The best bathroom remodel in Woodstock, GA.

We start with a before and after of our latest bathroom in Woodstock, GA. This was a tub to shower transfer and it's a full Schluter Systems shower built with 12x12 Paneria Soft tile from Tilehouse of Marietta. We edged it all with Quadec Brushed nickel profiles to match the drain and trim kits. The plywood floor was screwed down with high quality screws and ground down to take off all previous finishes. I custom packed this shower pan and used Ditra uncoupling mat on the outside floor for underlayment.

In this pre grout photo notice...FULL pieces inside the inset box. Notice the layout...The box starts and ends perfectly on full tile. Notice the decorative inset band, smooth to the touch....not just flashy to the eye!

A grouted version. We used Mapei's Flex Color grout which is the highest quality grout available. I encourage you to click on the link and read the features of this grout. Ask your tile installer if they will be installing a high quality grout.

Where the walls meet the pan, where the floor meets the curb, the corners of the shower and the corners of the wainscoting, around the bench....I installed soft joints using Mapei's Mapesil FULL SILICONE caulking.  Many companies will save time and money by using a cheap latex caulk, that doesn't last and doesn't perform half as well as a full silicone. We are playing the long game. We are going for longevity! Using this caulking adds an extra trip to the job because everything has to be dry and clean....but to us it is worth it because we are able to provide a superior finished product.

Dealing with glass mosaics takes a fastidious hand! The glass gets it's color from a paper backing. While cutting the glass, if the installer does it incorrectly, you will be able to see irregularity in the paper backing along the cut. We are experts at dealing with glass....Not only did I achieve a perfect cut (as you can see...It's ZOOMABLE) I also sanded down the edges so you don't get that jagged look.

Schluter makes a superior drain! Not only the installation design, but also the esthetics!  When you use Hamilton Tile, you get a drain like this....standard.

Our corner benches are open bottom made with 2" structural Kerdi Board. There are no penetrations in our waterproofing! We constantly see traditionally built showers leaking around the corner bench!

Here is a walk through video of this bathroom. My client put a lot of sweat equity into this bathroom. He did his own tear out and plumbing and ended up saving thousands! If you want to save some money and have some skills, we are willing to work with you! I really enjoyed this job. Truly transformed this space. For a bathroom like this in your home, call us today!

The added cost of floor prep for large format tile.

I was at the tile store the other day and I was looking around at all the happy faces doing their tile shopping. I'm sure some are shopping for a back splash, others maybe for a bathroom remodel. I was left to wonder a very common question in my mind, "Who's installing all this tile!?"

While I was there I noticed many people looking at 6" x 36" plank tile (large format tile). Wow, the stuff looks great and you can tell the excitement in their eyes about possibly having that tile in their home. My main question to myself was:

"Has anyone talked to these people about the added cost of floor preparation for large format tile???"

There's added cost for big tile you ask?... The long and short of this is YES! The Tile Council of North America handbook states that....

"For tiles with at least one edge 15" in length or longer, a maximum allowable variation of 1/8" in 10' from the required plane, with no more than 1/16" variation in 24" when measured from the high point in the surface" (Page 31 TCNA Manual 2016)

So what this means is you cannot have a wavy floor and install a big tile! As the tile size increases, the effect of the floor irregularities is compounded. If there is a bump or dive in the floor it will make it impossible to install large tile. You will have lips and poor coverage and support under the tile.

I have found that very few homes have wood or concrete substrates that are ready out of the box for large tile. EVERY floor needs some degree of prep.

Prep, is short for "preparation". Meaning, flattening or leveling the floor to get it ready for whatever material you're hoping to install.

When we show up to a large area where we know large format tile will be set, what we'll do is take out a large straight edge, 8'+. We set it on the floor and decide what kind of prep will need to be done. Many times if there is flooring already down you won't know what needs to be done until the old flooring is up. This adds a bit of a mystery to the installation process and you need to make sure your builder gives you an allowance or find out if the unexpected labor is in his/her price. Many tile people won't tell you about the added costs until the tear out is done, and hit you with the extra cost! This is why I'm writing this post!

