Shower Waterproofing Manual

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The Importance of a Properly Installed Backerboards

I know there are some people out there (not my regular readers like you!) that read what I write and think to themselves ‘okay, but I’m sure that won’t happen with my installation’. So periodically I’m gonna post things like this that show exactly what happens when things aren’t built correctly. And yes, it will [...]

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How to Install Tile on a Shower Ceiling

Michael has recently pointed out (a bit more eloquently than I would have) that I have indeed been a lazy bastard and have not yet written this post. Apparently people actually want to know how to do stuff I do – weird, right? So here you go – making your ceiling shiny. The main problem [...]

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What are Lugged Tiles?

I actually get a load of traffic to my blog with this very question (welcome to my blog which you found by typing that very question). A lugged tile is simply a tile that is self-spacing. Lugged tiles are most commonly found in the form of 4 x 4 inch or 6 x 6 inch [...]

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How to Install Absolutely Flat Floor Tile

I constantly reiterate the need for a tile installation to be flat. Not necessarily level, but always flat. This is the mark of a true professional and the thing that turns an ‘okay’ installation into a spectacular installation. (Did I just type ‘spectacular? Jesus…) Anyway, the method I use on floor tile to get it [...]

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Tile Tips (of the Rich and Famous!)

You can now purchase Tile Tips all at once rather than waiting over six months for them! Just scroll down below the form and get it all now! Over the past seventeen (almost eighteen it’s over twenty now! – damn I’m gettin’ old) years in the tile trade I have learned a couple of things: [...]

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Tile and Stone Types – Honed, Rectified, Gauged

We, meaning us evil, scheming people in the tile industry, have a bad habit of using words that are not easily understood or recognized by the general public – and that’s a bad thing. Well, I think it’s a bad thing anyway, since the general public are the ones buying the tile – Hello, McFly??? [...]

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Why is my grout cracking in a straight line???

As some of you may know (or simply don’t care about – but know anyway) I actually do reply to every question I’m asked on this site. It may take a while for me to sober up enough get enough time away from work to answer it – but I do. As such I am [...]

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SpectraLOCK vs Kool-aid

If you have read anything on either of my websites you should know that I tell everyone on the face of the planet who will listen (all three of them) that Laticrete’s SpectraLOCK is the only epoxy grout I will use – period. So rather than just talk smack I’m gonna show you why. You [...]

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ProvaFlex vs Ditra

That’s right, I said typed it! Bring it on In the last month or so there has been a lot of hype about Loxscreen’s new polypropylene tile underlayment membrane. That’s just a big phrase for plastic tile underlayment. It is being marketed as a replacement product for Schluter Ditra. Since I use Schluter Ditra almost [...]

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Create a Shower Floor for Tile – Video Post

Since I’m just a tile guy I”m not usually up on all the new technological crap that has nothing to do with tile, like online video or the ‘SlapChop’.  I’ve decided that since I spend most of my days in other people’s showers that I should get out more and learn something else. So naturally, [...]

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How to Build a Niche for your Shower – Part 4

Different types and styles of shower niches Here is a photo of the niche I’ve used for these posts and these series of photos. If you simply want a regular hole in the wall the exact size of one tile this is all you need. If you don’t have any idea what the hell I’m [...]

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How to Build a Niche for your Shower – Part 3

Installing the tile So now that you have a big waterproofed hole in your shower wall whaddya gonna do with it? (If you do not have a waterproof hole in your wall start with Building a Shower Niche Part 1 and Building a Shower Niche Part 2.) I’ll just kick back and finish my beer [...]

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