tiling a walkin shower with 13 x 13 porclein tile

[mmeiring]

Well, I am finally getting ready to install the tile in my walk-in shower. While I personally do not like porclein tile it seems that is the majority out there and my wife picked the tile. Thus, after many calls I finally was able to purchase a Felker 150, seems there is a problem at the factory and a significant back order.

So, the tile will be installed over 1/2" wedi board attached directly to the studs with no membrane.

I know this is probably against the grain but I always like to install the floor, which is 2 x 2 tile, first and then work off that. It is just the way I was taught, if someone can give me good reasons not to I will consider. What size trowel for this tile, my grout is brown any thin set left behind will likely show, unless they now sell colored thinset other than white and gray?

The wall tile will be installed with a Mapi (?) thin-set yet to be determined, recommedations? My concern is getting a good bond on 13 x 13 tile. I was thinking of doing a skim coat of thin-set on the Wedi board to get all the variation out from the joints and screws, letting dry for a day and then installing the tile. From reading the forum it looks like a 1/4 X 1/4 trowel is appropriate. Also, I'm installing deco travertine(?) strips with a pattern that seems sloppy. I have one of those bench seats, made out of metal to be tiled in and a ressed metal shelf also to be tiled. Any suggestions? All ideas and recommendations will be appreciated.

By the way my father was a tile contractor and I was taught the trade 50 years ago. For many reasons after setting tile into my early 20's I have only done it for therpy for the last 40+ years.

Michael Meiring

[Dan the Man]

I would normally start with the walls (if that's what you mean) to keep the floor clean etc, but I would say same old same old, doesn't really matter I don't think.

Adhesive colour, eeerm, I would just say work cleaner. There are a few simple techniques which can help you keep clean joints. One being lay the tile butted up to the adjoining one, two or three, then as you press in the tile, wiggle it away from the others to give you the grout joint. If you imagine doing that the opposite way, you'd pull the adhesive from where you have just spread it and fill the joint, so that theory is just based on doing the opposite of that.

Trowel, I'm not too sure what your Reg's are for trowels but here in the UK it's a case of, as long as it's 100% covered (for floors) your good to go, even spreading with a sausage. Ok so the sausage thing is going too far, but it's about what the coverage and the tile is doing more so than what trowel your using I think..

Adhesive choice, Mapei are good, very good, huge back up from them lot as they are huuuuge... I'm sure you'll be good with those (we used to train tilers with Mapei products along with a few other adhesive manufacturers gear, and the reports from new fixers were always good).

As for your bits and bobs that need tiling, I'd say just take your time and make sure your following any guides you get from the others on here, or the manufacturers etc etc.

Hope I haven't misunderstood any of your queries there, that would be a waste of my time replying for sure

[John Bridge]

Welcome, Michael.

I go along with Dan. Trowel size seems to be a subjective topic around here.

I don't backbutter the tiles going on the walls unless I'm "spotting" them up. If your walls are straight and true you should be able to simply trowel the mortar onto the Wedi. By the way, where did you buy the Wedi?

Tell is a bit more about the metal shelves. Better Bench?

[Jason_Butler]

Just curious why you don't like porcelain tile?

Jason

[Dan the Man]

Hmm,

I didn't clock that one (woops)... By the sounds of it, it's probably a bad cutting experience they have had, the reason for the Felker 150 maybe?!?

Actually, and cost, his wife picked them remember..!

[mmeiring]

Both the seat and the shelf are better bench. Seem relatively easy, have not decided whether to install bench before tile or after. I selected Wedi, because supposedly it acts as its own vapor barrier and it was relatively easy to install. The house I am working on was an Oregon "Good Cents House" which means energy efficient in the 1980's. I opened the wall in the shower because I had to replace all the poly buetalane(?) and found mold growing in the walls. The exterior is covered with Tyvek which doesn't allow mositure to go anywhere. I moved the plumbing and penatrations to interior walls and used the Wedi hopefully to insure that the stud bays do not grow any more mold.

As to porclein, I have a tile saw that my dad left me from the 1960's that even with a good blade just does not cut that well, plus the cost of drill bit for all the hole sizes is almost as much as the tile. Oh well.

Michael

[jadnashua]

If I understand it, Tyvec passes water vapor, but not liquid; i.e., it is not a vapor barrier. It is a good barrier against wind penetrations, too, but any moisture thatgets behind it should evaporate through it. Someone verify this?