Table Of ContentcompleTely ReVISeD AND UpDATeD
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builder tested code approved
Tiling
from the editors of
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builder tested code approved
TILING
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from the editors of
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Text © 2010 by the Taunton Press, Inc.
Photographs © 2010 by the Taunton Press, Inc., except where noted
All rights reserved.
Pp
The Taunton Press Inc., 63 South Main St., PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
e-mail: [email protected]
Editors: Christina Glennon and Alex Giannini
Copy editor: Diane Sinitsky
Indexer: Cathy Goddard
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Interior design: Cathy Cassidy
Layout: David Giammattei
Front/back cover photographer: Justin Fink, courtesy Fine Homebuilding © The Taunton Press, Inc.
Taunton’s For Pros By Pros® and Fine Homebuilding® are trademarks of
The Taunton Press Inc., registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Tiling / author, from the editors of Fine homebuilding.
p. cm.
Includes index.
E-Book ISBN 978-1-62710-074-8
1. Tile laying. I. Taunton Press. II. Fine homebuilding.
TH8531.T56 2010
698--dc22
2010042430
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The following manufacturers/names appearing in Tiling are trademarks: Akemi®; Alta®; Aqua Glass®; Aquabar®; aSquare®; Better-Bench®;
Chloraloy®; DensShield®; DeWalt®; Ditra® Mat; DitraSet™; Durock®; EzPoxy™; HardieBacker®; James Hardie®; Keralastic™; Laticrete®;
Makita®; MAPEI®; Murphy® Oil Soap; NobleFlex®; NobleSeal® TS; Oceanside Glasstile®; Pine-Sol®; Polyblend®; Protecto® Wrap; Ridgid®;
Scotch-Brite™; Schlüter®; SpectraLock® Pro; Speed® Square; Stand Off® Limestone & Marble Protector; Superior Tile Cutter®; TEC™ Super
Flex™; TileLab®; Tilematic®; WonderBoard®.
About Your Safety: Homebuilding is inherently dangerous. From accidents with power tools to falls from ladders, scaffolds, and roofs,
builders risk serious injury and even death. We try to promote safe work habits through our articles. But what is safe for one person under
certain circumstances may not be safe for you under different circumstances. So don’t try anything you learn about here (or elsewhere)
unless you’re certain that it is safe for you. Please be careful.
Except for new page numbers that reflect the organization of this collection, these articles appear just as they did when they were originally
published. You may find that some information about manufacturers or products is no longer up to date. Similarly, building methods
change and building codes vary by region and are constantly evolving, so please check with your local building department.
Special thanks to the authors, editors, art directors,
copy editors, and other staff members of Fine Homebuilding
who contributed to the development of the articles in this book.
C o n t e n t s
Introduction 3
part 1: bathroom projects
tiling a tub surround 4
Upgrading to a tile shower 15
Installing a shower Niche 24
tiling a shower with marble 30
Glass-block shower on a curve 38
tiling a bathroom Floor 45
a sloping Floor for a barrier-Free bath 54
Installing a Leakproof shower pan 64
bubble bath 72
bathroom-tile Design 78
Details from Great bathrooms 82
part 2: kItcheN projects
putting tile to Work in the kitchen 86
tiling a kitchen counter 95
tiling over a Laminate counter 108
tiling a backsplash 113
Details from Great kitchens 118
part 3: tILING techNIqUes
buying or renting tile saws 122
cutting ceramic tile 132
Grouting tile 140
a Fearless approach to epoxy Grout 148
a New Way to tile a big Floor 153
Glass tile 163
tiling with Limestone 171
replacing a broken tile 180
credits 184
Index 186
i n t r o d u C t i o n
For only a few dollars per square foot, you can upgrade from an ordinary
fiberglass shower to a ceramic-tiled shower surround. The inexpensive
tiled shower will require more maintenance than the fiberglass and may look
only marginally better. But if you can afford to kick in a few extra dollars to add a
band of glass or a handful of accent tiles to the surround, you can quickly start
to make the project sing. Of course, if you’re not careful with your budget, you
can easily blow your retirement on tile, too.
For all of these reasons, particularly its great range of style and price, tile
gets a lot of coverage in Fine Homebuilding. It’s not only a durable option
for showers, either. Tile is ideal for kitchen, bathroom, and entry floors,
backsplashes and countertops. Like most homebuilding projects, however, the
materials you choose are only as good as the installation. Whether you’re tiling
over an existing laminate counter or tackling a new floor, it’s the small details
that make the difference between a finished project that looks good and one
that looks great; one that will stain and crack and one that will last for decades
to come.
For nearly 30 years we’ve been lucky to have tile setters like Tom Meehan
and Jane Aeon share their hard-earned experiences with us. Manufacturers
are helping, too. Today there are tile backerboards and membranes, mortars,
thinsets, and grouts that are easy to use in every tile application. This book, a
collection of the best tile stories Fine Homebuilding has published, is meant to
help you sort through the design decisions, products, and installation details
you need for a successful tile project.
Build well,
Brian Pontolilo, editor
Fine Homebuilding
3
1
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p Tiling a Tub
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by Michael byrne
When it comes to low cost and ease
of installation, it’s hard to beat the
fiberglass tub-and-shower unit. It’s simply
slid into its berth and nailed through the
flanges to the framing. When the job is
done, everyone gets to bathe and shower in
a synthetic shell.
I prefer standard tubs enclosed by tiled
walls. Tile is not only peerless in beauty
and durability, but it also can be installed
with minimal expertise. Whereas tub sur-
rounds once were tiled over skillfully pre-
pared beds of mortar, most tile pros now
favor the thin-bed method. It substitutes
various prefabricated backerboards for the
mortar bed, saving time and trouble without
compromising durability. In this chapter
I’ll explain how to tile a basic tub surround
using the thin-bed method. The job shown
is a remodel, but the principles apply to
new work. To satisfy the design of the room,
I did two different edge treatments, one
of which mimics the look of a traditional
mortar-bed surround.
Fine-tuning. after packing a
wall with grout, use a damp
sponge to shave high spots
and fill voids.
4
Framing and along the top of the tub so you’ll know
where to fasten the backerboard.
Waterproofing
I staple felt to the studs or, if the framing
is drywalled, I laminate the felt to the
Bathtub bays must be framed plumb, level,
drywall with cold-patch asphalt roofing
and square using straight stock. I add extra
cement. Adjacent bands of felt are lapped
studs and blocking to support the edges of
shingle-style to shed water. For insurance,
backerboard, plus double studs to support
I also seal the joints with asphalt caulk and
tub enclosures, such as shower doors.
run a bead of caulk along the top edge of the
Tub surrounds need a waterproof mem-
tub to seal it to the paper.
brane somewhere between the tile and the
If I’m working solo, I usually cut the top
framing to prevent moisture infiltration.
band of felt paper into two pieces for easier
For this job, I installed economical 15-lb.
handling. If you do this, lap and seal the
asphalt felt beneath the backerboard.
vertical joint to keep out water.
Before you install felt paper, it’s a good
idea to mark stud locations with a crayon
Start with a solid frame. backerboard should be
affixed to a sturdy and accurately framed wall
that includes studs and blocking for the backer-
board seams and for the tub enclosure.
Put a membrane under the backerboard. the
author laps bands of 15-lb. roofing felt, stapled
shingle-style to the studs, to keep moisture out
of the wall. at vertical seams, he caulks the laps
with asphalt to prevent leakage.
Tiling a Tub Surround 5
