Q:The 12 by 12 tiles were laid 7 years ago and nothing is different, but last October some of them over by the exterior wall of the house started tenting. There had been no more or less rain. What would make them do this?Here‘s some more info:-They started cracking in the part of the house that was added on.-The new foundation may not have been sealed.-My brother put them down and he tends to do a crappy job at best. He thinks they were cheap tiles.-I found traces of termites when I started pulling them up (seems unrelated since they‘re ceramic tiles, but one never knows...)Any advice on replacing them would be greatly appreciated!

When installing floor tiles you have to have the right surface under them. You would need either a self leveling cement surface applied or cement board installed first before the tile is installed. If this wasn't done first the floor below the tiles will absorb moisture and expand and contract from the different humidity levels causing the tiles to break loose.

Q:Which tile is best Porcelain or ceramic for a concrete floor?

Either will be fine for a residential setting. Installed properly both will last for years to come. Neither will break if installed properly if something is dropped on them. You can possible get top chips if a heavy object is dropped and both will show the inner body core unless you buy a true porcelain and not the average porcelain glazed tile. Unless you have major moisture problems tile can be used any time. Some moisture ( if any) will wick up and dissipate as normal. Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar and check my qualifications there. GL

Q:I‘ve seen on many different DIY shows that you can get used tiles that are still in good condition (from a certain place, I just can‘t seem to remember the word) to use in your projects.

Most tile stores throw out tiles every week. They throw out sample boards and broken tiles and generally you can go dumpster diving and pick up quite a few. Some stores will give them to you if you ask. I used to work at a tile store and we threw out tons of tiles all the time. The large stores like Home Depot sometimes have rules that they won't give anything broken away or even sell it but it's worth asking because they're all different. You may be able to find a Habitat Re-Store that has some as well. When they tear out old houses they often recycle rather than toss the items.

Q:i used the baskup board, the adhesive, then put the adhesive on each tile.

i am more familiar with tiles falling off the wall. but yours are glued on so good they wont fall. The wall must be warping from water or steam and heat and the tiles wont bend with it so they crack.

Q:I want to install wood look laminate flooring. I have a sliding glass door with metal frame. I can‘t put shoe molding around it since it‘s metal so what do I do? Also, with porcelain tile, do I create some type of frame around the tile with real wood or is there a transition for this.

For the tile you can get metal edging to use as a transition from the tile to whatever else; the shape of the edging is determined by what it butts up against. Several different shapes are available in various colors. It is mortared in under the tiles to form a finished edge. You can get this stuff at Home Depot in the tile department.

Q:How many 4x4 tiles for the deck area of a bath tub?Total area of deck tub = 108 x 61 = 6588Total area of tub = 60 x 41.5 = 24906588 - 2490 = 4098 total deck areaCan someone please tell me how many tiles I need? I don‘t know where to go from here.

4 x 4 = 16 divide by 4098 Then figure out if you have to buy a whole box or a 1/2 is ok for the remainder. Also you have to allow for grout. Figuring 1/8 so add 1/16 per tile. So your figure is really 4.0625 x 4.0625 or 16.5 divided by 4098 249 *******Hmmm Clayton.....9 per sq foot silly and you didn't deduct for the tub. Altho getting some for breakage is smart.

Q:I want to replace the existing ugly linoleum/vinyl floor in my bathroom with tile. With the right information and tools, I don‘t see why I can‘t do it myself. Any ideas on the pros and cons of different types of tile? What‘s least likely to get scratched, and what is least likely crack and need to be replaced? Which is easiest to clean, etc.? I‘m not crazy about a rough feel or look to the tile. So, I‘m thinking of glazed ceramic or polished stone. Also, my bathroom is very small. I wouldn‘t need to use more than 35-40 square feet of tile. Do you think 12x12 size tiles would look too big? Any tips or suggestions will be appreciated!

Any tile can go into a bathroom and on the floor, just pick what you like the best. I wouldn't recommend anything really slick, such as a shiny marble or granite, or a shiny glazed ceramic. If installed properly, none should crack, regardless of type, unless something unforseen happens, such as a slab crack. 12x12 tiles wouldn't be too big for a small bathroom. Go bigger if you'd like. 16x16, or 18x18 even. The bigger the tile, the bigger the bathroon looks (it's an illusion) and also, the less grout joints to clean. Try your local tile distributor for the purchase of your tile before you go to Home Depot or Lowes, as they have a better quality of tile and they aren't really expensive like people think. Sometimes you can find good deals through the distributors on a discontinued tile or a sale. Make sure you get extra tiles in case one breaks or cracks in the future, especially important if you purchase a discontinued tile. Good luck!

Q:We are about to install 450 sq ft of 18x18 inch travertine tile on an indoor concrete floor and I need as much information about the installation process as possible. I have done a number of ceramic tile jobs, but never laid travertine. Some of the questions I have are:1. is it best to use spacers and grout, or butt the tiles?2. if I use spacers, what size should I use?3. should I apply a coat of sealer to the tiles before laying them?4. what size notched trowel should I use and at what angle?5. how many coats of sealer, brand and type of finish is recommended?6. I read somewhere that it is not recommended laying travertine straight, but in a Versailles pattern. Any one have any idea what this is?Does anyone have any more advice on laying this type of tile. Any advice will be deeply appreciated. Don

Installing Travertine Tile

Q:Tile 60 * 60 price

More than a dozen dollars out of a cup, there may be cracks in the brick, we have just submitted a few tiles are installed more than 50 pieces, feeling like general, the brightness is not high, the decoration to see the budget, Yuan to hundreds of dollars, you can choose a lot of.

Q:How to paste tiles better

Precautions ????Tiles before the application of blisters, the number of bubbles can be built how much, do not all the one-time bubble finished, soaked with water to meet the construction progress of the workers. Due to improper mixing of cement and sand caused by the proportion or due to improper cement, cement, the proportion of large, strong adhesion of tiles, brick can quickly stick, but the high proportion of cement mixing, cement mortar expansion coefficient, easy After the paving the brick will be cracked. The recommended ratio of wall tiles is 1: 3, tiles are: 1: 2 - 3, cement cement is numbered 32.5 cement. Grinding to be careful not to damage the tile glaze layer, the link attention to the gap, not too small.