks for the grout info.

[stinginstang]

I'm in the middle of a tiling project and I'm beginning to wish I paid somebody.

[Baron]

Thanks dude. I'll probably be starting real soon. Thanks for the grout info.
Take your time, and lay it out in advance. I did my kitchen and breakfast area, along with the utility room. It was a week long project, working nights. It looks great, but was very time consuming.

Use chalk lines everywhere to keep yourself on track. An 1/8th of an inch off on one tile is a big deal 10 tiles away.

[KJ94GT]

I've completed most of our bathroom so far. I've installed all the whole tiles I can, and have finished up the easy cuts. It wasn't difficult so far, just time consuming as mentioned... and messy ;)

[Vertnut]

I'm in the middle of a tiling project and I'm beginning to wish I paid somebody.
That was sort of my personal experience. :o Several years ago, I installed about 500 sq.ft. of tile, and it took me a week to walk. ;) I had several tough cuts to make, and it took a long time to do it properly.

[mgee9562]

Like he said above sanded is more for backsplashs, sanded are for wider grout lines it basically helps keep the grout from cracking.

[KJ94GT]

You guys that said this was easy were dead on. As long as you lay it out before you get started, it's a cakewalk. I've finished two bathrooms so far and I'm getting ready to do our kitchen. My knees and back feel fine ;)

[95snake]

its really not that hard just be sure to start against something straight like a wall. and keep the lines straight. I would also recommend a tile saw.

[danielhv]

I used the little spacers that go between the tiles to put an expansion gap between the tile and the wall... which is all covered up by the trim. Its easy. Start in the middle of the room... measure the room, find the exact center, mark a line in both directions (so you have a + dividing the room into 4 sections) and start in the middle going along the lines. That way, all the cuts along the walls will be the same. And work your way out. not all that hard. Just get the spacers, and take your time.