DS Tile and Stone Installations

Paper Faced Glass Mosaic

2011-06-08T19:11:00.000-07:00

Mosaics are becoming a fan favorite in the tiling trade, everyone seems to love them and want them installed. Little do they know mosaics are the hardest tile to install especially ones mounted on paper. This type of install requires a special setting material, and installer who is experienced and patient working with small, and often very tiny tiles. Below is a few photos of a mosaic recently installed in West Chester Pa. The job was then grouted with Laticretes Permacolor grout. I am extremely pleased with the end result of this job as I am with every other job I do.

Here is the tile being installed prior to the paper being removed

A close up of the 3/8" x 3/8" mosaic!

Finished and grouted with Permacolor Khaki Sand
A beautiful night photo!

Porcelain that looks like slate

2011-06-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

I am noticing the trends are changing with this trade faster then I can remember before. Now tile company's are making porcelains that look like slate a stone that is quarried from all over the world. Some of the great benefits of making tiles that replicate these stones are the fact that slate, in particular requires quite a bit of maintenance and prep work prior to and after grouting. In other words it requires regular upkeep. This customer in Villanova/ Newtown Square, Pa chose a high quality tile to be installed in various sizes in her home. The tile was also installed on one of the latest technologies in the trade called Ditra. This floor should last many of years and remain crack free.

One of the reasons Ditra was chosen was her previous floor was installed incorrectly and had cracked and many tiles had come loose. With the Schluter Ditra all of this is avoided when installed according to manufactures directions.

Amazing glass backsplash

2011-02-20T20:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a job I did a couple weeks ago in Northeast Philadelphia. This a very expensive glass mosaic back splash that I installed for a wonderful lady. As you can see the job turned out amazing. My customer was thrilled with the job, and I think she slept in that kitchen the night I installed it, that's how happy she was. If you notice one issue I had was the corner but I managed to add my own custom technique to personalize this install. This job set this kitchen off.

Mastic or thinset???

2011-02-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

So you've decided to hire a tile setter to handle your next project because it seemed a bit out of reach to you. With times being harder then they have been you decide to check up on your installer and see their work as each day progresses. Well here's a couple tips to make sure your getting a proper install.

Make sure you installer is using the appropriate setting material, I would say 90% of the time thinset is the required setting material. With tiles being larger and more intricate these days mastic (the bucket glue) doesn't really fit the picture.

If you've decided to redo your bathroom you should never see any buckets of glue on the job unless the installer is using them to mix his mortar (which is fine).

I have attached a few photos of mastic the no no, and thinset (the bagged powder which should be used). Here is the product that should not be used:

If you notice your installer using mastic make them remove the tiles and reset them with the proper mortar. The only time mastic is allowed is on wall area where the tile will not get wet. The hardest part is going to be convincing them to switch to thinset, they will claim they have been doing it this way for 20 years and never had a problem, do not buy into it!!

Mastic is not allowed in showers, on floors, ceilings or outside. You can remove a tile with mastic and soak it in hot water and the dried mastic will turn back into the paste it was like in the bucket this is called re-emulsifying. I just wanted to touch on the topic, good luck with your project I hope this helps answer any questions you may have.

Here is what you want to see on the job:

Full Bathroom in Westchester

2010-12-12T14:37:00.000-08:00

Heres a kerdi shower I recently completed in WestChester, Edgemont Pa. The tile is from the tile shop in Wilmington Pike, Delaware. All the jambs are solid Travertine and theres a custom niche and alot of glass to compliment the shower. The floor is also tumbled marble.

Fireplace

2010-12-12T14:27:00.001-08:00

Here is a fireplace I recently tore out and retied in Chestnut Hill, Mt Airy Area of Philadelphia. All the previous tile had been set in mud on the floor and mud on the walls, so in order to retile the area I had to mud my walls and mud my floor. I removed all the tiled with a demo hammer cleaned the area and mudded the walls and floor. The following day onyx was installed on all my fresh mud. The final day all was sealed with Aquamix Sealers Choice and grout with Tec Accucolor Cornsilk unsanded grout. Heres a before and after.

Another shower...

2010-11-08T19:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick shower I knocked out for a friend in Broomall, Pa. I mudded this floor and installed a heating mat underneath for him so the floor is warm. The floor was badly out of level I had to to make it smooth. I mudded a custom shower pan and installed a few shelves and some glass. I used Schluter Kerdi on the walls and shower floor, this shower will outlive me.

