Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Concrete Substrate Slab Expert Answers installation Installation Guidelines stone

What are the Industry Standards for Installing Tile and Stone?

ANSWER - Too often tile and stone installers don't follow industry standards because they have never been formally trained and don't know what are the standards.  They generally have learn from others and assume those…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers selection

Is it ok to Have Both Hardwood and Tile on the Floors of your House?

ANSWER - There is nothing wrong with having some rooms with hardwood flooring and other rooms with ceramic porcelain tile as I do in my house.  You need to be careful about the transitions from…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Expert Answers installation Repairs Stairs

What do I do about the Missing Stair Nosing and Short Stair Tread?

ANSWER - There really isn't anything you can do about correcting the short stair treads as there is no stair nosing extending out over the edge of the stair riser.  You really just need to…

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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 Granite installation Installation Guidelines Pool and Spa stone

How do I replace my Spa Spillway Surface?

ANSWER - I assume you will remove the existing spillway.  Assuming it is bonded to a mortar bed or to the gunite/shotcrete substrate, after removing the existing spillway, make sure you scarify it and it…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile cracks Expert Answers Indent Fractures Moisture Problems Optical Haze Stains

What are these Shadow Needle Shapes on my Porcelain tile?

ANSWER - With your description it is hard to determine exactly what is the condition. It could be intend fractures.  That is when there is excessive shrinkage and it causes intents in the tile that…

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Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Concrete Substrate Slab Debonding Tile Expert Answers failures Hollow Sounding Tiles Moisture Problems Movement Joints Tenting

Can moisture in a Concrete Floor cause the Thin-set Adhesive to Deteriorate and result in Hollow and Tented Tiles?

ANSWER - Thin-set mortars should not deteriorate from being exposed to moisture.  Most thin-set mortars are used in showers and in pools and fountains. Moisture that migrates into the concrete slab from the ground and…

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color Variation Expert Answers installation Limestone Marble Moisture Problems Stains stone

Why is my New Marble Floor Tile Discoloring?

ANSWER - The marble may in fact be retaining moisture and maybe it will go away after it dries out.  On the other hand natural stone has various minerals within it that can react with…

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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 cracks Expert Answers Grout Repairs

Why is my Unsanded Grout Cracking and how do I fix it?

ANSWER - There are many reasons why a grout will crack and come loose.  Unsanded grout is recommended for grout joints 1/8" wide down to 1/16" wide.  Sanded grout is recommended for grout joints that…

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