Category: Tile & Shower Enclosures

Hexagons are the final boss of the flooring world. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. Most guys skip the leveling compound because they think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. When you lay a hexagon over a hump, the…

The glass tile heartbreak To cut thin glass tile without it shattering you must use a high-grit diamond blade on a wet saw or a specialized manual glass scorer while maintaining constant water irrigation to prevent thermal shock fractures. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t…

Mastering the Physics of Precision Cuts in Large Porcelain Slabs Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. That same job required cutting twelve holes in large…

The subfloor secret that reveals the amateur Hiding the raw edge of porcelain tile requires a combination of bullnose profiles, metal trim strips, and precision mitering to cover the exposed porcelain biscuit. Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on…

Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. When you walk across a kitchen and hear that empty, drum like thud, it is not just an annoying…

I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor would not click like a castanet. The owner wanted a high-end finish, but the subfloor was a rolling sea of hills and valleys. Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It will not.…

Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. The previous installer had left a massive belly in the slab right where the shower pan was supposed to…

I have spent three decades behind the counter of a floor shop, and nothing boils my blood more than the sight of a homeowner dragging in a box of tile from a discount liquidator. They always have the same look on their face. It is the look of a person who thought they saved five…

Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. That is the reality of professional flooring. If you do not respect the subfloor, the finish will betray you…

The hidden world beneath the mud bed Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. When you are dealing with a shower floor, that level of obsession…