Backsplashes...

2010-09-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

A nice close up of the mosaic(feel free to click these photos)

Backsplashes are taken lightly but they are still difficult to do due to the new tiles coming out and the complexity of these tiles. Heres a mosaic tile splash I did in Manyunk out side Philadelphia.

Full bathroom

2010-09-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

Above counter sink with custom faucet in wall

Tub surround with niche
Open wall on faucet side to enlarge the room

I know there are plenty of people in the area Delaware County, Montgomery County and Chester County who are in need of a new bathroom but are hesitant about hiring the right contractor. I have decided to tackle full bathroom jobs, using the same skills I focus on my tile setting and dedicating them to the entire job of a bathroom. Here are some pictures of one recently completed. The floor is mud and the walls I used Schluter Kerdi. I am confident this bathroom will outlast me. The tile came from Mohawk Tile in King of Prussia, the fixtures came from Weinstein in Lawrence Park(Broomall) and the trim and doors came from Tague Lumber in Media.

Full basement w/ custom shower install

2010-05-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

This job was one of my favorite jobs, I wish I had pictures of the house before i arrived. Here's a house where the homeowner wanted the entire basement tiled and a custom shower installed where a tub surround previously stood. The problem was that the slab was badly out of level and dropped about 2" on one side of the house, I informed the H/O that prep work was a must in order to achieve the result he wanted. My method of attack was a mud bed, I knew I needed to add a couple inches to the floor and Self leveler wasn't fit for this application. I bonded the mud with thinset and leveled out about 200 sq ft of the 700 sq ft floor.

The next thing I did was change a tub surround to a shower stall, I removed sections of the slab cut into a cast iron pipe and installed pvc and centered the drain, then i filled the hole and patched with the proper concrete mix. I then constructed a curb out of 2x4s. Next I prepitched the shower to prepare for my CPE Noble pan. The following day I installed the pan performed a water test and installed the proper cbu on the walls. Next Laticrete Hydrobarrier was applied to the walls to act as a liquid membrane to waterproof the shower walls. I then mudded the floor of the shower, installed an Ebbe square drain and mudded the shower curb. Heres is the shower complete w/ the ceiling also tiled and the rest of the basement. I'll tell you what, this is one sweet pad!

Different types of tile and uses

2010-03-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

In today's tiling market there are so many new tiles and uses for these tiles. I am going to try to go over these types and their uses.

Porcelain: The majority of tile produced today in the market is made up of porcelain which is ceramic that is double fired in the kiln meaning its heated then cooled and then heated or fired again. This results in a hard and extremely durable material. This tile can take a beating but it's harder to cut and requires a more latex modified thinset to be installed because of its low water absorption.

Ceramic: Nowadays most of the wall tiles are made of ceramic mainly 3x6, 4x4s 8x12s and most rectangular wall tiles. Ceramic in my opinion is being phased out. Its a quality material if purchased from the right tile shop. This material is easier to cut, overall durable in strength and better suited for walls, and doesn't require as good of a thinset as a premium porcelain tile, also tends to absorb more water then porcelain.

Stone: Stone is an awesome tile to install but due to it being extremely weak in most cases excluding granite, it requires a super sturdy floor or wall in order to be installed. Stone also requires a tile setter who is familiar in installing stone and a solid floor deflection wise. Stone requires a premium latex modified thinset to be installed. It can require high maintenance and may not be subject to certain cleaners. The list of stone can be a mile long but right now the popular ones include - marble, granite, onyx, limestone, travertine, slate, tumbled marble just to name a few. If your area is subject to high foot traffic I would avoid the softer more easily scratched stones like marble. In my opinion stone is best suited for backslashes, powder rooms and wainscoting.

Glass Tile: A new trendy type of tile, extremely modern in design but requires a top notch installer who is familiar with glass installs, there is no room for error with a glass installation let alone any tile installation. Glass requires a special thinset, special cutting tools, and special grouts in some cases. Glass can be awesome when installed but is extremely pricey but well worth the extra dollar when done correctly. Glass is best suited for backsplashes and shower walls and all other vertical tile work .

Metal/Other tiles: These can consist of copper, brass, aluminum or any other metal. Mainly used as an accent in wall or floor work. There are metal tiles out mainly mosaics, these require special setting materials and saws to cut the material. There are also coconut shell tiles and leather tiles and wood tiles, these tiles are no intended to be grouted and are mainly used in back splashes. There are also tiles made of resins or synthetic tile they can range from chairails to inserts and to pencil strips. They usually have a rough backing to promote adhesion.