If you do indeed have a wavy floor there are a couple ways to fix the problem...You can self level the area, which will raise the level of the floor by as much as a quarter inch (think transitions between rooms) or you can use a product like Feather Finish by Ardex to fill the low spots, or you can grind the high spots. Or you may have to do a combination of all those things! The repair of the floor is where it is SO important to have a skilled, experienced tile installer. As I always say, the quality of the finished tile job is determined before any tile is ever set! Below is an example of our work where we used Lev-Tec leveling system to help get the flat floor:

With large tile the quality of the tile is very important as well. Every tile has a certain amount of warp to it and if you're looking for a flat, smooth floor you will want to cite the manufacturer for grout size and layout specifications. Many people want a 1/16" grout joint with a brick set...but on most occasions, the manufacturer of the tile will recommend NOT to install the tile in that manner. So, ultimately it's really not up to us or you, for that matter, how your tile is set. The layout and grout joint size is determined by the manufacturer and is backed up by the TCNA.  A 50 %  offset with a 1/16" grout joint will accentuate the warpage in the tile. The Tile Council of North America says:

"The actual grout joint size shall be at least three times the actual variation of facial dimensions of the tile supplied. Example: for tile having a total variation of 1/16" in facial dimensions, a minimum 3/16" grout joint shall be used." (Page 38 TCNA Manual 2016)

ANSI standard 108.02 also covers grout joint size, lippage and brick set. Read it all here for yourself:

https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/blog/ansi-standards-tile-installers-best-friend

Would you consider it important to have your project installed according to national standards? If so be sure to hire a contractor that uses the "Handbook Method" (Like us)

Most tile has a great deal of variation. You CAN find consistent tile....but be prepared to pay a high dollar, if you want a flat, consistent floor. It can cost big bucks not only when buying high quality, A+ grade tile....but also for installation. Most interior designers and sales people do not have and interest in telling you what to expect in this regard. Their main priority is to sell tile and design services. Sales people often time promise the world but the material they are selling has too much variation to allow the installer to deliver on said promises.

Another thing to think about is that Larger tile involves larger tools! A more expensive score and snap…a much bigger tile saw. Getting “full coverage” under your tile is also much more difficult. Larger tile is also harder on the installer’s body!

When you're shopping for tile, know that bigger tile comes at a greater cost! Self Leveler is upwards of $30 a bag plus the labor and time of installation! For evidence regarding the consequences of not preparing a floor properly and not following guidelines for large tile, go to ANY COMMERCIAL SPACE that has large format tile and look around. You will see lips and dives everywhere. Here's an example and this is not our work:

This could have been avoided by not using a 1/16" grout joint and also not setting the tile brick set. Basic, common sense stuff if you hire an installer that performs due diligence and is willing to speak up.

A couple things to notice when hiring someone to tile a floor:

1. Does the installer check the flatness of the floor with a large straight edge?

2. Does the installer mention the extra cost involved in installing big tile, Like the possibility of extra floor prep?

3. Does the installer use some sort of leveling system to help get a flat floor.

4. Does the installer speak to you about grout joint size, tile offset and the fact that all tile has warpage?

5. Does the installer speak about complete thin set coverage, back buttering tile,  expansion joints and crack suppression?

My top piece of advice for you is to have your installer go to the tile store with you to help you shop for tile. They’re going to know what to look for as far as tile quality is concerned and won’t be motivated by making the sale. If the tile you’re ordering is special order, they also may have some knowledge on which manufacturer is the best to buy from. Also, I wouldn’t be surprised when you get the special order tile, if you’re installer decides to send it back. We’ve had to do it before. That’s how you know you have a good installer .That’s a person who isn’t just going to throw something on the wall that’s mediocre quality.

Also, involve your installer in the design process. It’s almost a sure thing that you will get quite a few gems from a person who works with tile every day, for a living.

With that said, if you still decide you want large format tile be prepared for the extra cost of doing it correctly (following TCNA and ANSI standards) and I hope you are now armed with knowledge to help you avoid a construction nightmare, which have unfortunately become typical in this industry.

Another superior shower in Kennesaw, GA.

