tiles were 24″ square … 1/2″ thick.
and heavy.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
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Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
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Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
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Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Large format tile is tough to do in a small space.
Looks like a Kerdi symstem and Ditra. I like to do my own mud base though.
Chuck S
live, work, build, ...better with wood
Design-wise, it's not to my tastes. But, hey, whatever the customer wants!
Nice execution.
How long have you been a Schuter convert? What are your likes and dislikes about the system? How do you thing it, as compared to whatever you used previously, compares as to material costs? Labor costs? Intangible costs related to service life, callback issues, etc.?
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"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
You plan on going back one day to add 2 more tile, or is that a new decorating style in Pittsburg?
I like how you did the cross slope in the shower floor. In the pic of the shower wall, why did you put a joint in line with the lower wall? It's on the left side.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
U mean the little piece right above the half wall?
cause it was either that ... or drop all the tiles ... and have a strip up high.
or split the tiles and have a half at the top and bottom.
the way it worked out ... full tile top and bottom rows.
I like a full tile, if possible ... at the corners when I do running bond.
That little tile will disappear when the glass shower enclosure is installed.
ya always end up with one "sliver" somewhere ...
I like to hide it as much as possible.
the X on the shower floor was the only way I could get those 8x8's to be even close to flat. Wasn't even sure if it was gonna work. Plan B was an X across straight / square pattern ... but I really wanted to make the running bond work.
those 8x8's were cut outta the 24's.
was thinking, if need be ... go down to 6x6 ... but I made some samples and the 8's looked much better against the big ones. I had "artistic license" on this one.
the pics actually don't look as good as in person either. I'm a little disappointed with them ... the cam picked up the grout lines way more than they show, and the tiles are alot more green in real life. I'll get back in after it's all painted / finished and see if better lighting works.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
It looks great. What about Gene's questions re: Shluter? I'm interested a lot in the whole product line. I haven't used the underlayment. I used the countertop edging on a couple of kitchen jobs and it turned out great--it's what everyone noticed and commented on.Also, what kind of saw did you use for those big tiles? Did you have another pair of hands when you were setting it?
the floor is ditra and shower kerdi over drywall.
used my DeWalt wetsaw ... pushed the 24" capacity to it's limits ... weighed so much it twisted the tray on each push .. had to set the tiles down about 3/16th crooked to get a straight cut.
and nope ... no help with the setting ... just me.
bath was good size ... but woulda been too cramped for two people to work in.
the kerdi is worth it if it perfroms as billed in the long run.
but it's not a time saver like the ditra is.
takes time to cut / fit / lay all the pieces.
plus ... the drywall had to be finished first.
one timing with backer board is much quicker.
the kerdi is like hanging old fashion wall paper where U coat the walls then run the paper. anything but quick.
but .. if it's bullet proof it's worth it.
I've been a big fan of ditra for a coupla years.
only thing to consider with ditra is bump up the thinset order.
remember ... U gotta fill those voids ... plus have trowel ridges.
takes a little more thinset to set the tiles.
but ... takes a bit less thinset vs backer to set the underlay.
I mix the thinset loose to set the ditra.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Thanks. Do you set the ditra and tile at the same time like it's advertised? If so, that must be nice. I'll try it one of these times, I just haven't had the courage to let go of my relationship with wonderboard.
I have set both in small baths on the same day.
usually one day is underlay then another is tile.
start small ... use ditra on a floor.
small floors I'll still slap down backerboard.
but for big floors ... carrying the whole thing in on your shoulders without breaking a sweat is nice enough to begin with ... then just cut a coupla strips to length ...
trowel out the loose thinset as fast as U can and lay the plastic down.
easy as pie. Plus ... the rolls have no memory. it lays flat.
lay it ... press it ... and trowel / lay the next.
that alone ... aside from the fact it makes for a better floor ... is money well spent.
first time I used it ... I called Schluter direct.
had real sensitive porcelain going over a control joint cut into a basement floor.
big and expensive tiles ...
they said it'd work.
I just had to make sure I didn't pack the joint with thinset in case it shrunk and mushroomed up ... 5 years later ... no call backs. I was sold.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
It's just an underlayment, right? Not a waterproofing membrane."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
The Ditra itself is waterproof, if you want a "wet room" floor that is totally waterproof, then you run a 4 to 6" wide strip of Kerdi-Band or Kerdi over the butted Ditra joint.
Thanks Jeff, I can't wait to use it. "It's the way forward . . ." as the saying goes.to fast Eddie, yes I think it is a moisture barrier--correct me if I'm wrong Jeff.It's Football Friday gentlemen.
Reason i asked is that I wonder if the seams need to be sealed. "Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Looks like you are using a color matched caulk in the corners? John Bridge doesn't seem to think it's a big deal. I have never done it, I just grout. I guess time will tell, the oldest shower I have done is going on three years. No cracks yet.
I usually grout then caulk all "non-similar" seams ...
the wall corners were grouted then caulked.
the wall / floor junction was just caulked ... double caulked ... as in I caulked that first ... did the rest of the room ... and by the time I got back to it, the original caulk sucked in, and I topped it off.
I never grout alone any corner or dis-similar materials.
sooner or later that grout will crack. I use the grout in corners simply was filler ... then caulk over it. I can also straighten out a crooked grouted wall corner that's been grouted with the caulk. Typically I grout and let it set up ... then come back with blue tape and tape straight lines on both sides.
fill that with caulk ... tool and wipe ... and remove the tape while it's all still wet.
the straight/ even caulk gives the illusion of a straight corner.
recently had one job where the GC was bitching about how crooked the corner looekd before I was done. I didn't like him ... so I simple said U frame me crooked corners and U get crooked tile.
coupla days later I went back and did the caulking ... used the blue tape trick ... ran the caulk a little wider than usual ... and magically his crokked walls looked straight.
it was great ... he knew I snuck in there ... he came in to complain again ... got there right after I pulled the tape. He didn't see how I did it. He just looked dumbstruck.
I told him I reframed his sh!tty work over the weekend and retiled the whole deal and I'd backcharge him the labor for me to get his walls straight.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
btw ... email schluter and ask for their dvd.
covers most of their stuff and had the standard install practices included.
good dvd.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Jeff,
I'd say "nice work" if I was a casual observer, but knowing the work that goes into setting large format tiles, I'll say "outstanding".
You got skills!
Jeff,
Very nice work!
From the pics, they look like a natural stone. Perhaps limestone??? It looks like there is a grain pattern in the tiles and it appears to alternate vertically and horixontally, or am I just seeing things?
Particularly if they are a guaged stone (not sure if that is the right term), I find it a real PITA to avoid lippage but your work looks first rate!
Would you be willing to share any secrets to your install procedure regarding avoiding lippage?
Thanks.
You cannot convey tone in an email.
"Would you be willing to share any secrets to your install procedure regarding avoiding lippage?"
drink moderately before and during ...
drink heavily after.
use a big notch trowel, I used a 1/2x 1/2 ... mix the thinset "thick" ... and as much as it hurts ... lift and reset them as U go to adjust.
running bond helps the cause ... was the customers wish, but me and the GC were happy to make it happen. 2 corners and one side are way easier to flush up then 4 corners. They were thinking 1/8th grout line but I sold everyone on 3/16th ...
that little bit of wiggle rooms helps hide stuff too.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa