THE TX REEF ROOM

[TX_REEF]

I was hoping to avoid removing the baseboard trim, but the crowbar ended up seeing some action. Because the room isn’t perfecto square and my tiling skills are less than expert, I think removing the trim and then putting back later will yield the most attractive results along the walls. I haven’t used a tile saw for over 15 years, but so far I’m pleased with the process.

 

[JonoH]

I was hoping to avoid removing the baseboard trim, but the crowbar ended up seeing some action. Because the room isn’t perfecto square and my tiling skills are less than expert, I think removing the trim and then putting back later will yield the most attractive results along the walls. I haven’t used a tile saw for over 15 years, but so far I’m pleased with the process.

If you wanted a complete 'wet room' option, you could always cut some tiles as a tiled skirt?

Would be great if you had a spill or water leak at any point.

 

[TX_REEF]

I was hoping to avoid removing the baseboard trim, but the crowbar ended up seeing some action. Because the room isn’t perfecto square and my tiling skills are less than expert, I think removing the trim and then putting back later will yield the most attractive results along the walls. I haven’t used a tile saw for over 15 years, but so far I’m pleased with the process.

If you wanted a complete 'wet room' option, you could always cut some tiles as a tiled skirt?

Would be great if you had a spill or water leak at any point.

Do you mean basically replacing the wood baseboards with tile? That’s a good idea, I’ll give it some thought. It’ll still probably be a week or so til I have the time to finish cutting, mortaring and grouting the floor itself.

 

[JonoH]

Do you mean basically replacing the wood baseboards with tile? That’s a good idea, I’ll give it some thought. It’ll still probably be a week or so til I have the time to finish cutting, mortaring and grouting the floor itself.

Yep, its commonly done here in Aus in wet area's like Laundry's.

 

[fushi]

Do you mean basically replacing the wood baseboards with tile? That’s a good idea, I’ll give it some thought. It’ll still probably be a week or so til I have the time to finish cutting, mortaring and grouting the floor itself.

Another good option is to use PVC trim board, you can find it at homedepot, it’s what we use in commercial kitchens. It’s also good to trim the drywall so there’s a nice gap between the drywall and tile so it doesn’t absorb water through the grout.

 

[lubeck]

Very cool build following along!

 

[TX_REEF]

Weekend update number one!

After much struggle and learning, all tile cutting is complete! Only two broken tiles, not bad. I hope to get as much thinset mortaring done as possible tomorrow, we’ll see how it goes…

PS I never used an angle grinder before, angle grinders are awesome

 

[UncommonSense]

PS I never used an angle grinder before, angle grinders are awesome

Just remember; fabricators call them the “death wheel” for good reason!!

the thin cutting discs are particularly scary… I’ve got a 1.5” long slot shaped hole clean through a 3/4” thick redwood fence picket from one exploding… — the safety guard is there for a reason!

it looks fantastic though, great work! Lots of custom cuts!

 

[bobnicaragua]

Nice looking work. That room is really coming along!

I think the tiled baseboards are a great idea. You don’t have to worry about them swelling when they get wet or scratched.

I tiled my first two houses myself and did stone baseboards in both.

 

[TX_REEF]

Weekend update number two.

I hand-cleaned every tile with water and a microfiber cloth to remove all dust and stacked them neatly. I also learned two lessons while beginning the thinset process…

one, don’t make a whole bag at once because I have no idea how to use it fast enough. Two, buy a mixing drill, because my regular drill caught on fire while trying to use the mixing paddle while mixing the thinset mortar, so I ended up stirring for 20 minutes by hand to get rid of all the lumps. I need a break til next weekend…

 

[TX_REEF]

I forced myself to make some progress after work today. The electric mixer is a game changer, I highly recommend it to anyone planning to mix thinset for any floor larger than a powder room/half bath: https://amzn.to/4mXQDix

I also got a tip to use a damp sponge on the concrete prior to troweling, apparently it helps with adhesion by preventing the concrete from quickly absorbing moisture from the thinset? I also am religiously back-buttering each tile since I am using natural stone tile. I’ve seen conflicting advice on whether or not it is necessary, but it certainly isn’t harmful and the only cost is extra time, which I am willing to abide for thoroughness and longevity.

Also, the “self leveling” spacer kit is NOT helpful for my project. It was a mistake to buy them. If you are advanced enough or tiling a small enough space to place all the spacers and wedges before the thinset dries, it would work well. But if you are slow or doing a larger area, you end up with spacers that are very sturdily adhered to dry concrete, often in less than perfect angles and spacing, when you come back to restart the tiling process. I had to use a hammer and chisel to remove the spacers at the edges from my first tiling session.

At any rate, confidence is slightly restored and I’m looking forward to a productive weekend.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I’ve always preferred natural stone too! Too bad it’s out of style now.