Here we are, back again with another updated bathroom for your viewing pleasure! This particular beauty was built in Kennesaw, GA. Our fellow tile guy Cain from A Tile Experience referred us for this job because it was out of his working range and Jason really delivered! We switched this from a tub to a shower and until you've used one of these showers you can't really understand how LUXURY it really is.

There isn't one piece of outdated, antiquated bullnose on this shower. All the tile including the inside of the box you see above is edged with Schluter Quadec profiles. A very small detail, but if you notice the finish on the profiles match the finish of the drain, and the finish of the glass door. In your minds eye, imagine the bench, box and shower edged with bull nose. That would be a whole different look for this shower... These small details make a shower pop and my outlook is that twenty years in the future people will still marvel at the looks of this space! Great tile work sells homes and will increase the value of this house! Think of tile work as an investment for the future.

To complete the "full service" Jason made a visit to the house yesterday to coordinate the shower door installation. We use Chattahoochee Glass doors (the best) for all our glass doors and they really don't need to be supervised, but when you hire us to redo your shower you can expect a high level of attentiveness and when we do use sub contractors, we will be there to help. We don't just send a stranger to your house no matter how much we trust the company.

Another shower in the books and we would like to thank the homeowners for having us. It really was a pleasure!

Our latest tub surround in Alpharetta, GA.

Another nice hall bath that we took concept to completion in Alpharetta, GA. The great thing about this job is that we earned it by building the homeowner's basement bathroom. Those jobs really are the best! Nothing feels better then knowing you did a great job on one project and earn another job in the same home! We handled 100% of this bathroom remodel. A before and after below....When we first arrived it was your standard builder grade bathroom with 6"x6" tile.

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This is all 12"x24" porcelain tile straight set waterproofed with Schluter Systems products. So, of course this whole bathroom comes with a 10 year warranty. Can't get better then that. No, LITERALLY, you can't get better! We ended up reusing their old tub because it was an original cast iron unit (best) so there was limited plumbing.

Love the way the inset box turned out. This box is edged with Quadec Schluter profiles. Super sharp looking! Notice how the layout is perfect, the top of the box ends on a full tile.  Of course we used Custom Prizm grout in the joints and full Mapesil silicone caulking where the tub meets the bottom of the tile as a soft joint to allow for movement. This caulking will last far longer then a latex product.

This is where I remind you to research the competition and find out if they are going to provide you with this level of finish. We will be back to put tile cove base in this bathroom. This customer certainly received the "full service" Hamilton Tile job and we thank them for having us. Hopeful that they will give us a FIVE STAR Google review and tell us more about what their experience was like.

Meticulous, Diligent, Thorough...We're bringing these words back to the construction industry!

How installers should dispose of tiling waste water.

Every tile installation has a certain amount of waste water involved. We fill up multiple buckets of water for cleaning and mixing. This water gets thoroughly contaminated with the thin set we use to stick the tile to the floors or walls. It makes the water white or the color of your building products. Not something you want to just dump willy nilly all over your clients property. On a past job, we were able to see how the other tile guys dispose of their waste water.

As you can see, this tile installer dumped his waste water in the middle of his customer's driveway. What a rude way to treat your treasured client! CERTAINLY not a FULL SERVICE tile job!

We always try to dump all of our waste water in one spot, off the finished landscaping, under some leaves or pine straw. In the past that practice worked just fine, but very often we work at homes that have 100% landscaped yard and if we are doing a bunch of work (1000sqft+) It really becomes a messy proposition. "Why don't you just dump it down the drain?" AHHHH..WRONG WRONG WRONG!

So our new technique! A truly conscientious, professional level fix to waste water. We're always developing and through my favorite inspiration resource, Instagram (be sure to check mine out!) I learned the fix of all fixes from @Lunastileandstone.

This $30 investment now keeps our customers' yards completely clean! We dump all our dirty water into this 55 gallon bucket and we added a spigot about six inches from the bottom. We let it sit overnight and all the heavy sediment settles to the bottom leaving clean water that comes out of the tap! When we are done with the job, we scoop all the 'mud' from the bottom of the bucket and trash it.

