Installing Ceramic Tile on Metal Surfaces

As long as you have a rigid hard substrate, installing ceramic tile on metal surfaces is no different than installing it on concrete. Using a fortified thinset adhesive will do the trick plus eliminate any need for a concrete backerboard. It is a fairly easy do-it-yourself job that can be accomplished successfully following some simple to use instructions. Adding ceramic tile to say, a metal floor, can produce a greater control for creating a decorative design that will enhance the beauty of your home while increasing its value.

What you’ll need

1. Ceramic tile
2. Fortified thinset
3. Trowel
4. Tile spacers
5. Grout
6. Grout float
7. Tile and grout sealer

Step 1 – Select Your Tile

The amount of ceramic tile available in today’s building construction industry is staggering, sometimes overwhelming. There’s not enough time to examine all that is available. However, use the Internet to do your search starting with the elements that appeal to you, like color and type of pattern. Write down the name and manufacturer of each tile you do like making sure they are available locally. Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a number that can easily be handled – say five or six – make a visit to the home improvement center or building supply store where these are available. Check the tile out in person to make sure the color that attracted you when viewing online is the color you find in the showroom. If possible, buy a single sample tile of each you like to bring these home to eye them in the environment where you will install the ceramic tile floor.

Step 2 –Measure Carefully

Take accurate measurements of the square footage in the area where you will install the ceramic tile floor. Use these measurements with the help of your home improvement center or building supply store professional to determine the amount of supplies to get the job done successfully. Always allow about a 10 to 15 percent overrun for mistakes and unforeseen needs for extra material.

Step 3 – Clean the Area

Makes sure the entire metal surface is clean from any dirt, oil, grease and other residue. The tile adhesive will not bond properly unless the surface area is perfectly clean.

Step 4 – Apply Adhesive

Working in 15 square foot segments, apply adhesive to the metal surface area using a trowel. Spread enough in your segmented work area that will allow you to finish that spot in less than 10 minutes. Place the tile into the adhesive using firm exertion in a circular type motion to ensure a proper bond. Place spacers to create a straight grout line. Allow for a 24-hour dry time.

Step 5 – Grout the Surface

After proper drying time, remove the spacers. Mix the grout in a 5-gallon container to the consistency of peanut butter. Using a grout float spread the grout forcing it into the grout lines from varying angles. The grout also needs a during time of 24 hours.

Step 6 – Seal the Floor

Allow the grout 24 hours to set before walking on it. Then wait a total of 72 hours before applying a high quality penetrating sealer to complete the project.

 Source: www.DoItYourself.com

How to Renovate Marble Floors by Berkshire Flooring Expert

I had a call out late last year to a property in the market town of Wokingham to survey a dull Marble floor which was installed throughout most of the ground floor. It turns out that the house was only built two years prior and had been the show home for a new development. The owner explained to me that to show off the potential of the new homes the developer had installed quality materials throughout, particularly the marble flooring, however the property had seen more than its fair share of foot traffic because of it.

   

Two years of wear later and the owner was concerned with how dull the Marble floor was and the appearance of small circular stains which had appeared throughout. I explained that Marble which is made from calcium is easily etched by the use of acidic cleaning products and that most tile cleaners you purchase in supermarkets are really only for use on Ceramic or Vinyl floor tiles. I suspect any sealer used on the floor to protect the stone had also been worn away for the same reason resulting in the now dull appearance.

 

After explaining the process, I would use for burnishing the Marble to deep clean and restore the shine I measured up and worked out a quotation. I received a message later that evening comforting they would like to go ahead, and a date was booked in.

 

Cleaning and Polishing a Marble Tiled Floor

I should mention that this job was carried out in compliance with the Covid-19 restrictions to ensure it was a safe working environment for both myself and the customer. This includes the wearing of full PPE equipment, increasing air circulation, and ensuring we kept our distance.

My first task was to protect the skirting and the fitted kitchen units from splashing by applying protective sheeting. Once this was done, I turned my attention to the grout which had become dark in places in accumulated dirt. To do this I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline cleaner specifically designed to break down soils, grease and oils on Tile and Stone. The cleaner was sprayed onto the grout lines and left to soak in for a few minutes before being scrubbed in by hand. Some of the grout needed more attention than others and once done the soil was rinsed off the floor with water and extracted using a wet vacuum.

Now the grout was cleaned I moved onto polishing the Marble floor tiles. I did this using the Tile Doctor four stage diamond burnishing system. This consists of applying a sequence of four refinishing pads fitted to a weighed buffing machine. You start with a coarse 400-grit pad and working through to a fine 1500-grit pad, each time removing the stone slurry with a wet vacuum. This process removed the acidic etching and repolished the surface of the Marble to a nice shine. I worked in sections room by room and then left the floors to fully dry off overnight.