This is just a touch on some of the fancy tiles that are in production. Only time will tell us what is next in the tile field.

A Tile floor that looks like hardwood

2010-02-25T16:51:00.000-08:00

I know I am always posting pictures of tile over well, mud. Here is a perfect example of the beauty of mud or should I say a wetbed floor. In my opinion the direction that tile is heading in is larger tile and of odd sizes, 12x48, 12x26,6x12 just to name a few. Now the normal stuff 8x8, 6x6, 12x12 and 13x13 could always be installed over a floor that wasn't always flat. The installer would use a trowel with a larger notch allowing them more play with the install. With the larger and longer tiles the slightest imperfection in the setting substrate would be shown in the install.

Since the homeowner decided to choose a tile that was 6x24 a flat and level floor was a must, the floor below was severely out of level and had dips and bumps in it, no way this tile could be installed over the existing floor and if it was it would have been atrocious. My only option was to mud the floor level and flat. The next day the tile was installed and the mud made it a breeze. Toward the entrance to the grage a Nu-Tone heating mat was also installed. After the tile was set the job was grouted with Customs Tobacco sanded grout. This job couldn't have turned out better, it is flat, level and straight. It will easily outlast my life span.

Mud mud mud....

2010-02-13T10:48:00.000-08:00

Heres another job I completed around this time (February) of 09'. This job was located in Media, Pa. The house was super old but had great bones. It required mud on the walls because they were severely out of plumb. The floor also was badly out of level and required mud too. The HO choose classic tile that really complemented the room well. As far as I know the room was repainted after we finished the job. Also all the pipes were lead and slow so while we demoed the job the plumber came in and replaced everything with PVC.

A large mud floor for a great friend

2010-02-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

Nothing excites me more then doing mud set tile jobs, especially when they are large jobs and for a friend. On this job the kitchen was tiled and there was carpet in the rest of the room. The homeowner wanted the tile and carpet removed and the entire floor redone with 13x13 on a diagonal. I decided with the condition of the sub floor that the job needed to be installed on mud. This created a flat and level surface especially when the tiles will be installed on a diagonal, there was also a huge hump in the floor and the cabinets were shimmed because the previous kitchen floor was set on mud. So it really was a no brainer to put mud back in.

Its generally a good rule of thumb when mud comes the new install should be done on mud as well. Heres a few pictures of the job from start to finish. It was around 300 sf ft of tile. The homeowner was thrilled and enjoy there new floor.

A nice backsplash for a nice customer

2010-01-26T18:56:00.000-08:00

I am a member at the John Bridge Forum. I have been one for almost 6 years, it is one of the best things I stumbled upon in the tiling trade. It teaches and educates both the installer and the customer to provide a better service and business for both of us. I recently tore out and tiled a backsplash for a member from the site located in Paoli, Pa near Westchester, Pa. The job couldn't have gone any smoother. It is a tumbled marble splash installed with Ardex X-5 and have some glass inserts throughout the entire splash. It is grouted with Customs Polyblend Linen grout and all changes of plane were caulked with the corresponding caulk.

More Mud Work

2009-12-17T19:34:00.000-08:00

Mud is a dying art in the tile trade. When one can mud, their is no job too small or a job that can be turned away. This job had to be gauged due to the plank flooring and the floor was severely out of level and not flat. Mud helps create a flat and level floor and thats why it is used in these situations. It in my opinion is also a higher quality install and shows a true craftsman at work. Here are some pictures of a job with mud on the floor and curb in the shower and the finished products of the job.

In these photos, the floor is being mudded and packed and then screeded level in the 1st and 2nd photos. In the 3rd photo hydro barrier a Laticrete product is being applied to the walls and shower floors. It is added protection for the waterproofing of all the cementous areas in the shower. The final 2 photos show the shower with a fully functional seat and the bathroom floor with inserts.

Tile for my Sister in Broomall

2009-09-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

My sister purchased a house with her husband a few years ago and it needed some major work in Broomall, Pennsylvania. Some of work needed was tile work and since I am a tilesetter she decided to let me do whatever I wanted. The first thing needed was a kitchen redo and a nice new tile floor. The tile to be installed was 18x18 porcelain tile, but the problem was that the floor was not flat at all or level. This was the perfect opportunity for a wetbed.