Another technique we use is the 'let it marinate’ method. All of the dirty water used during the day is left over night. The sludge and heavy sediment sinks to the bottom of the bucket by morning. The first thing we will do in the morning is dump off the (cleanish) water on top of the five gallon buckets, revealing the sludge that has separated at the bottom. We scoop that sludge out and put it in a garbage bag. The remaining remnants of sludge is cleaned out and dumped in your paddle cleaning bucket. At the end of the job, you only have one bucket of water to deal with, the paddle cleaning bucket.

Most crews just concede to the fact that sludge all over the yard is part of doing tile work. Here at Hamilton Tile we find solutions and this is part of the 'full service' tile job I constantly boast about on this site. Would you like people to work at your home that respect your property? People that leave it better than when they arrived? Do you want guys working at your home that won't trash your largest investment? If you are sick of careless workers and want to step up to conscientious craftsmen, give Ben and Jason of Hamilton Tile, Woodstock, GA a call today! We're looking to rebuild the good name of the construction worker!

If you're a fellow tile guy, don't be afraid to snag this idea...your customers will thank you!

Check out the water filtration bucket in action below at a job in Roswell, GA.

Great idea @lunastileandstone ! Awesome way to keep the sludge off the landscaping. Dirty on the way in...clean water the next day on the way out. Like gentlemen. Ours was only $5 because we had the bucket kickin around

12 Likes, 3 Comments - Hamilton Tile (@hamiltontilega) on Instagram: "Great idea @lunastileandstone ! Awesome way to keep the sludge off the landscaping. Dirty on the..."

The Founder - a film to get you fired up as an entrepreneur!

Although I am a tile guy by trade, I consider myself ultimately an entrepreneur...and boy, my motor started firing this weekend watching the new film "The Founder" starring Michael Keaton. This is a film about the beginnings of the legendary American company, McDonald's. We've all eaten the food and been to the restaurants but we rarely think, while sitting in the drive thru, that at one time it was a single location in San Bernadino, CA.

Although Ray Kroc is identified as the founder of McDonald's and his character played by Michael Keaton is the lead in the film, it was two other men, the McDonalds brothers who came up with the system that proved to be transferable throughout the country. Ray simply had the vision and the drive to make McDonald's a household name and continually IMPROVE upon the original concept.

What makes a film powerful to me is if I can relate to the characters. The strongest aspect of the movie is that I related to  the main character of Ray Kroc. Not only that, I could point to the people and situations in my own world that correlated with people and situations in the movie.  The message of persistence really hit home, too. Ray started out as a milk shake machine salesman and by the age of 52 he had built one of the biggest companies in the country and the world. I can identify with a 'late bloomer'!

Now depending on the who you are and your outlook on the world, I suppose you could feel bad for the McDonald brothers by the end of the film because Ray Kroc used his cunning and craftiness to obtain his vision, but to me the film makers ultimately had me still revering the entrepreneur by the culmination of the movie. That is an important message to put across and a very American message at that.

I grew up on McDonalds (for better or worse) so the company has a special place in my heart and to see the story of its creation put onto the big screen and to have the businessman honored as a hero was a welcome break from what permeates modern film, the evil businessman who steals the farm.

My favorite lines from the movie are at the end when Ray Kroc is preparing for a speech in front of Ronald Reagan...

"Nothing in the world can take the place of good old PERSISTANCE. Talent won't. There is nothing more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Education won't. The world is full of educated fools. Persistence and determination alone are all powerful...Only In America, Only in America!!"
 

If you're looking for an inspiring movie and want to get hungry for fast food.... check out "The Founder" Ben gives it FIVE STARS!

A thought...

The evolution of a curbless shower

We've been building a curbless shower over the last few weeks and it's really turning out nice. Curbless showers can be a lot of work because you have to recess your shower pan into the floor and devise a way to get the necessary height for a slope. In this particular application we were able to use a Schluter Prefabricated pan so we were very lucky. They don't always work because your drain has to be perfectly centered and the substrate you're putting the pan on has to be level and made to fit the pan. Fortunately, we were able to get in during the planning stages (which should be standard practice) so everything worked out. I put together a short video of the framing process. Unfortunately, I wasn't working on this one with Jason daily, so we don't have as many pictures and videos...Obviously, I usually do all that stuff...but I do have a few photos of the finished product, pre-caulking. I'm pretty excited to see this one all finished up. Steve was our first Google customer and he really was the ideal client for us.  Check out the video below to see how we went about getting this thing started.

