Shower Renovation Questions

[nelsonxn]

well, i think is worth a test try.

I'll lay down 2 tiles on the same cement board i used for the shower walls.

keep you posted.

[nelsonxn]

Master bathroom update. still not finished but close. I'll post how i handled the bowed tiles when i'm done. i just wanted to show the progress with some photos...

[nelsonxn]

I accidentally chipped a smaller than dime size piece off the porcelain tile surface edge as shown below...



I'm not sure if i should replace the tile or try to repair it with an epoxy kit. I think it would be best to replace the tile since i don't think a epoxy repair will last, but I'd like to know what porcelain repair kit would work best for this type of tile with a glossy finish and how long does a repair normally last for a shower wall tile?

Thanks,

[Davy]

I'd replace it if I have extra tiles.

[nelsonxn]

yup, that how I've been leaning.

I just don't think i have enough confidence in the porcelain tile repair kits that i won't notice the difference every time i take a shower.

thanks

[nelsonxn]

Hello,
I have front and back shower wall side edges that don't line up as shown in pic below. One side or is about 2/16" to 3/16" off to the other side.

My question is...

is it better to match one side and let the other side be - as shown...



or



straddle the tile to so one side is a little above the edge and the other side is below the edge.

thanks,

[ss3964spd]

I'd probably want to split the difference as in photo #2. Are the gaps along both mitered edges consistent?

[nelsonxn]

The gap or grout joint between all tiles is a consistent 1/16" and if i understand you correctly, there is a fairly consistent 1/16 to 3/32 factory edge along the mitered edges.

And, yes I agree that straddling the L and R gaps would look the least offensive.

[nelsonxn]

Hello,
I was wondering what the correct way to grout a beveled outside corner is..

Should the grout occupy the beveled area only or occupy all of the area right up to the edge?

cross section illustration below...

[cx]

I would grout at least as in your photo on the right, Nelson. If it's a traffic corner, I actually try to round it off a bit, even.

But if you want to know what's correct, it would be to fill that joint with a flexible sealant. And with 100 percent silicone sealants available these days in the same color and texture as your grout, I think it reasonable to do that. But, depending upon the location, I might well incorrectly grout it anyway.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Davy]

I would incorrectly grout it. Grout will give more support than silicone or caulk.

[nelsonxn]

It's the shower wall outside vertical corners.



I thought of rounding the corner edges as shown using a plastic template. Thanks for suggesting it.

My only concern is whether the edge grout will crack at the end of the miter making the quarter round bead of grout fall off.

[cx]

Of course it "could" crack, Nelson. Will it? I dunno. But it's unlikely that your grout would "fall out." You'd just have a crack. And I could say "I told you so." Or maybe it won't crack, and you could say, "Nah, na, na, na, naa, naa!"

Risk tolerance. Your choice.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[nelsonxn]

CX,
It's worth a shot. Thanks for your humor!

[nelsonxn]

Hi,
Did i buy a bad bag of mortar or should i have just left the glued tile alone for 24 + hrs?

I purchased what should be my last bag of MAPEI Ultra-flex LFT mortar from F&D last weekend to finish up the tile job.

After 12 hours of curing, i tried to pull a shim (used to create space for tile expansion) out from between a piece wall tile and the floor tile, the wall tile came off with the shim. I've pulled shims from between other wall and floor tiles before after 12 hours before without issue. Maybe i was just lucky.

I understand that it take 24+ hrs to cure enough before messing with the tile, but i was surprised the tile separated from the mortar so easily after 12 hours. As i scraped the mortar off the tile and wall, I noticed that the mortar was not as hard as i expected after 12 hrs. The mortar was still damp - as expected, felt chalky, rubbed off easy, and pieces were somewhat crumbly. Maybe this is normal until it cures longer?

So, do i have a bad bag of mortar, or should i of just let the tile sit on the mortar for 24 + hrs before touching it from now on?

thanks,