 

Sealing Marble Tiled Flooring

I returned the next day and using a damp meter took a few readings from the floor to check the moisture levels to ensure it was dry and ready to be sealed. Before sealing though I went over the floor with a very fine 3000-grit pad which is applied dry with a little water sprayed onto to the floor, this final pad further builds up the polish and achieve the appearance desired by the customer.\

Last step was to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Colour Grow, a colour enhancing seal designed to bring out the natural colours in the stone whilst adding protection from liquid and oil spills. Impregnating sealers like Colour Grow work by occupying the tiny pores in the stone thus preventing contaminates from becoming ingrained in them.

 

The customer could not believe with how well the floor had come up and were pleased they finally had the floor they had been promised prior to moving in. For aftercare I left them with a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is designed for the regular cleaning of tiled floors.

Source: Marble Floor Tile Cleaning and Polishing Service in Berkshire

Different Types Of Marble Tile

Marble tile comes in a wide range of colors, making it an ideal choice for accentuating any type of décor. In addition to the various hues available, the differences in vein patterns and grain distinguish each type of marble from one another. No matter which type you decide to install, marble tile adds a timeless visual impact. Here are some popular marble options:

Carrara Marble Tile

This is generally white, gray or blue-glue and commonly used in sculpture and building décor. Its veining is more linear and usually small and fine or soft and feathery, although it can be dramatic. Carrara is one of the most commonly used marbles in homes. Since it can have a stark, pristine whiteness, use Carrara marble tile in the bathroom to add an airy and clean feel.

Statuary Marble Tile

A sister stone to Carrara, Statuary marble features a uniform background and light gray tones with distinctive and more dramatic veining. Its semi translucent white background gives it a shiny, glossy feel, reflects light and provides a radiant finish that enhances any room.

Calacatta Marble Tile

Often misspelled as Calcutta, Calcata, and Calacata, this marble tile is also commonly mistaken for Carrara marble. Even though Calacatta marble is often quarried in the Carrara region of Italy and shares similarities with Carrara marble, such as their white coloring with gray veining, the two marbles have several distinct characteristics that set them apart. Calacatta marble tiles are generally white with dark veining in large, thick patterns. For some homes, Calacatta tiles can add a striking look when paired with stainless steel of a kitchen or the white porcelain of a bathroom. Since it’s rarer than Carrara, many people consider Calacatta a luxury stone.

Emperador Marble Tile

Quarried from three regions of Spain, Emperador marble tile comes in different shades of brown, straying from the whites and grays associated with Calacatta and Carrara. It typically exhibits fine grains with irregular veins. Its darker color makes it an ideal choice for a high-traffic floors of a charming fireplace surround.

Crema Marfil Marble Tile

Also quarried in Spain, Crema Marfil marble tile comes in many tones. The most well-known tones have a light-beige or yellowish color with uniform backgrounds and irregular veins.

History of Marble Tile

Marble has been the material of choice for monuments, temples and buildings for thousands of years. It has long been a symbol of tradition, luxury and extraordinary taste. Throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Far East, historic marble buildings remain. The Ancient Greeks used fine white marble to erect some of the most iconic buildings in the world. And after the Greeks, Romans started using marble slabs to clad brick and mortar buildings. It was this innovation that allowed them to erect entire marble cities, in a short amount of time.

So, there you have it, the fascinating facts, and the different types of marble tiles it was used for. It’s pretty clear to see that it’s a material that adds value and elegance to your home!

Source: www.AvalonFlooring.com

Yorkshire Expert Explains how to Renovate Chinese Slate Kitchen Tiles

The pictures above are of a 12 metre squared Chinese slate floor in the kitchen of a property in Harrogate which had been laid ten years prior. You can see from the photographs that the grout had darkened and the slate itself had lost a lot of its character and colour.

 

Sealers typically last between three to five years so by now there was little protection left and so dirt had become trapped in the pores of the stone and grout making it difficult to keep clean. It was now overdue a deep clean and the application of a fresh seal.

I went over to survey the floor and provide a quote for stripping off what was left of the original sealer, cleaning the floor, and then resealing. I had been recommended by a previous customer so happy with my track record and the price I quoted, they asked me to do the work. They had received a quote from another firm which as it turned out was a lot more expensive than mine.