Below we have a few of the finished photos. Tile House, Marietta came through with the material for this one and this Octagon floor was thick and very high quality!

No caulking, yet!

No caulking, yet!

And finally below, we put in full wainscoting around the perimeter of the bathroom. Hopefully this thing will be a wrap in a couple of weeks and I'm very pumped to get some finished photos. If you plan on getting older and a bit decrepit in your current home, a curbless shower is the way to go. Give us a call if you want guys you can TRUST to install a very technical tile project!

No caulking, yet!

Options for finishing a shower curb.

Most showers we build have curbs, excluding 'curb-less' showers that can be prohibitively expensive. Lately, I've been getting the nagging feeling that while our clients are at the tile store, the sales rep isn't speaking to them about how they want their curb finished. It seems like a negligible detail, but I'm here to tell you that when you are dealing with the expense of a stand up shower, not to mention  that you have to live with it for as long as you stay in your home...It is quite important.

The curb of your shower sees a lot of action....your glass door will sit on top of it and it will see a lot of water and soap residue. In my opinion, you want to think about the ease of cleaning this surface...so the least amount of pieces is logical.

SOLID SURFACE TOP

The best option is a 'solid surface' top...a solid piece of granite or other type of stone. The downside to this option is the added cost and the visit to a granite store. I advise that you let us install said granite because from our experience granite installers are among the least conscientious tradespeople. It's common for us to see a curb with no slope (to direct the water into the shower) and they will often cut the piece the wrong size...adding to the time frame of the project. The curb from this Cumming, GA shower is sold at the tile store and it is an option that requires no middle man and we install this piece to perfection.

PROFILE EDGING

The next option and one that I recommend if you don't want to use a solid surface, is a tile top with  Kerdi Profiles which are used as an edging for the tile. They come in many types of finishes, shapes and colors as you an see from the link. I think they add a nice subtle detail to a shower when you notice they match the drain color and the trim kit of your fixtures. Again, there is a small added cost of the profiles...It will add an extra $50 to the cost of your shower...Well worth it for a spot on finish! This Roswell, GA shower you see below is a brushed nickle A-100 by Schluter Systems. Notice there are only two grout joints and we install these so there is no added time or effort to the shower build.

RAW TILE EDGE

The final option and my least favorite, is whole tile with the raw edge exposed. When the tile is natural stone there is no problem because we can custom make the curb tops and sand them to a perfect finished edge as you see in this Sandy Springs shower below...Looks great!

Now this is a recent shower I built that left me wondering if the higher ups ever had the discussion with these people about their curb top. I do not know because I wasn't part of the design process. If I was I would have pushed for a different, more functional look. This is a porcelain tile and what I ended up doing for the top is ripping them to size with the front edge being a factory edge and the back edge being sanded as well as the material allows. I try to give it the illusion of a finished edge.

It is not ideal. I feel ashamed!

You end up having a naked front and back tile edge.

If it were my shower I would have used an oil rubbed bronze Quadec Profile to match the drain.

I understand that often times people do not like the looks of these profiles but they really improve the functionality and longevity of a shower because you don't have to worry about the tiles chipping and  the look is improved because you don't see the sharp edges. The image below is an example of the raw tile edge look.

We could edge with bull nose but it adds so many unnecessary grout lines and the quality of bull nose has truly declined. Think about grime and soap scum in those grout lines and the bull nose always has to be cut to fit the curb top. We can't depend on the manufacturers to consistently send us good bull nose.

We CAN depend on Schluter Systems to produce a good product....so just like our taste in vehicles and fashion design changes through the years, maybe we can learn to accept an updated look in our showers and do away with antiquated bull nose. When we're thinking about design we should think about being judged 20 years in the future and not about our tastes that may be caught in a time freeze.

MITERED TILE CURB

The final option for the top of your curb is the mitered tile edge. This option is modern and all the rage in the tile world right now. The one thing it doesn’t do is protect the edge of the tile, like a profile would.

