The Conservative Cave
Interests => Around the House & In the Garage => Topic started by: ConservativeMobster on November 01, 2012, 01:48:24 PM
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I searched the first 5 pages and didn't find anything on the subject, forgive if a repeat. I know I've read that some here have done tiling but it must be in discussions that I can't find....
One question, how hard is it to cut tiles with just a wheeled cutter purchased at HD or Lowe's? Better to spend the few extra dollars and purchase a wet tile saw? OK, 2 questions lol.
Anyway, it's a very small bath and I don't mind hard work, just don't want the job to take me a week and look like crap because I didn't spen a little more to get a better tool.
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I suggest renting a wet saw.
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Thanks EK. HD sells one for $50, thinking about just buying it. Probably less expensive than renting one, smaller too.
Have you done tile? any tips?
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Get a wet saw. You don't grout corners you caulk them. Use the proper grout (sanded vs non) for the type of tile you use. Use the proper back board and waterproofing. Use spacers instead of just trying to eyeball it.
Here is the bathroom my husband remodeled from our last house in CA. He ripped everything, including the walls, out except for the tub. We had it refinished.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Foam_Kitty/f3c6bd8b.png)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Foam_Kitty/ecddb407.png)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Foam_Kitty/78fa58c1.png)
Ceiling of the shower tiled
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Foam_Kitty/7e328ce9.png)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Foam_Kitty/fb27c4e1.png)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Foam_Kitty/8cb76098.png)
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Thanks EK. HD sells one for $50, thinking about just buying it. Probably less expensive than renting one, smaller too.
Have you done tile? any tips?
Don't buy a cheap wet saw, rent one. It makes a difference.
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No, I never put down any tile but I have cut and drilled alot of concrete.
The tools I used to cut and remove concrete were mostly dry, when we were putting in new concrete or working with concrete that we intended to keep the tools were mostly wet.
As far as tips go, let the saw do the work, don't force it because you end up borking the tile and ruining the blade.
And as always, measure twice, cut once.
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Also buy specialty pieces like end tile or corner tiles. Don't ruin all your hard work by trying to go cheap on the finishing details.
Go to DIY sites and read read read. You can forgo a lot of mistakes by learning through other people's mistakes.
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I posted about the bathroom (ya I STILL need to put up current pics) I did. I used a tile cutter, the manual kind. Worked just fine, but tedious. For small stuff and odd cuts I used a diamond blade in a 4" right angle grinder I own.
I did the floor and the stall:
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k179/Apogeespeaker/DSCN1758.jpg)
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k179/Apogeespeaker/DSCN1773.jpg)
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Don't buy a cheap wet saw, rent one. It makes a difference.
With my budget $50 isn't cheap :rofl:
I'm only doing a small bathtub surround and do plan to buy the trim pieces. I'm hoping to only have to cut 10 or so tiles just to keep the ends even. Straight cuts, no frill and maybe 12" tiles.
Wineslob, you are the one I was thinking of when I asked. I can't see pics at work so the posts are pretty much useless without pics. I've done floors, easy as pie but the wall is something else. Gotta try, it'll save me big bucks that I can use elsewhere. I also won't ever use this saw again so I'm not buying expensive stuff. I will check out rental prices but hard work doesn't scare me and may even try the manual one after all. Thanks for everyone your advice!
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OMG BEG, the tile in your bath is amazing! That is one heluva job. How long did that take? Did you do the floors also?
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With my budget $50 isn't cheap :rofl:
I'm only doing a small bathtub surround and do plan to buy the trim pieces. I'm hoping to only have to cut 10 or so tiles just to keep the ends even. Straight cuts, no frill and maybe 12" tiles.
Wineslob, you are the one I was thinking of when I asked. I can't see pics at work so the posts are pretty much useless without pics. I've done floors, easy as pie but the wall is something else. Gotta try, it'll save me big bucks that I can use elsewhere. I also won't ever use this saw again so I'm not buying expensive stuff. I will check out rental prices but hard work doesn't scare me and may even try the manual one after all. Thanks for everyone your advice!
I would think that it would be the same as the walls in the shower stall, but with out the need for the water proofing. Just do it the same as flooring, but the grout will be "floated", the lines from the float, at 45 degrees. I used the spacers on the walls of the shower just like on the floor.
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OMG BEG, the tile in your bath is amazing! That is one heluva job. How long did that take? Did you do the floors also?
I didn't do any of it except the painting. My husband did everything, even built the medicine cabinet.
Edited to add: I don't know how long it took. He only worked on it weekends. It took him quite awhile.
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My husband was a tad anal about using spacers. :-)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/Foam_Kitty/IMG_1272.jpg)
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You don't grout corners you caulk them.
Make sure you use the right caulk also.
I had to repair an area a paid contractor used the wrong caulking when replacing a tile floor in a shower.
I was :censored:
The guy had just lost his wife and I think his mind was in another place. He also had some family issues, the rest of the work he did was great. His POS son (helper) was worthless.
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Beg gives great advice. I've also found that if it dosent look correct when you set the tile, it will look worse when you grout!