(A wetbed is where sand and portland cement are mixed to a damp consistency where the mud is screeded and leveled to create a flat and level floor other names for this type of job are: mudjob, screed, floating or gauging and pre-guaging are all common tilesetter terms).

The floor was so badly out of level it required around 2 tons of sand and cement to get the floor level and flat. Then the 18x18s were installed the following day and the floor was grouted with TEC sanded coffee colored grout.

She then decided to redo her basement the following summer and install a bar, a powder room and to spruce the laundry room up with some fresh tile. She picked out a nice gray colored porcelain tile and and a gray tumbled marble with some teal glass and matching chair rails for the powder room. Since I was working in the basement the tile was to be installed on a slab and 90% of the time concrete needed to be flattened before tiling so self-leveling cement (SLC) was used to fix the low spots in the slab.

Self leveler is a product mixed with water and mixed to a water like consistency. It is poured over the concrete which is first primed with a latex product and the SLC seeks its own level with some trowel assistance. Afterwords you have a nice flat area to set tile on.

I installed the marble on the self leveled areas and used a larger notched trowel to set the porclain on the concrete throughout the rest of the basement. Her and her husband are thrilled with the work and enjoy entertaining their friends in their newly finished basement.

New shower with old tile

2009-09-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

I recently tore out a tub surround for a customer over the past couple days in Delaware County, Pa. The tile was 3x3 over green board installed with mastic and I knew it was in bad shape. The customer had not used the shower for 5 years due to substantial leaking when it was being used. I tore out and while gutting the shower noticed that the tiles had no tiling substrate behind them just air and mold. The worst part was the installer told the homeowner back in the mid 90's they used wonderboard, I had to explain that the job was done with pretty much drywall and glue.

I demo'd the shower and installed a vapor barrier (aquabar "b"),installed permabase, taped and flashed the corners, and most importantly set the tile with thinset.

The customer choose their own tile, it was a bisque 6x6 from American Olean. I got an idea to save some of the old 3x3 and install diamonds in the shower to enhance the installation, the homeowner thought this was a great idea. I tiled the entire shower with laticretes 253 thinset to set the tile. I grouted the shower with laticretes bright white unsanded grout and caulked all the changes of plain.

This job felt great, I ripped out a awful shower and installed a rocksolid one with a little touch of the old shower by inserting the gray accents.

The people were thrilled with the finished project and it made me feel good that they were happy, they also enjoyed watching the whole process take shape.

Hiring the right Tilesetter/Contractor

2009-08-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Below is a good walk through on how to hire a quality tile setter and get a lasting installation

So you've decided the house needs a little upgrade, maybe a new kitchen floor or the linoleum in the powder room has worn out its welcome. Maybe the shower is grungy, the walls are moldy and those 4x4 pink tiles with a gray border need to be shown the door. What do all these things have in common? Well, they can all be replaced with ceramic tile or more commonly used now porcelain. So porcelain it is, or maybe you decided to install marble, but we'll get into that later. You've decided to hire a tile contractor because it seems like a large task and its one project that you want to do once and not again in 2- 5 years, because you know a proper tile installation should last as long as the substrate below it, aka. plywood, concrete, drypack.

Where do you find a tile contractor? Its always a good idea to call a tileshop in the local area and ask who their top installers are and if the shop and its installers follow TCNA guidlines. Nowadays you can research the local tile shops on the Internet and see how clients rate the particular shop by reading just a few reviews. A couple negative feed backs on a local tile shop may change your perspective on how the shop operates and the type of installers being reccomended.

Lets fast forward, a few different installers come out and look at the job and give estimates and their method of installation. To make sure you have a lasting installation its always a good idea to check the following. Make sure the contractor is licensed and insured. An insured contractor will have no problem proving it. Ask how long the contractor has been in business and what their preferred method of install is. Make sure that their install is proper with what the TCNA recommends. Ask if the contractor offers a warranty and when they give their final proposal see if it is in writing or if its based on a handshake.

Just to help here are a few proper installation methods for floors:
Cbu
Drypack
Ditra

These are the only methods I am aware of, if someone try's to sell you something else be weary and ask them if its supported by the tiling council and if its a new proper method ask for some literature on it.