Over time there is a high probability that an edge will get chipped because when you miter a tile, you are bringing the tile to a tip, at it’s weakest point. There are ways to strengthen these miters, with epoxy for example, but tile is not wood. It is fragile. This look scores A+ for looks, D- for longevity and functionality.

Ultimately, I'm writing about MINOR details but I think about these things because I am a perfectionist. You can't be a good tile guy if you aren't.

My final words are to implore you to think about edging on curb tops and your edging for wall tile when you're in the planning stages. It's a small detail but it is an important detail for a beautiful, overall finish.

Grout does not fix poor tile work.

Contrary to popular belief adding grout will not 'fix' a bad tile job. Grout will not mask poor cutting or measuring. I've worked with tile setters in the past who will mutter under their breath "Grout will fix that" That is the attitude of a lazy person. When you are hiring a tile person you need to ask yourself if you think the man you are looking at will have the principle to pull a tile off the wall that is covered in thin set, rinse it off a try again if said tile has a chip or the cut is off. From my experience not everyone will. There is a difference between a true finish guy and the laborer class that will lie to themselves and say 'good enough.' A good analogy would be the difference between a basic framer and a true finish carpenter. The two trades are completely different skill sets and require a different attitude that not everyone has. How about this, the difference between a breakfast line cook at Waffle House and a Chef at a swanky down town Atlanta Restaurant.

When we do our work, we get all our cuts perfect before we grout. We get all our lines straight and continuous so when the grout goes in and when everything is caulked, our project is perfect. Keep your eyes open in any bathroom you enter, Wal Marts and Commercial spaces are notorious....look for any inconsistencies and you will more fully understand what I mean.

Here we have a before and after. Notice around the inset box for example....everything lines up, then when you add grout you get perfection.

Even Mike Holmes knows...

The master of "making it right" Mike Holmes speaks about the benefits and superiority of Kerdi Board.

Our latest tile remodel in Sandy Springs, GA.

Here's a few photos of a basement remodel completed earlier in the year. We did the floors, shower and back splash. Turned out nice! Really like the plank shower. I've always wanted to build one using those materials.

Too excited not to post!

This one is on the way to being a master piece and I wanted to post an update! I believe the clients we built this for are professional interior designers and it really shows. I will have to get their information and post it here. Just a bit of a teaser and I can't wait to have finished photos!

How we get a flush inset band.

In the short video below I explain how to mount a flush inset band. Usually the mosaic is thinner than the outside tile so you have to build out your band. You may be asking..."Can't you use more thin set?" The answer would be 'NO' because the mosaic comes on a webbing and if you put too much thin set in the space during installation it will push through the tile and make it impossible to grout. That's why we mount the mosaic on Kerdi fabric, so the extra thin set will not come through. I failed to explain this fact in the video. I'm working alone here so I had to do my own camera work so it may be a bit shaky. Not as if the camera work is better in our other videos :P I've been contemplating a GoPro so these things may get considerably better. Jason, give me some money would you?!

Enjoy the video.

How not to be one of the 80% of contractors that goes out of business!

I've been inspired by a lot of books over the last year regarding business and sales, but the crème de la crème would have to be "Markup and Profit" by Michael C. Stone. This book was recommended originally by fellow Atlanta tile guy Cain of "A tile Experience" but the real provocation came from @terribletilellc via Instagram. Can't recommend this book enough to any re modeler looking for a tried and true method of pricing jobs or generally running a business. I recognize my weakness in this area, so here we go, getting better.

The most shocking part of the book early on is that 90% of contractors are not charging enough for their work. So how do they make up for that and still profit? By cutting corners and quality or going out of business. Makes sense considering 80% of showers fail and 30% of new construction related businesses fail in the first year....90% within a 10 year cycle. We're not doing badly apparently, all things considered.

Lots of great stuff to consider and learn about.

It seems our website is having an impact, as well. Over 100 visitors last month, my largest audience to date. Hopefully, everyone is getting some value out of our site. This really is a labor of love and a way to organize my thoughts and separate ourselves in a positive way. I often times wonder if I'm accomplishing that goal. I figure if one person is able to prevent themselves from having a construction nightmare or if one person in the tile industry improves their knowledge (like I try to daily)...I've done some good.     Have a great weekend and I hope everyone is doing well. (Ben, your neighborhood tile guy)

The best plank tile job in the land.

