So, I'm getting ready to tile the shower ceiling. I have it all laid out. So, all I needed to do was get the non-sag thinset. Well, I can't find any (from the above) at either HD or Lowes. I read another post that someone else was having the same problem. I also checked a local tile store here and the lady didn't know what I was talking about. Is there anything else you can recommend? Would regular modified thinset work or would tiles start falling on my head? DH is asking about mastic adhesive. That doesn't sound quite right, so I need some advice, fast! TIA -Chris

Hello Karen, Sorry it took me so long to find this thread. Bill left a trail of breadcrumbs though and that's helped me along. :) So, from what I see in the photos it's a textbook Bay Area "single-coat mortar installation". He's got a moisture barrier of Aqua-Bar asphalt-impregnated Kraft paper and he's used 1" galvanized chicken-wire for lathe. His float looks to be a nominal 5/8" thick at the exposed edges and he's been pretty dang clean judging from the surrounding walls, so I don't think he's a hack. Now for the not-so-nice news. I can also tell from the photos that he's got quite a bit of lippage on those walls. It may be that those large porcelain tiles are not "rectified" (re-milled at the factory for flatness and squareness)and so he's made the best out of warped materials? Ann Sacks, and many other boutique showrooms, sell beautiful tile but it isn't always a guarantee that it's also flat or square. The best test will be to lay a straightedge across the tile (front and back each)from corner to corner and from side to side. Can you see daylight between the straightedge and the tile? Does the straightedge teeter and rock? If either of these is the case, then your installer did his job. If the tiles are flat however, he's ruined some very fine material. Without a better picture of the return-walls, I can't tell you why he chose the cuts he did. It may be that he allowed the niche's dimensions to dictate his layout, rather than the other way-round? All-in-all, it's not a terrible job and grouting may shine it right up or it may make things worse? A good grout job is like **magic** though so I think in this case I'd share your concerns with the installer and emphasize how much you HOPE he can make things better with a spectacular grout job. He should take the hint and screw his wizards cap on tight for the task. Best of luck, Shaughnn

laxsupermom - I think you hit it right on the head. He told my dad that he couldn't place them on the diagonal because there wasn't much room and he could only put very little glue on the backs - - but that doesn't make any sense right? They would stick the same no matter which direction you put them in. He didn't estimate the quantity accurately and then he got lazy and just stuck them in a different pattern. *update* I just spoke with his wife and she said that his reasoning was that you need more glue to put them on the diagonal and there is very little room to the right of the stove - does that sound right to anyone? Also - turns out the check I gave him was made out to his father's business......he wanted one written directly to him so he hasn't cashed it and now at least I have the leverage that he hasn't been paid yet. Sounds like they are going to work with me to get this done right. Whew.

First,I tried krud cutter, soft scrub ,oops, magic eraser. The tile guy (through my contractor) said to try goof off or nail polish remover. I think davidro mentioned the tsp and muriatic acid, but when I went to the hardware store and showed the paint dept guy all the suggestions, he said that if what I used already didn't work, these others wouldn't either, and said to try the varnish remover. He said epoxy was very hard to get out and it might require a machine. DH let the varnish remover sit for 10 minutes as recommended on the can to remove epoxy and rubbed it with a wire brush, but not a blade. Davidro, I can't feel it with eyes closed. And my floor is grooved and uneven to imitate a natural stone. What it looks like is that I have a dirty floor with splash marks, plus the wheel marks.