Cindy wrote:
Hello,

I'm debating tackling re-tiling the kitchen floor and bathroom walls. I have
zero experience with tiling but have seen hours and hours of DIY shows and it
doesn't look that difficult but I'm sure it never does! Assuming I can get a
decet tile cutter, is it worth it to attempt it myself?

Thanks,

Cindy

Hi Cindy,

I'm new to this NG and fairly new to home renovation, and a total loser
with handy-stuff, and even I can tile. My only recommendation -- which
has saved my butt tiling every time I've tried it -- is to find a
friend with a wet saw, rent a wet saw, or measure everything and have
somebody with a wet saw cut all the tricky bits. The job is SO MUCH
EASIER when everything has been pre-laid out, pre-cut, and it's just
mastic and laying 'em down.

I can't stress enough that laying the tiles down dry first and
double-checking all your measurements is key. That, and getting about
an extra 10 tiles of that floor type, because tiles often phase in and
out of style and that tile may no longer be on the market in five years
when your husband decides to set his bowling ball free.

- Matt

wrote in message
ups.com...

That, and getting about
an extra 10 tiles of that floor type, because tiles often phase in and
out of style

True. I can no longer find the Pepto-Bismol Pink that my 1950s bathroom is
tiled with. I think it's now illegal. Or should be.

Doug Kanter wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

That, and getting about
an extra 10 tiles of that floor type, because tiles often phase in and
out of style

True. I can no longer find the Pepto-Bismol Pink that my 1950s bathroom is
tiled with. I think it's now illegal. Or should be.

Don't worry. It'll come back in style...eventually...if you live long
enough.

To the OP:
It's very easy to do a fair to poor job, harder to do a good job and
hardest of all to do an excellent job. Most tile pros don't do an
excellent job.

You should do a lot of homework before you buy or touch anything. Hie
thee to a library, or better yet buy a copy, of Michael Byrne's book
Setting Tile.

The John Bridge tile forums are a great place to get good information.

R

"Cindy" wrote in message
.. .
In article . com,
says...


Cindy wrote:
Hello,

I'm debating tackling re-tiling the kitchen floor and bathroom walls. I
have
zero experience with tiling but have seen hours and hours of DIY shows
and it
doesn't look that difficult but I'm sure it never does! Assuming I can
get a
decet tile cutter, is it worth it to attempt it myself?

Thanks,

Cindy

Hi Cindy,

I'm new to this NG and fairly new to home renovation, and a total loser
with handy-stuff, and even I can tile. My only recommendation -- which
has saved my butt tiling every time I've tried it -- is to find a
friend with a wet saw, rent a wet saw, or measure everything and have
somebody with a wet saw cut all the tricky bits. The job is SO MUCH
EASIER when everything has been pre-laid out, pre-cut, and it's just
mastic and laying 'em down.

I can't stress enough that laying the tiles down dry first and
double-checking all your measurements is key. That, and getting about
an extra 10 tiles of that floor type, because tiles often phase in and
out of style and that tile may no longer be on the market in five years
when your husband decides to set his bowling ball free.

- Matt


Excellent, thanks for the information, Matt! Out of curiousity, how much
is it
to rent a wet saw?

Cindy

I'd call Home Depot and find out. Then, definitely check your yellow pages
and talk to some tile specialty stores. For a project like this, it's
probably best to deal with someone who wasn't selling vacuums at Sears last
week, and flipping burgers at Wendy's the week before that. Deal with
professionals, which can be hard to find at the big stores.

RicodJour wrote:

To the OP:
It's very easy to do a fair to poor job, harder to do a good job and
hardest of all to do an excellent job. Most tile pros don't do an
excellent job.

Very true. My standards are "good enough for me and won't look terrible
to somebody giving it a casual glance when I eventually decide to sell
the house," so my mediocre work is adequate for my needs. I barely
scrape the bottom of "good" at my best. Like most things, the
effort:benefit curve gets steeper and steeper the closer to perfection
you aim for.

- Matt

If you are doing ceramic tile, not porcelain, you can probably get away
with just a tile cutter and not need a wet saw. I did my first tile
floor and the score and snap tile cutter worked perfectly. One thing I
wish I did better was laying down the adhesive thick enough; there are
2 tiles that sound hollow when tapped, meaning not enough adhesive
under there.

Cindy wrote:

Excellent, thanks for the information, Matt! Out of curiousity, how
much is it to rent a wet saw?

I kinda suspect you would be money ahead just to buy one. This one
would be entirely adequate...
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91511


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____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

I bought a 10" wet saw at Home Depot for $88 that worked for me.
If you're used to a professional saw, or need to make tricky cuts,
you probably wouldn't be happy, but I cut well over 100 floor tiles
and the saw is still working fine.

This was my first floor tiling job--and my last project was
25 years ago--and I'm happy enough with the results that
I'm ready to tackle the family room. I tiled a 375 square
foot (roughly) unfinished area in my basement and by the
time I was done I was doing a decent job--certainly not
at the skilled professional level, but nearly as good as a
lot of the "professional" tiling jobs I've seen.

Have fun!

Judie

"Cindy" wrote in message
.. .
In article . com,
says...


Cindy wrote:
Hello,

I'm debating tackling re-tiling the kitchen floor and bathroom walls. I
have
zero experience with tiling but have seen hours and hours of DIY shows
and it
doesn't look that difficult but I'm sure it never does! Assuming I can
get a
decet tile cutter, is it worth it to attempt it myself?

Thanks,

Cindy

Hi Cindy,

I'm new to this NG and fairly new to home renovation, and a total loser
with handy-stuff, and even I can tile. My only recommendation -- which
has saved my butt tiling every time I've tried it -- is to find a
friend with a wet saw, rent a wet saw, or measure everything and have
somebody with a wet saw cut all the tricky bits. The job is SO MUCH
EASIER when everything has been pre-laid out, pre-cut, and it's just
mastic and laying 'em down.

I can't stress enough that laying the tiles down dry first and
double-checking all your measurements is key. That, and getting about
an extra 10 tiles of that floor type, because tiles often phase in and
out of style and that tile may no longer be on the market in five years
when your husband decides to set his bowling ball free.

- Matt


Excellent, thanks for the information, Matt! Out of curiousity, how much
is it
to rent a wet saw?

Cindy


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