Floors
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Marble
The homeowners wanted an antique looking tile for their 1940’s home. I encouraged them to pick out this porcelain mock Carrera marble tile. The tile had a honed finish rather than a typical shiny finish on the top of the tile. The benefits to selecting this porcelain tile over real marble are: Real marble needs…
Read MoreHairspray Stains on Tile
I was called in to inspect a floor that had mysterious white spots on the darkened tile. Plumbers had worked under the homeowner’s vanity and she thought that the plumbers had done something to her floor. I grabbed some scouring powder and a damp rag and made a circle in the center of the tile…
Read MoreHow to Remove Grout Film on Non-glazed Porcelain Tile
Sometimes, when using heavily pigmented grout over a non-glazed surface you get a grout film, despite your best efforts to prevent it. Here I used clean wash water, and I didn’t let the grout sit too long on the tile surface and I still got heavy grout film. I waited four days for the grout…
Read MoreChanging Your Mind on Grout Color
The homeowner originally chose a dark brown grout when this floor was installed eight years ago, but always wished that she had chosen a color that matched the tile better. We showed her color samples and she chose Sandstone as the new grout color. Tedius but rewarding work. Not all grout colorants are created equal.…
Read MoreEichler Home Grout Transformation
My latest project transforming the grout color to better match the tile. This house was a trip with plants growing through openings in the floor! Joseph Eichler was the premier builder of the late mid-century. He believed in bringing the outside in and he was among the first builders to install very large windows in…
Read MoreCrack in cement slab
Typical slab crack running under contiguous tiles. To protect the house from dust we installed a plastic tent enclosure to the ceiling. We use a 2-part system (powder and liquid) especially made for movement by Sienna, EP200. This is an expensive product but worth the price. Over the years I have successfully spanned large slab…
Read MoreCleaning Grout
Many people with new tile installations think that they only have to use water to keep their new grout on their new floor clean.This is not true. A neutral soap should be used in the daily/weekly cleanup process. Another common mistake is to use chemically infused disposable mop heads on tiled floors. Disposable mop heads have some sort…
Read MoreHardiebacker Installation Under Tile Floors
Lately in my travels, I’ve come across many improperly laid Hardiebacker board floors. Installers are skipping important steps. The most common indicators of improperly installed backer board are that the tiles are bouncing loose/and cracking and grout is coming out as well. The installers are not following the manufacturers’ instructions. First when cutting the boards,…
Read MoreI Can’t Believe It’s Not Wood!
This plank tile has the look of real hardwood with the durability of ceramic tile. Imagine never having to re-finish your floors! This tile is also scratch, stain, chemical and frost resistant. This is the medium dark tile called “Saddle”. There is one more darker option called “Spice”. These tiles are made in the USA…
Read MoreChanging grout color around plank tile
This plank floor was in a brand new home and the builder did not allow the homeowner to choose light colored, narrow grout joints. The homeowner was worried the grout would darken and take on a grid-like appearance over time. The best option was to lighten the grout color by applying an epoxy-based grout colorant which also…
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