You don’t have to butter the back of most the tiles if you get a trowel with bigger teeth. The bigger teeth will lay down thicker and taller strips of thinset. That helps with leveling, since you can push them down if needed.

 

[TX_REEF]

Solid progress this weekend. Should be able to finish the tile work in 2 more weekends max. Then onto painting which is much more inside my comfort zone!

 

[TX_REEF]

MASSIVE tile progress this weekend. I’m confident I’ll have the tile work done next weekend! My tiling speed and technique have improved rapidly.

 

[TX_REEF]

Weekend progress 1 of 2. Finished the second corner and started the final wall. I’m certain I can finish up tomorrow. After that, sealing and grouting.

 

[TX_REEF]

Second weekend update:

As promised and with no lack of lower back pain, the tile mortaring is done!!! Next time, sealing and grouting.

 

[UncommonSense]

Second weekend update:

As promised and with no lack of lower back pain, the tile mortaring is done!!! Next time, sealing and grouting.

Awesome work! It's painful now, but it will be enjoyed for many years to come!

 

[TX_REEF]

Weekend update 1. Here’s an inside look at a step in the process I bet DIY enthusiasts (or at least me) don’t give consideration to before deciding to install extremely porous, black, natural stone tile. I have to carefully and thoroughly sponge-clean the tiles to remove all traces of thinset from the surfaces due to my lackluster/inexperienced mortaring skills. I first use a sponge in a bucket with some mild dish soap, and then immediately follow up with a sponge from a bucket of clean water, taking only one pass with each side of the sponge before rinsing it again to avoid simply spreading out the thinset dust/remnants.

By the way, this is my third time sponging the whole floor post-installation, because even though it improves each time a bit of thinset still remains in some areas…

After this pass dries, hopefully today, I should be able to seal. Grouting is going to be either next weekend or sometime this week depending on my energy level and primary workload.

PS to answer a couple questions you may be thinking but too polite to ask, YES this is way more work than I thought it would be, and NO, I don’t regret it!

Thanks for following along!

 

[UncommonSense]

Weekend update 1. Here’s an inside look at a step in the process I bet DIY enthusiasts (or at least me) don’t give consideration to before deciding to install extremely porous, black, natural stone tile. I have to carefully and thoroughly sponge-clean the tiles to remove all traces of thinset from the surfaces due to my lackluster/inexperienced mortaring skills. I first use a sponge in a bucket with some mild dish soap, and then immediately follow up with a sponge from a bucket of clean water, taking only one pass with each side of the sponge before rinsing it again to avoid simply spreading out the thinset dust/remnants.

By the way, this is my third time sponging the whole floor post-installation, because even though it improves each time a bit of thinset still remains in some areas…

After this pass dries, hopefully today, I should be able to seal. Grouting is going to be either next weekend or sometime this week depending on my energy level and primary workload.

Thanks for following along!

Wow! You’ve been busy!

— Sealing makes a massive difference!! What sealant are you using?

— I did around 550ft2 of natural slate tile for my parents earlier this year, and saw how fantastic it could look when wet cutting… I opted for a silicone based matte “wet look” sealant, which looks absolutely phenomenal!

Before wet look sealant:

After wet look sealant:

 

[TX_REEF]

Weekend update 1. Here’s an inside look at a step in the process I bet DIY enthusiasts (or at least me) don’t give consideration to before deciding to install extremely porous, black, natural stone tile. I have to carefully and thoroughly sponge-clean the tiles to remove all traces of thinset from the surfaces due to my lackluster/inexperienced mortaring skills. I first use a sponge in a bucket with some mild dish soap, and then immediately follow up with a sponge from a bucket of clean water, taking only one pass with each side of the sponge before rinsing it again to avoid simply spreading out the thinset dust/remnants.

By the way, this is my third time sponging the whole floor post-installation, because even though it improves each time a bit of thinset still remains in some areas…

After this pass dries, hopefully today, I should be able to seal. Grouting is going to be either next weekend or sometime this week depending on my energy level and primary workload.

Thanks for following along!

Wow! You’ve been busy!

— Sealing makes a massive difference!! What sealant are you using?

— I did around 550ft2 of natural slate tile for my parents earlier this year, and saw how fantastic it could look when wet cutting… I opted for a silicone based matte “wet look” sealant, which looks absolutely phenomenal!

Before wet look sealant:

After wet look sealant:

This is the sealer I’m going to use once the tiles are spotless. It’s hard to tell without seeing it in person, but because these are flamed tiles, the surface is extremely rough and porous, so unless I did something like epoxy over it, the “unevenness” would remain. Think like the non-slip strips on some sidewalks.

Also, my main motivation for this type of tile is from visiting China multiple times with my wife. In the ancient cities, many of the outdoor areas around the palaces/temples and shopping areas are paved with massive, rough granite slabs. That rough, natural, “ancient” appearance is really what I’m aiming for with this flooring choice.