If you plan on installing the same tile in those rooms eventually the best thing to do is simply put down another piece of tack strip after you install the tile and install the carpet directly up to the tile. Leave about 3/8″ space between the tack strip and the tile and the carpet will go over the tack strip and trimmed so that it can be tucked in that space between the tile and strip. If you do it this way all you have to do is take up the carpet and tack strip when you’re ready to tile those rooms.

The existing nails can be either pulled out (if the head remains) or simply pounded down into the concrete if the head of the nail is missing. Often trying to pound it down into the concrete will remove the nail with a little chunk of concrete. Those divots that remain from the nails can simply be filled with thinset. When installing the new strip it would probably be best to get an adhesive product made specifically for that. Any flooring supply shop should have tack strip adhesive that comes in caulk-size tubes and is installed with your caulk gun. You can always pound nails into the concrete like it was BUT this is actually a skill that takes much practice to be able to do without smashing tile – trust me on that one.

The tile is placed there when measuring simply to gauge the height of the tile and ensure that you have enough room for your deck mud AND your tile. Without the tile as the gauge you may be just on the edge of having enough room for the deck mud. Then when you install your tile and attempt to unscrew the barrel another 1/4″ or so you don’t have that much room – oops. I put that in there because people (myself included) tend to get tunnel vision when preparing the shower, making all the measurements, etc. and getting them exact and forget to take into account the width or height of the tile which will be installed upon it. You need to make sure your substrates are all the correct measurements for the substrate plus the tile. After you ensure there’s enough room for both take the tile out – use it as a coaster if ‘ya want, it’s just there as a gauge.

Fat mud, or deck mud with stick-to-it-ive-ness, is simply deck mud with lime added. The ratio that I use when mixing fat mud (that’s what you are making for your curb) is one part lime, one part cement, and four-five parts sand. You basically add the same amount of lime as cement. For a full mix of fat mud I use one bag of sand and topping mix, 1/2 bag of sand, and 15 lbs. of lime. Obviously you don’t need 90 lbs of fat mud for your curb so you can simply add lime to the deck mud until it’s sticky enough or, better yet, simply mix up a small batch of fat mud with those ratios (1-1-4.5). It takes a lot of practice to mix the correct amount of lime into already mixed deck mud so the small batch would be a better option.

Everything in my world is perfect – you know, when I’m sleeping. I have a LOT of things going on so I’m not able to post as much as I’d like here but I’m always around and always respond to questions – eventually – when I’m sober. You can always check out my pro site (the one where people don’t know I’m a jackassery master) to see what I’m up to. TileArtCenter.com

In your e-book on page 23 it says the following: Place a piece of your floor tile on the base of the drain – on the upper part of the flange – and unscrew the barrel of the drain until you reach one inch. As long as the barrel is still firmly screwed into the flange at this height you have enough to create a 1 1/4″ top mud bed. If the drain falls out before you reach 1 1/4″ (it won’t) – go with 1″.
There is nothing more about the “piece of tile.” I don’t see it in any of the pictures. What’s the piece of tile’s purpose?

Also, on a previous submission, you said you add lime to the mud mix for the curb for stick-to-it-ive-ness. How much?

You haven’t responded in awhile. Hope all is right with your world.

Sincerely,
Susan

Thanks for the info on the vapor barrier. There was no vapor barrier between the studs and the cement board when the shower was built twenty years ago. That’s why I asked. I thought that was strange.

Susan

No biggie, though. I charge three times as much if someone else worked on it first – just sayin’.

What I’d really like is if you lived in South Florida and I could afford to pay YOU to finish this. I am an animal control officer and I’m certainly not in that business for the money!

Day off……Back to work………………………………
S

The liner is more durable than you may think, the edges of the brick aren’t going to puncture it. A bead of silicone will only create an excess air pocket beneath your liner – you don’t want that.

No cement board on the top of the curb. The liner goes over your curb, then wire lath, then ‘wet’ mud (which is just deck mud with powdered lyme in it to make it sticky) then the tile is adhered right to the mud after it cures.

If you are building a half wall it’s easier to build the wall then run your liner up the half wall (3″ above the top of the curb) then put cement board on the face of the wall. Just treat it like another full wall in regards to liner placement. No need to build a curb, waterproof it, then build your wall.

You’re my hero too.

I got my brick curbs installed…whew. My arms are so sore this morning.

My concern is that the edge of the brick, being soooooo sharp, will cut the liner where it meets. Should I be concerned? Is there something I must coat the edges with before tacking down the liner? I was thinking a bead of silicone where the liner meets the corner of the brick.

Does the cement board go over the liner on the top of the curb so I can install the tile on that?

I am going to build a half-wall on the top of one of the curbs. I plan on layering that curb with the liner and then the frame for the half-wall. Is that correct?

Did I mention that you are my hero? If not, you are!
Susan

As long as everything is sloping down to the drain your pre-slope is fine. Try sanding it with the rough side of one of those bricks – seriously And yes, you need to level the top mud bed while the mud is wet.