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Glass tile redone AGAIN except more problems

Peter Ogunamakin

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

So the glass subway tile in our kitchen was redone because there were glass chips everywhere. There are much less glass chips on the outside now, but the underside of each tile is chipped or lost it's color backing. Is that hard to install glass subway tile?!?!? Horrible installer!! Sick and tired of this builder. Horrible.

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kudzu9

7 years ago

Glass tiles are more challenging than regular tiles. I had similar problems with a glass tile accent strip in one of my bathrooms because the installer, though otherwise good, was not using the correct saw blade for glass tile. Once he switched, things got much better, thought not perfect.

Yours doesn't look terrible -- at least not enough to suggest a tearout -- and I think you will quit noticing these minor defects after a while. However, it's problems like this that have made me reluctant to use it again.

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Comments (7)

Peter Ogunamakin
Original Author
7 years ago
thanks. it's pretty much on every piece of glass tile that was cut. I have a feeling they didn't use the right blade too. ridiculous. I'll have to live with it.
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Look at the backing on the tile from the factory. If it doesn't got to the complete edge of the tile you will have the black lines. Find 2 tiles out of your material, one that you can see the factory applied backing goes COMPLETELY to the edge and one that the backing doesn't. You can clearly see the difference. Now put those 2 tiles up against any solid color substrate and you can see the difference. The tile that doesn't have the backing run all the way to the edge you will see the black line. The tile that does have it run to the edge will not be as noticeable. The unfortunate thing is you probably will not find more than 5% of your tile that has the full coverage of the backing. It is the nature of the beast . Regardless of white thinset with a white backer and 100% white grout filled, the defect is in the tile . Think of glass in a window, look down it from one edge to the other. You will always see a line just may be different color depending on glass color
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I believe this exact tile (or a color very close) was just installed in our kitchen. I didn't see them installing the glass pieces they cut but I do know they mentioned the big concern when cutting was the product on the back of the tiles which is the color. They had some special paint that was an exact color match in case it was needed to touch up the back of the tiles. If they used it, I can't tell. We have learned glass tiles are definitely more difficult to install. Make sure you look for scratches and chips in the tiles too. We had to have about 10 tiles pulled off and replaced due to very apparent scratches. They also probably shouldn't use sanded grout. I don't have any close up pics of the ends where the tiles were cut but here is a pic of the backsplash. If I get to the house today, I'll get a close up of that corner by the panel. Good luck with your project! Edited to add: The special color matched paint is applied (if needed) after cutting, but before installation.
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Peter Ogunamakin
Original Author
7 years ago
Just curious, when he switched to the new blade did the issue happen in a few random spots? Now that I think of it, he said he used a glass tile blade but he had to throw away MANY pieces of tile because of bad cuts. Literally filled a 5 gallon bucket with badly cut tile just to replace 10 pieces of tile.
kudzu9
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
He initially tried several different blades and had problems. Then that night I went and actually bought a blade that was labeled for glass tiles to see if it made a difference, put it in my $60 no-name tile saw, and immediately had success. It was more expensive than a standard tile blade, and didn't look that much different, but the results sure were.

In the morning, I had him put it in his very expensive saw, and the breakage and major chipping problems magically ended. I don't remember any noticeable waste after that...maybe just the occasional broken piece like with any tile. There was still a little chipping with some pieces on the back side, but that was about it. I was just surprised that this highly rated, and obviously skilled, tile setter didn't have a blade like this.
Peter Ogunamakin
Original Author
7 years ago
The builder agreed to redo it again! I hope they get it right. I do appreciate that they do try to make us happy. We saw the same tile laid in the exact pattern in another house there cuts were significantly better. I would say 99% perfect so it's not like I am crazy here.
kudzu9
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Good luck! Different tile guy (or at least different tile blade)?

;-)
PRO
Mint tile Minneapolis
7 years ago
As you try again A Few tricks w/Glass.

Many times a chippy cut can be the saw and blade.... OK operator error too.

I.E. unblanced saw, shot brushs/bearings, the table not squared up and moving smoothly, vibrations coming thru the saw/stand an unbalanced or warped blade et etc. etc..

few cut tricks...

1. Make several passes at a cut . You do this by adjusting the plunge of the saw/cut depth. Rather than making one forced pass. sometimes ill cut thru both sides and end in the middle..

2. Use a speed sqaure and a razor knive to first Score the coated backside side of the tile along the cut line. This will limit blowout of the coating @ the cut break line

3.Contrary to popular belief Thick kerf Glass blades require removing more material and actually are meant to slow down the cut (notice its really hard to push glass thru the saw.) For me I have found my best result to be with a segmented porclelain thin kerf blade but YOU MUST GO extra extra slow and keep the water flowing on cut.

4. Use variable speed grinder and polish pads to finish the visible edge of the chippy cuts.

Theres more to it, sometimes scoring certain sized glass with a snap cutter is the key...-best of luck this time

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