I had such a tough time with tiling the lavatory flooring final week, so I took the weekend off from all house-related tasks after which bought began tiling our giant curbless bathe flooring on Monday. It was a two-day mission (not together with grouting, which nonetheless must be performed) as a result of (1) the bathe is so massive, and (2) the order wherein I needed to tile.
As a result of the bathe is curbless, and I needed entire tiles (i.e., no lower tiles) assembly collectively within the doorway with the brushed brass Schluter strip between them, I needed to begin on the entrance to the bathe. And since I wanted a grout line following the road the place the extent bathe flooring meets the sloped bathe flooring (you’ll be able to see the place I marked that line within the image under), that additionally affected the order wherein I needed to set up the tile.
So I began within the doorway proper on the sting of the sloped flooring, and labored my approach in direction of the wall.
Then I completed up that row of tiles working my approach from the start of the slope and going in direction of the bathe head/drain wall.
With that row in place, I did the 4 rows perpendicular to that first row, beginning with the row closest to the drain, and dealing my approach in direction of the road the place the sloped flooring meets the extent flooring.
That’s the place I needed to depart issues the on the finish of the primary day as a result of I needed to let these dry earlier than I might stroll on them to achieve the areas on the extent a part of the bathe flooring.
Facet word: I didn’t truly set that bucket of water on the tiles whereas the mortar was nonetheless moist. I took this image the subsequent day, after the mortar was dry, and proper earlier than I bought began on the remainder of the ground.
So after letting these tiles set for about 12 hours, I got here again yesterday and completed up this space on the extent a part of the bathe flooring.
On this part, I began on the row closest to the bathe entrance, working from the tiled flooring to the wall. I used to be ready to do this till I reached the final two rows, after which I needed to work the wrong way.
This could have been a fairly straightforward job had I been capable of begin at that again wall and simply work row by row till I labored my approach out of the bathe. However the particular issues (entire tiles assembly the lavatory flooring and grout line alongside the slope line) turned what might have been a somewhat easy tiling job into a way more troublesome job. However a minimum of it’s performed!
To place this into perspective, I used 52 sq. toes of tile on this bathe flooring. Our total hallway rest room is someplace round 56 sq. toes. So our total hallway rest room, minus the built-in cupboard and shelf area of interest, might match into this bathe. ?
Properly, it’s removed from performed. However a minimum of the tile is put in. As you’ll be able to see, I’ve a ton of cleanup to do. I attempted cleansing the mortar out of the grout traces as a lot as I might as I went alongside, however so typically, making an attempt to take away the mortar from the grout traces would shift the tiles. That as a result of so irritating, so I ended up letting the tiles arrange for about three hours, after which I got here again and cleaned these out. However then that left areas that I couldn’t attain with out placing weight on the tiles and taking an opportunity on shifting them, so I simply left them. Fortunately, mortar isn’t that troublesome to scrub up. However since these are 2 x 2 tiles, it’ll be time-consuming!
After all the tile was put in, I did return and proper these proper on the entrance. Because the rest room flooring tile is giant format and needs to be put in utilizing a 1/2-inch notch trowel, this space the place the 2 tiles meet was uneven though the tiles themselves are the identical thickness. (Putting in tiny tiles with a 1/2-inch notch trowel would have been needlessly troublesome and messy.)
So you’ll be able to see how that first row proper up towards the Schluter strip could be very clearly angled, and the second row is flat. I couldn’t stand how that regarded. I don’t thoughts a mild slope, however that very apparent slope simply on the fist row was terrible.
That was a row that had been put in on day certainly one of this tiling mission, so the mortar was superb and dry. So utilizing my hammer to interrupt up the tiles, I eliminated these first two rows of tiles and cleaned and vacuumed out the realm rather well. Then I crammed the realm with a bit extra mortar than earlier than, and put in new tiles.
However this time, I created a a lot gentler (and hopefully much less noticeable) slope with two rows of tiles. I feel as soon as it’s all grouted, it gained’t be very noticeable in any respect. And I truly assume it’s an excellent factor that there’s just a bit little bit of a slope there proper within the entrance to the bathe.
So there’s quite a lot of cleanup to do, however the greatest a part of this flooring is finished. And whereas I wasn’t too certain how I’d like the straightforward 2 x 2 sq. tiles (my choices have been restricted due to that slope line that required a straight grout line all the best way throughout the bathe), I’ve to say that I actually love how this tile seems.
After all, the entire flooring and the grout traces might be way more delicate as soon as it’s all grouted with a lightweight grey grout to match the tiles. I feel it’ll be very fairly when all is alleged and performed.
And thank goodness I’ve a Dremel! I feel that would be the excellent instrument to make use of with a purpose to clear up all of those grout traces within the quickest approach potential. I haven’t used that instrument in years (though I do use my Dremel Multi-Max very often), however I knew at some point, it could come in useful. It’s time has come. ?
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and beautify the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You may be taught extra about me right here.
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