This week we've been busy installing 1000sqft of large format 6"X39" plank faux wood tile. This floor has all the best properties of tile with the look of a wood floor. Don't let it fool you though, an exacting touch is required to install this material to a high standard. Every one of these tiles has full thin set coverage underneath, so none of it cracks or fails down the road. We ensure that by "back buttering" every single piece, using a large gauge trowel and installing expansion joints. We also start with a completely clean floor. Like always we rented a machine to clean sheet rock dust/globs, paint and any other carelessness from the other crews. If you want to save some money on your next floor installation, be sure to get your other crews to cover the floor so we don't have to go backwards. This concrete substrate was pretty flat so we didn't have to do to much prep, just some Mapei crack isolation we rolled on. That is the most important part of a large format tile installation...the flatness of the floor. Tile does not bend so every segment has to be regular...no dips, dives or bumps in the concrete. We also use the Lev-Tech leveling system to get a lip free installation. We have a video of the system for you to reference on this blog. Thissystem helps us get a floor that is smooth to the touch not just flashy to the eye. You can see what I'm talking about in the photos below. This isn't rocket science but it takes a bit of conscientiousness and a floor like this is extremely labor intensive. If you're looking for a flooring that will last the lifetime of your home, this is the way to go. These particular clients have Great Danes...so they're thinking for the future. We should finish this early next week, we'll give the thin set a week to set up and we will be grouting with Mapei's Flexcolor single component grout. This floor will truly be maintenance free...Would you spend a little more money on a flooring that you never have to mess with again?

How to find a qualified tile guy.

I've been fielding a lot of calls lately asking about how to find a good tile guy. I'd love to do all the tile work in the world, but it's not possible! Obviously, there is a void in the market for conscientious, skilled, responsive tile installers and they are hard to find by 'word of mouth' This business is more than just labor, you're buying the whole horse, so be sure that horse can RUN!

So, how do you find a great (not good) Tile installer....two simple questions when interviewing a tile guy.

"Do you reference the TCNA manual?"

"Are you a CERTIFIED TILE INSTALLER?"

What is the TCNA manual? The TCNA (Tile Council of North America)  manual is a 450 page reference book that standardizes the tile industry.  It is the rule book for all tile installers. In my experience most tile guys don't even know what it is. If you're talking to one of those guys and you have a technical project, turn him around and walk him out the door because chances are you're dealing with the 'fly by night' type.

A Certified Tile installer has had his or her skills tested by a live evaluator and has taken a 150 question written test verifying their knowledge of ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards. This test is EXTREMELY difficult so you can be guaranteed the tile installer will use building methods and techniques confirmed to work by a committee of experts and years of testing. 

If you haven't found a tile guy to speak with in your area, I recommend going to www.Tile-Assn.com and entering your coordinates into their website and they will direct you to a tile installer that is a member.  At the very least a TCNA member will have access to all the resources being part of the organization provides, which are many and very useful to a legitimate installer. Resources like training, industry updates, consultation and this book!!

An even better method to guarantee your installation turns out flawless and that it will stand the test of time is to go to the  Ceramic Tile Education Foundation.

Go to ceramictilefoundation.org click on "Find an Installer" Type in your zip code and Certified tile installers will magically appear! Do yourself a favor and ease your mind...Hire Certified (LIKE US!) You'll be glad you did!

Have you ever wondered how to install a Schluter Systems linear drain?

In part two of our installation series we connect the linear drain with the custom shower pan. Schluter systems has the best linear drains because you are able to ensure a clean water proofing connection with the rest of the system. The video below gives you an in depth view of the installation process. Would it be of benefit to you to have video and photo documentation of your next building project?

A finished January Shower.

Here's a few pictures of a shower Jason put together...You always get a far superior shower if the decision to put one in is made during the remodel planning stages. This shower was an after thought but a far improvement to the plastic pan and walls Our white silicone caulk turned out perfect as you can see in the photo below.

How to pack a shower pan.

Below is a video of how we pack shower pans.  Step two will be water proofing.