 

Cleaning a Chinese Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Given there was little sealer left to remove I decided to start by scrubbing the floor with a strong concentration of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to soak into the slate for ten minutes. Then I worked the solution in with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Pro-Clean is a very versatile product that will strip the sealer off a floor when used in a strong dilution with water, it will also remove deep seated dirt too.

 

Due to the riven nature of the tiles however I found the black pad was struggling to reach into the crevices of the tile so to achieve the desired result I resorted to scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees with a scrubbing brush. Its important that the floor is as clean as it possibly can be before sealing otherwise you simply lock the dirt in and it will never look clean.

Sealing a Chinese Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

The floor was left to dry off overnight and I returned the next day to apply the new sealer. First, I checked to ensure that the floor was fully dry using a damp meter. The sealer would not cure properly if the floor damp and this can detract from the finished appearance.

I was happy with the readings, so I started to apply the first coat of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which I felt was the best product sealing Slate. The stone needed four coats; each one being left to dry before applying the next. Seal and Go is a stain resistant sealer which results in a low sheen silky appearance, it is good on surfaces such as the Chinese Slate which tend to be more porous and being water based it does not leave a smell as it dries.

 

The client was very happy with the result and mentioned to me that it had never looked that good even when new.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which will keep the floor in the best condition. This is a pH neutral cleaner which can be used daily and won’t compromise the newly laid sealer like many of the stronger products you find in supermarkets.

Source: Chinese Slate Floor Cleaning and Renovation Service in Yorkshire

How to Fix Warped Wood Floors

Warped wood floors in your home may feel like an almost unfixable issue, but luckily, there are ways to straighten out these areas so that they look as good as new.

What Causes Warped Wooden Floors?

Typically, moisture is the culprit that causes wooden floors to warp. That can come in the form of water or humidity, and can get especially bad during the transition in seasons, when temperature changes bring about the moisture in the air.

This unwanted moisture causes wood to swell, then contract as it dries, causing an unsightly bump or bubble in your flooring. Conversely, excessively dry conditions or too much direct sunlight can also be the cause behind floor gaps by causing wood to shrink.

Deciphering the Size of Your Warp Issue

Every floor warping problem is different, so it’s important to decipher the scope of the problem in determining how to fix it.

Small warps are typically characterized by small bumps in the wood. In these cases, the wood will be pretty pliable. Larger warps will take up more room along a wood board. Giant warps are more of a large-scale issue - and are thus harder to treat. These will be large in size and are most times attributed to aged wood, significant water damage, or a lack of attention and care to the space.

Sanding Down a Warped Floor

The first method to fix a warped floor is to sand it. This works best for warps that come from humidity or a water spill rather than from a leak that originated below your flooring. Sand down the bump in your flooring until it is level with the rest of the floor. Keep in mind that this will require an aggressive amount of sanding in most instances. That means that about a quarter of thickness could be given up in this process, which is something to consider.

Fixing a Small Warp

You can fix a small warp issue quite easily. As long as the wood is still pliable, it can be fixed by moistening the area slightly, then placing a heavy object like a barbell or a cinderblock on top. Leave the weight for several days and let gravity do its job. After those few days have passed, remove it and see if the warped area is fixed. If the warp is still present, treat the issue like a large warp, as detailed below.

Fixing a Large Warp

If you have a warp that is larger than what a cinderblock can cover, you’ll want to replace the flooring area that is affected. Remove the warped plank. Once you do that, it’ll be easier to determine the root of the problem, if you haven’t already. For instance, an underlying leak could be the culprit causing your wood to move.

After you’ve done some investigating, replace the plank with one of the same kind to match the rest of your flooring. Nail and secure the plank using the same installation technique that was used for the rest of your floor so that the look remains seamless.

If you’re having trouble sourcing flooring that matches yours or you don’t want to shell out the cash to do so, a useful trick is to “steal” planks from an unseen area within your home. For instance, take planks from a space like a closet or under your refrigerator. These will serve as a perfect match to replace the warped planks. Then, you can use whatever you want to replace the stolen planks, such as something more cost effective or something that’s not a perfect match.

Other Tips and Tricks

Finish Your Floors - To prevent wood from warping in the first place, your wood floors should be properly finished to protect against moisture. This means that the subfloor has a vapor barrier, locking out moisture and preventing swelling, contracting, and gaps regardless of the moisture levels or dryness surrounding them.

Limit Humidity - Careful humidity control can help minimize wooden floor warping. Run fans in rooms with wood floors and avoid exposing them to excess air conditioning. To create the best circumstances for your floors, run dehumidifiers to pull moisture from the air.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com