Installing Slate Floor Tile

[trekkor]

Oh, and FYI. most rental tile saws will not cut a 16x16 on diagonal.

i use the MK-1070, but that cost $1300.


KT

[fastpat]

Originally posted by trekkor
Oh, and FYI. most rental tile saws will not cut a 16x16 on diagonal.

i use the MK-1070, but that cost $1300.


KT

Why, is the throat too short?

[rcecale]

Originally posted by trekkor
Look at the slate section on my website in my signiture.


KT

Three words come to mind after looking at your work:

BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL!!!!! :EEK:

Wanna come to Atlanta for a visit?

I was torn between using 3/8" cement backer and 1/4" inch Hardi-Backer. I'll take your advice. I've used Hardi-Backer in a small ceramic tile job I did in our master bath a few months ago. It was pretty easy to work with.

For screwing down the subfloor, maybe this is overkill, but I've been pre-drilling and installing 8x2" deck screws. Using two drill motors helps this move along pretty quickly. One for the drill, one with the screw tip bit.

When I worked with Hardi-Backer before, they recommended their screws (or course they did! ) but I nev er thought about roofing nails. I've got the compressor, so I'll just have to rent the nailer. Hmmm, just might make a great birthday present!

The $6.00/sqft quote is from a local contractor. He specializes in outdoor deck construction, but has performed all sorts of work, including tile floors. He's got great references, and I've actually seen his work on houses in the neighborhood. Personally, though, even though this may be a big job, I think I'd rather tackle it myself. By the time I'm done, I'm sure I'll be pretty good at it. Plus, I'll love the feeling of accomplishment.

Randy

[rcecale]

Originally posted by fastpat
Randy, I can't be sure, but from the look of it, your kitchen needs to be much larger. Roughly, it needs to be about 1/2 the space of the kitchen and breakfast room combined.

I couldn't agree more! Neither could my wife. Unfortunately, neither one of us thought about that when we installed our granite countertop a couple of years ago. Rather than changing the existing floor plan, we simply replaced the then existing melamine countertop. The kitchen, wall to wall, is roughly 11'x13'. Countertops and the refrigerator take up a big chunk of that. The double ovens are stacked in the corner, and the cooktop is built into the countertop.

Looking back, we would have been much better off extending the kitchen area into the breakfast room, by at least 4 or 5 feet or so. A curved countertop would have been nice too. Damn the hindsight!!!

Randy

[fastpat]

Originally posted by rcecale
I couldn't agree more! Neither could my wife. Unfortunately, neither one of us thought about that when we installed our granite countertop a couple of years ago. Rather than changing the existing floor plan, we simply replaced the then existing melamine countertop. The kitchen, wall to wall, is roughly 11'x13'. Countertops and the refrigerator take up a big chunk of that. The double ovens are stacked in the corner, and the cooktop is built into the countertop.

Looking back, we would have been much better off extending the kitchen area into the breakfast room, by at least 4 or 5 feet or so. A curved countertop would have been nice too. Damn the hindsight!!!

Randy

Yeah, I know the feeling.

We're doing a kitchen remodel now. The architect just sent out the plans for bids, we'll know soon what the approximate costs are. Our current kitchen wasn't planned for one who cooks. Believe it or not, there are no above counter cabinets except one above the stacked double oven. the PO didn't cook at all it seems.

The current kitchen has granite countertops, look great, but we're not happy with their cooking oil resistance. We're going to reuse them elsewhere, including moving what's the work island now to the den and making it a wet bar, and using the others for a butlers pantry sort of thing.

We're really NOT looking forward to the disruption, but the results will be worth the trouble we think.

[trekkor]

Screws in Hardiebacker hurl.

If you are retired and hve no deadlines for your project, go for it.
I'd allow about 3-4 weeks if it were me working alone.

All tile questions answered here!!



KT

[rcecale]

Originally posted by fastpat
Yeah, I know the feeling.

We're doing a kitchen remodel now. The architect just sent out the plans for bids, we'll know soon what the approximate costs are. Our current kitchen wasn't planned for one who cooks. Believe it or not, there are no above counter cabinets except one above the stacked double oven. the PO didn't cook at all it seems.

The current kitchen has granite countertops, look great, but we're not happy with their cooking oil resistance. We're going to reuse them elsewhere, including moving what's the work island now to the den and making it a wet bar, and using the others for a butlers pantry sort of thing.

We're really NOT looking forward to the disruption, but the results will be worth the trouble we think.

Good luck with the cost!!!

I can't believe the lack of cabinets! Neither my wife nor I are big on cooking, but to not have that storage space has to be rough! We wouldn't be able to do without them.

Nice that you've got a plan for re-using the existing granite/island. Part of the remodel we have going on now includes reshelving and installing a trash compacotr into the pantry. As luck would have it, the piece of granite cut out of the countertop for the cooktop is a perfect fit for the cabinte I built around the compactor. The piece they cut out for the sink will be cut to make tha backsplash.

Randy

[rcecale]

Originally posted by trekkor
Screws in Hardiebacker hurl.

