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Get your tile project done right the first time with advice from the tile professionals. Tiling Complete is filled with trade secrets only a pro would know, as well as detailed instructions and over 850 photos and drawings that show every step.
This all-encompassing manual takes a head-on approach to every home tiling situation - except those best left for professionals. Loaded with photographs and clearly laid out, Tiling Complete makes it a snap for even novices to get the job done right. The authors begin with a thoughtful introduction and move to tile styles and shapes, tools, preparation and installation, plus grouting, sealing, and caulking. Also included are a complete project section, a chapter on Problems and Troubleshooting, and tips on maintenance and repair.
- Over 850 detailed full-color photographs and 50 illustrations explain every step.
- Easy-to-access information with step-by-step instructions and photos for every project.
- Complete information on what can go wrong and how to fix specific problems.
Many homeowners are intrigued with the possibilities tile provides for improving the aesthetic beauty of their homes. But anyone who tries to design and install a new tile surface soon realizes this is truly an art and science unto itself - with its own language, materials, tools, techniques and special skills. If you're ready to tackle the unique challenges of a home tiling project, you'll really appreciate the breadth and depth of information in Tiling Complete.
Brought to you by two tiling experts - each with over 20 years' experience working as professionals - this all-encompassing manual delivers everything you need to handle any tiling job from start to finish. The authors point out several types of tiling projects - with potentially costly repercussions - that are best left for the professionals.
Loaded with color photographs and detailed instructions in clear, precise language, Tiling Complete makes it a breeze to get the job done right - even if you're a novice. Here are a few examples of what you'll find:
- Learn about the wide variety of tile types, from standard ceramic, porcelain and terra-cotta pavers to natural stone, glass, specialty and trim tile.
- Discover the natural characteristics of each (hardness, softness, durability) and which work best for specific applications and situations.
- Find out about design options that include color, décor and style, tile size, shape and orientation, and combining tile with other materials.
- Get expert advice about tools and techniques for everything from preparation, demolition and repair to cutting, drilling, installing, grouting and caulking tile.
- Gain a working knowledge of installation materials, membranes, substrates, adhesives, grout sealants, caulks - and how to choose what's right for your job.
- Explore the finer points of tiling floors, countertops, walls and backsplashes - with step-by-step instructions to make your finished product a thing of beauty.
- If you'd like to enhance your home with the unique texture and beauty of tile, here's a book that delivers all the expertise you'll need to get amazing results.
From the Introduction
Through the many years and amid the miles and miles of tiles we've installed, we've had a large number of clients who, at some point, have admitted a secret desire to install their own tile. Most have imagined that setting tile is a bit like working a jigsaw puzzle or a quilt that one pieces together. They love to think about tiling a surface, covering a wall, creating a design out of tile, or personalizing their home.
Most of these people have acknowledged feeling a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of constructing a proper installation, of turning their dreams into a stable finished tile production of their own making. If you're reading this book, you, too, may have dreamed up your own tile fantasy but have questions about the right steps you should take to ensure a good, solid tile job. Whether you choose to do the installation yourself or simply want to be an informed consumer, this book will break down your tile questions and lead you to manageable answers.
Tiling Complete contains information on how to design your project, how to purchase materials, which tools to buy, how to demolish and prepare the area to be tiled, how to tile counters and backsplashes, the ins and outs of grouting, and how to repair and maintain tile. We will lead you from start to completion, allay your concerns, and enable you to tile just about any area - except those that have high water use, and exterior projects. For those situations, the skills and experience required go beyond the scope of this book.
One of those skills is using "mud," (setting tile in a mortar bed), which has been our preferred and primary method to set tile for over 25 years due to its flexibility for design work and its reliability at maintaining a waterproof environment. This mix of sand, cement, and lime can be leveled, plumbed, and curved to create shapes for any structure, such as a tub or a shower. But it can take years to develop and refine the necessary skills to apply mud in the correct manner. This is fine for a career, but not for most do-it-yourselfers or even professionals in other trades.
Now we have concrete backer boards to use as substrates, waterproof membranes in a bucket, and how-to books to guide you through a project. Areas like counters, backsplashes, and floors may be installed by a DIYer with exceptional results.
However, though a doctor could write a book about how to remove an appendix, it is not something you would or should attempt on your own. Similarly, in wet areas like showers and tub surrounds, problems caused by inadequate or incorrect installation are often not revealed until water seepage finally causes so much damage that the work must be torn out. Last, we have also omitted tiling exterior areas. With all the considerations of exposure to sun and frost, proper drainage and correct placement of expansion joints, the risks are too great for a failed installation.
In the end, whether you choose to install tile yourself or hire a professional, we hope Tiling Complete will help you feel more confident in making your tile dreams come true.
Contents
Selecting Tile. Tools and Techniques. Installation Materials. Project Preparation. Planning and Layout. Tiling Floors. Tiling Countertops. Tiling Backsplashes and Walls. Grouting, Caulking and Sealing. Tile Maintenance and Repair.
About the Authors
Michael Schweit has been a licensed tile contractor for more than 25 years. He is known for technically challenging projects and for expert troubleshooting.
Robin Nicholas has worked as a professional in the tile industry for over two decades. |
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