Based upon most of the threads on this forum, you might ask him this: "After your installation fails, will you do it the way Bill says it should have been done in the first place?" Oh, and tell him that tile installers are not allowed to cry after reading what we write about them. Actually, just ask him to bring his TCNA Handbook to your first meeting so he can show you diagrams of how he intends to do your installation. "Uh...what handbook?" Mongo

OK...unless you fix the floor structure to eliminate the sloping conditions, there is not much that adding a layer of plywood will do. You are right, it will follow the topography of whatever it is placed over. Note that the sheet vinyl backing may contain asbestos as well...all depends on when it was manufacturered. If the sheet vinyl is adhered to thin plywood, then removal is usually easy...you remove both the vinyl and the plywood all at once,...that is if the plywood was stapled down and not nailed. Nailed plywood removal is more difficult and time-consuming. Check with your municipality regarding disposal of flooring materials. In some places it is considered regular trash when the homeowner removes and discards it.

Anita, I don't know what's going on, but I posted to your thread right after you posted it, and it's not showing as having an answer. But if I click on the thread, my answer's there!! here it is, copied and pasted: o RE: Bill Vincent (or other tilers), a tile sliver question for yo Brought to you by clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by bill_vincent (billvincent@hotmail.com) on Sun, Jun 8, 08 at 12:57 There's two things you could've done to make it a little better. Normally, it's a no brainer-- split the difference, so that you have a 2" piece, top and bottom. But in this case, that would've ended up putting a sliver at the bottom of the window. If were up to me, I would've started the full tile at the bottom of the window. That would've given you another 1/4", anyway, from looking at the photo. Secondly, where the tile comes out past the cabinet, I'd have used tiles bullnosed on the 6" side, made the sliver that comes out from underneath the cabinet an "L" cut, and then a full piece of bullnose to end into the other window. I'm sorry-- I don't mean to tear your work apart, but you asked. :-) Other than that, it looks good! :-)

The stone is split-face Quartz with glass inserts. Do you recommend using the Impregnator instead? Absolutely. If it were polished instead of splitfaced, you wouldn't need to seal it AT ALL. Also, make sure when sealing the stone that you wipe the sealer off of the glass. Otherwise it'll turn white on the face of the glass. 1. Attach tiles to the wall using white thinset (any recommendations on a "high quality thin set bonding product"? Any modified thinset will work fine. DO NOT let anyone talk you into using mastic or premixed thinset!! 2. Apply Grout Release grout release = 511 Impregnator 3. Grout using sanded grout (any recommendations?) Not with split faced stone. Definitely use unsanded grout. Sanded won't get into the tight joints. Laticrete or Mapei are my favorites, but just about anything you find at the big box stores will do fine. Other than that, you should be fine.