If you are retired and hve no deadlines for your project, go for it.
I'd allow about 3-4 weeks if it were me working alone.

All tile questions answered here!!



KT

Well, retired from the USMC, but, unfortunately, not from actually working.

This project is going to be eating up my after-work time and weekends for quite a while, I think. That's okay though, as much as I'm anxious for it to be be done, I plan on taking me time and doing things right the first time. If you're offering up answers to "all tile questions" stand by...I'm sure I'll be picking your brains over and over again. I am definitely not one who is afraid to ask even the most stupid questions! But I promise,, I will pay close attention to everything you say and will be happy to post loads of pics of the progress.

Oh, and roofing nails it shall be then.

Randy

[trekkor]

Standing by...



KT

[Joeaksa]

Randy,

I helped a friend do his entire house in 12" tile last year and boy was it a bear to do. Looked beautiful when we were finished.

Joe

[JavaBrewer]

Originally posted by fastpat
The current kitchen has granite countertops, look great, but we're not happy with their cooking oil resistance.

We love our granite tops - cleanup is a no brainer compared to tile/grout the home came with. After install we sealed them with a product called 511 Impregnator from Miracle. Smelly stuff and I used my electric orbital buffer to polish which saved a mountain of work. We reseal once a year. Zero issues with stains including olive/corn oils, coffee, red wine, etc...

[fastpat]

Originally posted by dmoolenaar
We love our granite tops - cleanup is a no brainer compared to tile/grout the home came with. After install we sealed them with a product called 511 Impregnator from Miracle. Smelly stuff and I used my electric orbital buffer to polish which saved a mountain of work. We reseal once a year. Zero issues with stains including olive/corn oils, coffee, red wine, etc...

Thanks, we'll be reusing the granite countertops in other locations, so this info will be valuable. The whole work island in the photo will become the wet bar in the den. We're planning to use Dupont ZodiaQ for the new countertops in the kitchen.

[Porsche_monkey]

Use the orange backing material they sell in rolls at home depot.

[trekkor]

511 Impregnator is the best.
It's about $100 per gallon

After the material is clean, allow it to dry for three days and protect it from staining.

Wear gloves, soak a clean white cloth in sealer. Saturate the surface.
It should turn "darker". After it sits for 5-10 minutes, buff with a dry white cloth. Thats it. It should last for at least 5 years.

The stuff is CRAZY stinky. Might consider a respirator if you cannot get fresh air flowing.


KT

[trekkor]

Originally posted by PBH
Use the orange backing material they sell in rolls at home depot.

For what?
Do you mean the "Dal-Seal" crack isolation/waterproofing membrane?

If he screws down the subfloor, embeds the backer in thinset and uses enough thinset for tile setting, the floor will outlast every other surface in the home. Lifetime install.

If ( when ) future water leaks in the kitchen or bathroom occur and go undetected, they will damage something. From my experience, you cannot stop the effects of water unless you you catch it as soon as it happens.

No reason to waterproof the whole installation, "just in case".
Keep a reasonable amount of tile in storage for repairs.

The most likely place for a leak to occur is under the toilet or behind a wall in a valve assembly ( shower/tub/sink ).
Those are places where there is no tile anyway. The water will seep under the wall or out from under the cabinets.

I've seen it all...


KT

[JavaBrewer]

KT, have you ever used a crack isolation product called Red Guard? Any insider info on it's performance vs. a traditional crack isolation layer sold in many tile stores?

Also, if PBH is referring to a crack isolation product then I don't think Randy needs to worry about that as he's installing over wood subfloors with concrete backer board (CBU) and thinset. Folks typically use things like Red Guard for tile install over existing concrete slab. It prevents future hairline cracks in the slab from transmitting up to the tile.

[Porsche_monkey]

I meant that as an alternative. Less work.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally posted by trekkor
511 Impregnator is the best.
It's about $100 per gallon

After the material is clean, allow it to dry for three days and protect it from staining.

Wear gloves, soak a clean white cloth in sealer. Saturate the surface.
It should turn "darker". After it sits for 5-10 minutes, buff with a dry white cloth. Thats it. It should last for at least 5 years.

The stuff is CRAZY stinky. Might consider a respirator if you cannot get fresh air flowing.


KT

I'd also suggest breaking the application into small sections, 2'x2', at a time. If you let the sealer dry to a white haze you've waited too long and it's darn near impossible to buff clean. The solution is to apply more sealer over the haze and then buff. Definitely go for a respirator or minimum a big room fan. You can expect the kitchen to smell like sealer for a day or two afterward. Not easy but the stuff really works.

[porsche930dude]

You really dont need a wet saw but for that much tile it would be nice. I just use a regular 13" tile breaker and a dry diamond blade on my 4 1/4" grinder. It works great but its alot dustier

[trekkor]

Originally posted by porsche930dude
You really dont need a wet saw but for that much tile it would be nice. I just use a regular 13" tile breaker and a dry diamond blade on my 4 1/4" grinder. It works great but its alot dustier

He's using 16" slate. It won't snap on any board cutter.
Diagonal on a board is insanity.

KT