Q:I need to remove several tiles for repair and replace the tiles with as little damage as possible

good luck,be as careful as you can, but you will still break 1 or more,a dremmell with a grout attachment will help a bunch,i've used one several times and though i broke 1 i was able to get 8 out without breaking more

Q:Okay the apartment i live in was built in the 60‘s and unfortunately everything is completely out of date. Trying to get the maintnence people out is more of a hastle than help. So im trying to do this myself. The stuff inbetween the tiles no matter how hard i scrub with scrubbing bubbles and kaboom and everything doesnt come clean this yuckiness is all over lining the tub and all tiles. Does anyone have any ideas on how i can fix this what to use or if i need to regrout how do i do this ? thanks

Use a real mop, soap and very hot water. Not clean? Repeat the above.

Q:The ceramic tile in my kitchen is cracked at a lot of different spots. My guess is the previous owner didn‘t put a thick enough plywood before installing the ceramic tiles. I want to replace them, but I just realized that right now my floor is perfectly leveled with the hallway and living room and adding more plywood would screw it all up. What options do I have to get around this issue?

Tile Council of North America calls for 1 1/8 thick subfloor over 16 on-center floor joists. Chances are, your subfloor is the original 3/4 tongue-in-groove installed with the house. This would certainly explain the cracking. Here's the thing: adding cement board over plywood does not add structural integrity. You can't use backerboard to achieve the desired thickness-- its purpose is as a bonding agent only. You have to put down more plywood. If you are below rating, there's no option but to increase the thickness of your floor. It may not be level with the rest of the home, but that's what beveled thresholds are for.

Q:I have gauges and scraps on my ceramic tile, i want to fix and even out the existing tile, then glaze it?

If these tiles are already installed I think you are out of luck for any long term fix. Ceramic tile glaze is fired onto the tiles in a kiln at very high heat. The firing makes the glaze and tile bond in a way that fillers, puttys, or paint cannot achieve. If your tile is that worn, it is possible that you have the wrong grade of tile for the situation where it is being worn so much. You may have earned yourself a new tile shower, floor, countertop, whatever....

Q:We recently remodeled our kitchen and are now ready to apply something between the counter and wall cabinets. We are thinking of tile. Our cabinets are a light oak. The counters are a marble looking blend of grey, blue, beige. Our appliances are beige. What color tile would look nice for this? Also, could you use 12x12 tile vs 4x4 or the smaller tile or is smaller tile better? We currently have unpainted drywall. Can you install tile with drywall behind? Or do you need that other type of backing?

(I prefer the drywall myself.) If you're using ceramic or stone tile, you'll need a backer for the thinset. If you're using stick-on linoleum tiles, just install Luan before the tile. The 4 tiles will look better, but for a beginner, the 12 would be easier to keep straight. Try to come up with a color that matches or refleects the color of the floor.

Q:I have a tile floor in a basement bathroom. These are small 2 inch tiles and I would like larger 8 by 8 inch tiles on the floor. Do I need to remove the old tile or can the new tile be laid right over the old tile? The subloor is concrete slab.

Hey okorder

Q:I have painstakingly cleaned and restored victorian age tiles in hall (using natural and eco products). Wondering what to seal with? Found few eco tile sealants but wondered if anyone used any without distorting the colour? Thanks :)

Most tile have a glazed finish so unless it dose not have it,it will be difficult to seal.You don`t mention wheat her its wall or floor tiles,if it wall tiles you might get away with it.If it floor tiles I think it will cause a problem by walk over it.

Q:What is the white powder on the back of the floor tiles?

It is in the kiln before the application of the brick at the end of glaze, the main component is alumina, the purpose is to avoid the tiles in the high temperature state stick furnace roll bar, resulting in tile deformation and blocking the kiln and cause roller break. Paving when the water brush on the line

Q:Our house has Asbestos floor tiles throughout. (I had them tested, and they definitely contain asbestos.)The dilemma: Currently these tiles are covered with carpet. The carpet is old and ugly and needs to be replaced. We want to replace it with Laminate flooring.I‘m worried about pulling up the carpet tacks at the edges.Is there a safe way to do that?Also, is it safe to put Laminate flooring over asbestos tiles?

Asbestos okorder and I can provide homeowner consultation on how to safely deal with asbestos floor tile in the home. I can cite study data showing exposure levels associated with certain floor tile removal tasks.

Q:I‘m gutting my bathroom and will be tiling the floor and then adding a new vanity and a new toilet.The question is, do you tile before you put in the toilet and new vanity or do you put in these items first and then tile around them? Concrete slab foundation that I‘m currently working on leveling.

You want to tile first, tile last forever. You may want to change your vanity eventually, or you may want a different type of toilet in the future. If you have your tile down first, these changes will not matter. Also, tile doesn't ruin if you have a leak and water damage. If you tile first, you just pick out new things. If you put in the stuff first, you will have to buy exactly the same thing.