Well, originally I planned on granite tiles on the deck and granite countertop. But the vanity was too small for granite for some reason (Lowes came out to measure), and I was concerned about the weight, the granite tile at Job Lot sold out so the bathroom has just been sitting waiting for me to find the right tile for the deck (and get around to tiling it and the floor). Now my design has taken a new direction thanks to my cousin's DH gutting the old farmhouse to put in insulation, wiring and drywall. The "barn board" is actually wide plank tongue and groove chestnut (?) roughly handplaned that was used as the original interior walls in the one room (and pantry) that was the whole house built in 1743. Later when the house was added onto, it was covered with lathe and horsehair plaster. I helped tear down all the old plaster (broke my heart) last year and scrape linoleum off the old wide pine floorboards that he is now ripping down to make door and window trim. He was going to use the beadboard as wainscot but my cousin just wanted this room done (it's going to be their master BR, they keep moving as they finish rooms) so he just drywalled everything. He would have painted it white b/c she didn't want a dark room (it's got 3 windows in it!) so I'm glad he didn't use it, said I could have it. Even though it was all around the room, he didn't seem to have much of it and westiegirl suggested that it be highlighted more in my bath by just using it on the apron (front of the tub going down to the floor) and maybe a little on the surround (where the deck meets the walls above the tub). Also on the countertop of a "farm table" vanity I will build to drop my sinks into. The rough boards will have to be planed for the countertop to get rid of the plaster streaks and to make them smooth, that will get rid of the bead but the tongue and groove will still fit together (I'd also use pocket screws I think for strength underneath the countertop). I was hoping just to sand the planks to use in the tub area by hand (orbital sander) just so they're not rough enough to scrape my legs, but keep the bead. I don't mind if some plaster streaks (embedded in the grain, not sitting on top) still show, think that gives it character. The top edge will be routed down in an eased profile to cover the edges of the tile. No, I hadn't considered white tile for the deck - never thought of making it look like a big rectangular tub, since there is a high rim, it's not undermounted. I don't know whether it's best to tile the floor and deck first, then put the wood on the apron or not. Might be - last house we built the apron first, made sure it stood proud of the deck enough for tile and thinset, but then when the guy tiled it we had a few spots here and there that were lower than the wood edge, and 1 spot that was higher.

Crumbly grout is usually from using unsanded grout in too wide of a joint. In general, unsanded should only be used in joints less than 1/8" wide. For joints 1/8" or wider, sanded grout should be used. I have seen grout fall out where it was mixed with too much water, and when placed it was not really worked into the grout joints. So the joints were not completely full, and when the excess water evaporated, it left behind a sponge-like grout matrix. It would simply chunk out. Changes in plane, like a wall to a tub, are usually caulked. That's because dissimilar materials can move independently. Rigid grout would crack. Flexible caulk can flex. To make the caulk less obtrusive, there are color- and texture-matching caulks out there. Example, you use sage green sanded grout from "X" company, they might also have a sage green sanded caulk to match that grout. It might not be a perfect match, but it's better than picking any caulk off the shelf. Gas seeping through grout and staining it? Ehhh...I'll pass on that. I've heard a lot of strange ideas while mediating the blame game in the past, but I don't ever recall that one being brought up. If it was a mud bed, moisture evaporation can carry dissolved minerals from the mud pan up through the grout, and when the water hits free air and evaporates, it can leave mineral stains or mineral grit behind. If there is a water leak at this window, your stains could be a variation of that. If it's an orange stain, it could indeed be rust. It could be a nail head used to fasten the cement backer board that is rusting, etc, and it's wicking through the grout. Or something else. Iron in the water, etc.

i'm sure others will have more professional thoughts, but i have a couple based on my one & only reno when i installed a drop-in tub with 3 walls around it, small deck around 4 edges. i tiled the deck before putting in the tub. also tiled the walls around it before dropping the tub. i haven't tried doing it afterwards, but i would suggest at least considering tiling before the tub goes in. lots more room to move around, less worry about mess & tools harming the tub. lisa

I hate contractors and their incompetent subs with a passion! We've had so many "do overs" on this reno it's not funny. How some of these people can stay in business is beyond me. And where's the pride of a job well done? Seems non-existent. I don't know how many times I specified caulk between the countertop and backsplash and what do you think the tile guy used. So know we wait for the platinum caulk to come in and then he has to come back and chip out the grout before he caulks. And just like your guy he wanted to caulk over the grout. I flat out said no, this is the way it has to be. I feel like I need to babysit these people which is so not what hiring a GC meant to me. I won't even bore you with how the plumber screwed up. It's just been one thing after another.