Take some time to experiment with the layout before you mix the first batch of thinset. Do this by laying out the first and second row with dry tiles. I assume they've got self-spacers, so butt them up against each other as you will when you actually lay them. You need to lay out 2 rows because they'll be offset from each other and you need to make sure they both look good. Some general guidelines: 1. Center the tiles: You can do this by either centering a single tile or making the joint between tiles at the center of the shower wall. 2. No slivers: If your layout leads to a less-than-half tile at one end, shift the whole pattern over a half tile. 3. Try to make the corners so that it looks like a single tile was "bent" around the corner (e.g., 1/2 tile on each side, or 3/4 tile on one side, 1/4 tile on the other). Sometimes these conflict, depending on the dimensions of your tiling area and tiles, but keep the basic principles in mind, shift things a bit as needed, and you'll be ok. Also, make sure you lay out all the walls, because a perfect layout on the back wall might make the side walls end funny, so you'll need to shift them accordingly. One more thing, which might seem counterintuitive but which I learned the hard way: don't start any row by putting a full tile at one side and working your way across. If your walls aren't plumb and, say, go outwards a bit as they go up (e.g., wall is 48" wide at the floor and 48.5" wide at the ceiling), then if you started with a full tile at the bottom, you'll have a gap as you go up, which violates the "no slivers" rule. Better to have a cut tile on each end, so that if the wall widens the cut tile is just slightly wider as you go up. Happy tiling!

i have a river rock pebble floor in my master shower. love it. feels so good on my feet. i used "porous plus" to seal it originally. easy to use. just wiped it on. used a sponge. let dry for 24 hrs. my grout is grey--can't remember what brand, whatever tile guy recommended but nothing special-- it darkened just a little after sealing. which made me happy because i thought it was too light to start with. it's been a year now i haven't sealed it again but i'm thinking i will. grout starting to look just a little lighter in color. the pebbles looked a little tiny bit brighter after sealing and that hasn't changed at all. i try to use non toxic cleaners--"method" brand or seventh generation or windex without ammonia in the shower and haven't had any problems. also i usually try to rinse all soap residue off the floor before i get out of the shower but that's about it. when you use porous plus, try to remember less is more. you don't need much---if floor is still wet 4 or 5 minutes after you sponge it on just wipe off excess. it will get sticky if you put too much on at once and that's what you want to avoid. very very simple though. i have never done any thing like this before. good luck

DO NOT use a standard pinkish color pencil eraser on your cabs. They leave marks and sometimes streaks. If you're going to try it, at least try it in an inconspicuous location, like the inside of a door. Try the kneaded grey artists erasers if you're going to use a regular eraser. They are designed for delicate jobs and are the least likely to leave marks. That said, if I didn't live with an artist and have lots of those erasers floating around, I would turn to Goof Off. That stuff is fan-freakin'-tastic. And never causes damage. BTW -- in the same vein, if you ever have paint that has gotten onto things that shouldn't be painted (for instance, drips on your hardware, faucets, etc., I highly recommend a product called Painter's Pal. They used to carry it at Home Depot, but I haven't seen it there in a while. I'm a sloppy painter (because I hate taking the time to prep first, bad, I know) and this stuff really saved my behind in several rooms.

I clean our Legion every 2 weeks. They replaced their previous linoleum floor with a laminate flooring. Both floors are light coloured an I was always on my hands and knees getting the black marks off. I used a Mr Clean eraser at first but then stopped, it left white marks, not residue from the eraser itself, but it was taking the coating of the floor off. Even when using an eraser on the walls to remove scuff marks, I can see pale spots. I really don't like using them. What took it off quick and easy was the blue easy-off pad. A couple of swipes and immediately wipe off the blue soap and it was clean.