Now if you choose to have a shower redone make sure you don't get the famous mastic on greenboard/cbu job with the famous nails in the pan liner curb area. You'd be surprised how many people offer this type of installation, a lot of the people installing this way may not even be tile setters and may be another trade just trying to make a quick buck. Actually so many people are installing this way that 80% of the currently custom built shower are functioning improperly. Whether is clogged weepholes in the clamping drain or nails in the liner, mastic on the walls, or lack of prepitch.

Ask your installer how they plan on building the shower. A proper shower consists of a vapor barrier whether its 6 mil poly or 15 lb felt behind the tile setting substrate or a liquid applied membrane applied on the face of the setting substrate. The tile must be installed with a premium thinset that comes in a bag and is mixed with water. Anything arriving in a bucket with a lid is bound to affect the outcome of the job. The only time mastic (the bucket substance) should be considered is for wall work in dry areas such as a back splash or wainscoting in a bathroom or other water-free area. In a traditional shower a pan liner must be installed and the curb must be puncture free and made of mud. This is the only way a shower pan can be built and tiled in a tradition shower with these type of materials. Anything else risks a quality installation.

Another newer and growing popular method is the Kerdi shower which consists of drywall and a waterproof membrane applied with unmodified thinset to the drywall. The mudbed for the shower floor is installed without a liner and the membrane is installed over the pitched mud. Corner pieces and a band are installed to make a total water proof system. Water has no where to go except to the drain and out of the shower like it is designed to do. One thing great about this system is the shower can actually function once the Kerdi is applied and drys for a day, the tile technically is just for aesthetics and installed with unmodified thinset.

This is just a touch on quality work and how to find a quality setter, the only thing to do is try not to shop based on price alone, if your mindset is on a cheap price ultimately you will end up with a poorly installed tile job. Just because someones price is higher then another, doesn't mean they are trying to take you. 95% of the time an installers craftsmanship will speak for itself. In the long run, which would you rather do? Spend 2,100 dollars on a shower that lasts 1 year leaks and ruins the family room below it and shorts out your new high def television or pay 4,500 and get a shower that will last a lifetime? Pretty simple answer...

A Schluter Experience

2009-08-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

I am a member of the John Bridge Tile Forum, a tiling website where other tile setting mechanics and diy'ers gather to talk about tile and discuss about the rights and wrongs of installing tile. I guess I discovered this forum by accident around the age of 20 and I decided to join. I learned alot about other ways to set tile besides the ones I knew about. I also learned about a product called Kerdi made by Schluter. It's a shower membrane applied to drywall and it makes your shower waterproof. I said to myself blasphemy and instisted drywall could not be installed in showers and this company was clueless on how to build a proper shower. I read many posts though on old time tile setters who switched over to this product and loved it, so I guess in reality I was a bit curious about Schluters product.

Schluter also makes another product for floors called Ditra, its orange and looks like a large giant waffle sheet made of plastic. I saw this product and said, plastic on floors? No way! Anyways, people on this forum always praised this product, actually both of em' and insisted they were wonderful but, I refused to budge. About 2-3 years ago a customer wanted a full bathroom installed with travertine from floor to ceiling and you guessed it they wanted Kerdi on the walls and Ditra on the floors. Customer purchased everything and had it for us to install, the person working with me was clueless never saw the stuff at all either. Then I remembered the orange stuff from the JB forum and I spoke up and mentioned that I saw it on the internet. We watched the DVD and felt pretty confident installing it, but we were angry that it wasn't the way we "normally" did things. Normally we would hang 15 lb tarpaper and 2.5lb lathe and float the walls with wall mud with a traditional vinyl pan. Then we would install tar paper on the floor and wire it and float the floor with mud making it flat and level. We followed the Kerdi and Ditra install with 12x12 honed travertine on the walls with a glass listello. The floor consisted of 18x18 travertine installed on a running bond pattern. We grouted the job, shined the tiles up and caulked everything and the job was complete. Last fall I was back in the house working, I went into that bathroom and it looked like the day we had just left. The corners were perfect, the floor was solid as a rock and the bathroom was immaculate. I was amazed, this sparked an interest for me. The first thing that went through my mind was, the JB forum guys were right! I got online did my research and with help from another tile setter was able to attend the Schluter school in Clemson, South Carolina and get trained on the products. I am now trained to install both Schluter products (Kerdi & Ditra) in my area and have been installing since I got back.

Forming drypack around Kerdi drain

Putting the finishing touches on shower pan