cleaning Expert Answers Marble Showers Stains stone

Why does my Marble Floor have Orange Rust Stains and How can I remove them?

Well… I assume when you say dolomite you are referring to a type of marble, that might in fact be a type of limestone that is commercially referred to as a marble.  I assume you…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Free Tile and Stone Installation Guidelines installation Installation Guidelines Showers Slope Percent Standards Wet Areas

How thick should the Mortar Bed for a Shower Pan Floor in a Shower?

ANSWER - First of all, the way you construct a shower pan is to first apply a pre-sloped mortar bed to establish a slope to the drain of 1/4" per foot.  You can float over…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers installation Mastic Showers

Can I use Organic Mastic in Showers?

ANSWER - There is a type 1 and a type 2 organic mastic.  Type 1 mastic is more water resistant, but only suitable for limited water exposure. Using the mastic on the kitchen backsplash is…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Grout Installation Guidelines Showers Standards Waterproofing Workmanship

How do we determine what caused our Tile Shower to Fail?

ANSWER - You are asking a lot that can't be answered without performing a forensic inspection to determine what is causing the failures.  I can make some general statements that may or may not apply…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers installation Installation Guidelines Showers Standards Steam Showers Waterproofing

Is it a problem if Schluter Ditra is installed on the walls of a Steam Shower?

ANSWER - Based on the Schluter literature, although they only show floor applications, they don't say it is only for floors. The Ditra is waterproof if installed correctly for waterproofing.  It does have a key…

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Expert Answers failures Glass Tile Moisture Problems sealers Showers Stains

Why is my Subway Glass Tiles with Wood Grain Deteriorating?

ANSWER - Regarding whether sealing a cementitious grout makes it waterproof, it doesn't.  Using an appropriate penetrating sealer over grout will make it moisture resistant, it will make it stain resistant, and it normally will…

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cracks Expert Answers Indent Fractures Showers stone

Why able I getting Hairline Cracks in my Carrara Marble Shower?

ANSWER - Generally speaking cracks are either reflective cracking where the underlying substrate has a crack or separation and it telegraphs through the marble or there is structural cracking where the structure has excessive deflection…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile cracks Efflorescence Staining Expert Answers Grout Leak Maintenance Showers Stains

Why is water coming out of the grout on the side of our Shower?

ANSWER - From your photo the bottom edge of the wall tile where it is adjacent to the transition joint from the wall to the floor has efflorescence staining.  That suggests water is traveling from…

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Backer Board Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers Grout installation Moisture Problems Mold sealers Showers Wet Areas

Can I install Onyx mosaics in my Shower that don't have grout joints?

ANSWER - First of all what happen to the the 3rd wall in the shower?  I will assume it has a different substrate or you aren't tiling it. Not sure why you are using Schluter…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers failures Grout Leak Movement Joints Repairs Sealant Caulk Showers Waterproofing Wet Areas

Is it alright to use Silicone Sealant to fix a Shower Leak?

Answer: First of all, all of the transition joints in the shower both horizontal and vertical should not have been grouted with a cementitious grout.  They should have been filled with an ASTM C920 resilient sealant…

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