Shower wall subway tile falling off before grout
navolita74
4 years ago
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4 years agoBspoke Homes
4 years agoRelated Discussions
New tile falls off shower walls
Comments (6)Realize that when you use a 1/4" notched trowel, after the tile is set and in embedded in the thinset, the 1/4" square ridges of thinset should be compressed to a nice even 1/8" thick layer of thinset that fully adheres the tile to the backer board. Question...or maybe a comment...after you let the thinset slake for the 5 minutes, make sure you mix it up again prior to spreading. Make sure the backer board is clean. No dust. You can try using a semi-wet sponge to wipe the cement board down prior to thinsetting. Wetting the cement board will prevent the porous and dry cement board from sucking the moisture out of the thinset prior to the thinset having enough time for a nice cure. Try burning the thinset in first. This means using the flat side of the trowel to apply a skim coat on the backer board, you're trying to force the thinset into the pores of the backer board. "Apply a skim coat" really isn't correct, as you're really just filling any micro-voids in the surface of the panel. You're not trying to leave a measureable thickness. After burning in, flip the trowel and use the notched side to apply a measured amount. Try burning thinset into the back of the tile too. Again, you're not looking to apply a thickness, think of it more like "wetting" the tile with thinset. When you set the tile, press it in to collapse the ridges. Slide a trowel under the edge and pry the tile off. You should have near full coverage on the back of the tile, and there should be no umcompressed ridges of thinset on the backer board. What size tiles are you setting? Ceramic? Stone? What size? What kind of "cement board"?...See MoreWhite hex floor/subway shower grout color?
Comments (10)Thank you everyone! In that room I am going to do a light gray grout through out. I think it will hightlight the tiles. The vanity is white and I think gray grout will give the room some depth. Tinker, if you are up to it, you should show off your bathrooms, they are gorgeous! I do have a question. In the master I am doing a white marble floor w gray grout. But am thinking white grout for the shower subways as well as shower floor. It is a fancier space and I want the shower to take a backseat to the marble and other fixtures. Does that make sense?...See MoreSubway tile: spacing (grout width) and offset
Comments (60)We went with 1/8” spacing for all tiles. It was definitely the right choice. The subway tiles are also handmade, so I think putting them closer together would have been a bad idea (even though subway tiles are often placed much closer together). Also, there is coherence I’m having all the spacing the same. We ended up using the same spacing in the other bathroom we remodeled. I think it looks period-appropriate for a 1920’s house. Sorry I have been delinquent posting pics of the finished bathroom! We just have had so much work going on in our house....See MoreWhat size tile spacers for shower subway tile on walls?
Comments (5)The home depot associate (tile specialist) suggested 1/16 spacers but use a flexible mortar to allow expansion/contraction. (I may not have said that correctly.) I will get advice on specific thinset and grout from my contact at the tile shop (who was a tile contractor). Thanks everyone!...See Morenavolita74
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4 years agoCreative Tile Eastern CT
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4 years agoCabot & Rowe
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4 years ago
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