Q:i want to use broken tiles for flooring in the balcony. what is the procedure?? and how do i start??please suggest.

I suggest that you first prep and fill your concrete and let dry. Next you should lay out some tile pieces on an area near your starting point fitting the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle. Next spread some tile mastic over an area equal to the size of the area where you have laid out tile pieces that fit together. Next, quickly set the tiles in the mastic in the same pattern that you had them laid off to the side leaving at least about 1/8th gaps between the tile pieces. When you are finished, scrape off any mastic that does not have tile set in it. Repeat this process until you completely cover your floor. Allow to dry for a day and then fill the cracks with grout. Allow the grout to dry for a day and then do an acid wash to remove the grout residue.

Q:My house is 55 years old. They had vinyl floring in the bathroom. We wanted to replce the flooring but when we hauled up the vinyl, theres 2inch ceremic tiles underneath. I think the vinyl was glued down because the tiles are a mess. We bought some vinyl flooring to put back down. Whats the best way to do this? We were going to but 1/4 round but now the floors are tile underenath, and the walls are tile as well so we can‘t nail it in.

Yes it has been done. However, you must cover all bases first. Check the solidity thickness of the existing floor. Tile needs a good solid base for support. After all, it's much heavier than vinyl. Make certain the entire sub floor is level, or your tile will crack. Tile over vinyl is thick won't match the the height of adjoining floor. You'd need a raised threshold to help it look less conspicuous. It's far easier to remove old floor replace with sturdy sub floor than to cut, chop, chip rip all tile floor later. It may seem easier right now, but check this out: ~m~

Q:I‘m redecorating the bathrooms of my town house. I want to tile the one wall in the shower with small blue Mosaic tiles, and the rest of the bathroom with plain white tiles. As it‘s a very small en-suite, I‘m thinking o

Mosaic tiles can add a lot of variety and interest into a bathroom. A mixture of blues is suitable and your decision to keep the other areas white is also correct. I am assuming the fittings will also be white colour. But, if you are planning to cover only one part of a wall where it is against the shower, it might not look right. (unless the wall you are referring to is the wide side of the shower and it is also the full width of the bathroom) it is best to either use it on all three sides of the shower or in one full wall of the bathroom.

Q:My husband and I are going to redo a very small, four by four, half bath over Thanksgiving weekend. I‘ve picked up bits and pieces of advice about installing the marble floor tiles I‘ve bought, but I want to make sure I have the right advice before starting this or buying anything:Tile must be sealed both before and after installing, and the best sealer is Sealers Choice Gold. This will seal both the tile and the grout. Preinstall sealing should be done after cutting, not before. Do the tile edges need to be sealed as well or only the tops?Only white modified thinset should be used (brand recommendations?)Non-sanded grout should be used, and 1/8 inch spacing is acceptable for 12x12 tiles.Tiles should be wrapped before cutting to avoid breakage? I‘ve never seen this recommended before, but I‘ve also never installed marble.Thanks so much!

Marble tile floors have been around for centuries. Even today, in an age of much simpler and less expensive options, marble remains synonymous with elegance and class. Installing marble is more complicated than installing ceramic or other types of tiles because the marble can't be cut on a standard tile cutter, instead needing a wet saw. Also, since the tiles are straight-cut in their manufacture, the tile surfaces have to be completely even with one another.

Q:What kind of ceramic tile?

Tile type, according to its production process and characteristics can be divided into glazed tiles, quintana brick, polished tiles, tiles and mosaic. Different characteristics of the tiles of course have their own best use, knowledge of the tile have enough understanding, you can do in the decoration of the room targeted, make the best use. Whole body brick: the whole body of the brick surface is not glazed, and the front and back of the material and color consistent, hence the name. Whole body brick is more wearable, but its color than glazed tiles. Classification is divided into anti-skid brick, polished tiles and seepage through the whole body brick. The scope of application is widely used in hall, aisle and outdoor walkway and other ground, generally less used in the wall. Features: This is a glazed porcelain tile, with good slip resistance and abrasion resistance. Generally speaking, most of the anti-skid tiles are quintana bricks. As this kind of brick price is moderate, popular consumer favorite.

Q:i have these ugly light blue ceramic tiles in my kitchen (as a backsplash)..they are fairly big squares ... and the owner before me tried to paint the grout between them because the paint (or whatever it was) is coming off so now the grout is gross dark grey coming through...anyways...i was wondering if anyone had some easy ideas to cover up the ceramic tiles.

I think you need to take them off the wall and then resurface. It isn't as bad a job as you think once you get started.

Q:The tile is one week old. I have had the company pull tiles, regrout and patch. I have new cracks every day. Can I reasonable ask them to start over?

Are you keeping the grout moist? When you get new tile, you should mop the floor every day with warm water. That should keep the grout from cracking on you. You can sure ask the company to start over. No one wants a cracked tile floor.

Q:I am wanting to put ceramic tile at the top of my shower, where the drywall meets the shower. I have no clue where to start. What will I need? How long should this take?

Before concrete-masonry board was even invented, tiles were glued right onto drywall -- even painted drywall. There may be some new-fangled surface prep material you could get for painted drywall -- ask the dudes at Home Depot, Ace, Tru Value, or Lowes (or other hardware / home-improvement store) to see if there is some material you spread on the painted drywall to make the mastick stick better. .

Q:Someone told me its called tile- something) I know it has a nic-name, do you know it?

imperial highway maybe

Q:Wondered what people‘s experiences were of the above in kitchens. The kitchen leads out into the back garden so the floor will be walked on an awful lot. Would flooring last or look as good after a year or would tiles be the way to go. Any info would be great before I make a purchase.Thanks

Tile would be your best choice since it's almost indestructible, especially because of the garden entrance and the traffic pattern. Although wood floors are gorgeous, they won't stand up to spills, scratching, and traffic like tile does, particularly in the kitchen. If you do opt for tile though, use porcelain or natural stone rather than ceramic since ceramic can pit and chip. If you choose natural stone, make sure that it's sealed since it's porous and may stain or become watermarked.