Q:bought home, tiles loose in shower, wonder if water damage is behind it

take them off and replaster them

Q:I am installing 4x4 ceramic tiles on a shower wall. I have been using a 1/4 x 1/4 sq. notch trowel, but am having trouble with the tiles staying put...should I use a 3/16 x 5/32 v-notch trowel instead?

Sorry guys wrong. You need to use a 1/4 x 1/4 square notched trowel. You will not get enough coverage on a v notch trowel. Those trowels are for a mastic( non wet area) and mosaic tiles..

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:found porcelain floor and wall tile but im not sure if i can use it in the shower,do i have to use ceramic tile

I completely agree w/ DIY Doc w/ 1 personal preferance..I like the larger tilesPorcelion or otherwise in a standerd size shower..But thats a personal choice 20 year installer GL

Q:I am building a deck outside my living room am#92;nd the dimensions are 8‘ wide by 24‘ long.It is 14‘ up at the highest point as I am on a hill. I‘m using 2 by 6 joists with 2 by 12 headers. Here is what I want to do: someone told me to use a 1/4 in slope over 8 ft. for water run off. I want to tile the deck. Iwant to know what size plywood I should use and if there is some kind of waterproof fibreboard I can use as a base for the tile in lieu of laying down rubber for the base. I dont want sand or pitch due to the weight factor. Is there something fairly lightweight and waterproof suitable for a base for the tile? If so what is it called? and where can i get it? Thanks.

Use treated 3/4 inch thick plywood that comes in size 8' x 4'.Then after thats on put contractor grade plastic paper probably 8mill thick;thicker plastic the better.When you put this over the plywood you still have to put the cement board on for the tile to adhere to.All this can be purchased at your lumber store,Home Depot or Lowes,etc..To help keep moisture from getting under neath..3M sells a under coat spray paint in the can for cars;you can spray all the wood that you see under the deck when finished(buy at auto parts store).

Q:Installing support bars on bathtub ceramic tile

Pretty much what these guys said, but i would recomend using a masonry bit with a hammerdrill. I not only rotates the bit like a drill but also has a back and forth motion like a hammer hitting a nail. Makes it easier to drill and extends the life of the bits.

Q:Is it possiable to stain or paint a ceramic tile floor. If so what are the steps I need to take to do it.We laid it about a year ago. My husband picked it out and it just does not look good next to the other tile he put in. I would hate to rip it out and lay a new one.Would the paint sets you buy at home depot for your garage floors work?

No offense meant to any who answer, in the affirmative, but Tile is essentially glass, and other than some absorbtion by the grout, Tile (glazed) is completely NON porous. You will get answers that state YES, and links to various paint formulations, but I offer a suggestion. I tile and paint, every day of my life, NEVER together in the same sense. Take a piece of scrap tile, spend all the $$$ you wish on any Miracle, and put it on a floor, when dry, then walk on it for a time frame. Beyond the truth that some paints are designed for environmental conditions, Garage floor traffic, a Floor in a house suffers the same or more abuse than any other surface. Consider taime and $$ spent on having your nails done, only to get home, prepare a meal and scratch a nail. I suspect you'll be dissatisfied. Steven Wolf just my 2 sense Unless you're willing to remove the tile, find a piece of room size carpet to lay over.

Q:We had redid our cupboards a couple years ago and still have to properly cover the hole that was left for the vent on the previous vent system. It looks like they used staples of some type but the way it is just needing 1 and a half (or less) tiles it‘s awkward.

Most ceiling tiles have a tounge groove so each tile fits into another. When you are piecing in tiles it's impossible to get the tounges in the grooves without breaking them. I would suggest, cutting off the tounges with a razor knife and install with Liquid nails or some other construction adhesive. To keep the tiles in place while the glue is drying, cut a 2X4 long enough and put it under the tile while the glue sets up. You might want to put a towell between the tile and the 2X4 to keep from damaging the tile. For the 1/2 tile, score the backside of a tile with a razor knife then break it in half.

Q:i am looking for the best way to lay 600 x 600mm polished porcelain tiles on a caber chipboard floor can anyone help?

Your best answer will be on the tile boxes or on the bags of thinset. Generally you need a 1' subfloor, 1 1/4 being better. Most tile setters like small grout lines with this type of tile using toothpicks as spacers. Using the latex admix will help with expansion and contraction cracking. Keep the installation area well above freezing before, during and until cured, also do not let it get excessively low in humidity, as this will cause cracking from drying too fast. Always work your way out of an area, to avoid walking on freshly laid tile. Every so often pick up a just laid tile and check for 90%+ coverage of adhesive. Try to avoid getting any thinset on the face of the tile, as it may stain it. Use non sanded grout. If you have any specific questions, email me

Q:We just had tile intalled in our home. What products do you use (or recommend) to clean tile? On a regular basis? Spill/Accident basis?Also, can anyone recommend a good cordless sweeper (for tile of course)?

Depends on if your tile grout is white or colored. I wouldn't use bleach on colored grout. I would use an abrasive cleaner and a brush.