How to Remove Paint From Tile

By an eHow Contributor

It can be tough to remove paint from tile, especially if it's been there for a while. Whether you're trying to restore the tile to its original luster, or just trying to clean up after a sloppy paint job, there are a few things you can do to make the job easier.

Instructions

1
Bring out the heavy chemicals. Most commercial paint removers are equipped to handle the job of removing paint from tiles; they work especially well if the tile is painted over completely. It may take a bit of time and money to get the job done, but this is a no-fail way to clean up those tiles the first time around.

2
Apply a little pressure. If you're just trying to clean up a few spots after painting the walls, use a putty knife or razor blade to scrape the offensive paint off the tile surface. Steel wool or abrasive pads will also work here. You need some patience for this to work properly, but it's much easier than going the chemical route.

3
Use a more natural product if the paint is fairly new. Begin by scrubbing the tile with soapy water and a rag, then rinse it clean. Follow up with a household cleaner like Goo Gone to remove fresh paint spills or spots.

4
Bring out the sander. This is a last-resort kind of option, but if nothing else works, carefully use an electric sander to remove just the top layer of paint.


Source: www.eHow.com

How to Replace a Damaged Tile

By Sarabeth Asaff, eHow Contributor

If the majority of a tile installation is in good shape, there is no reason to tear it out. If there are a few damaged tiles, you can replace damaged tiles quickly and without harm to the surrounding tiles by chiseling out the old tile in minutes, and installing the new tile on the same day. Make sure you purchase not only a matching replacement tile for the job, but also a matching grout color to ensure a seamless installation.


Things You'll Need

• Masking tape
• Nail
• Hammer
• Chisel
• Trowel
• Thin set
• Grout
• Grout float
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Tape off the edges of the surrounding tiles to protect them during the damaged tile's removal. Cover only the tiles themselves, and not the grout joints. You will be replacing the grout along with the damaged tiles.
2. Place a nail in the center of the damaged tile and hit the nail head firmly with a hammer. This will crack the tile into pieces, while breaking it away from the substrate and making it easier for you to remove.
3. Position the chisel in the center of the damaged tile, pointing away from your body at a 45-degree angle. Hit the chisel with the hammer into and under the damaged tile from the center out to the edges of the tile. Bring up both the tile and the mortar, down to the substrate, extending out to the edges of the surrounding tiles.
4. Spread a thin layer of thin set mortar onto the back of the replacement tile with a trowel. Apply only enough mortar to skim coat the back of the tile, not so much that it will come up around the edges of the tile when pressed. Line up the tile with the space left and press it firmly into place. Allow the mortar to dry overnight.
5. Grout the tile into place by spreading the grout across the joints with a grout float. A float is a flat, lightweight tool for pushing the grout into place, and packing it into the joints. Wipe away any excess grout from the surface of the tiles.

Source: www.eHow.com

How to Create a Tile Floor Pattern

By an eHow Contributor

You can create a visual illusion or draw attention to a section of your room with tile floor patterns. Using tiles of the same or different size, as well as matching and coordinating colors, gives you the opportunity to be creative in designing a pattern with your tile flooring that flows, but looks great.

Instructions

1. Map out your ideas. There are many options of patterns you can choose from, such as a checkerboard motif, crosswise design, diagonal or vertical layouts and/or stepping stone or brick weaving patterns. Draw a pattern that you have in mind onto a piece of paper to see how it will work with your tile options.
2. View tile choices. Visit a flooring store, or a home improvement store that sells flooring, to look at the selection of tiles available. This way, you can look at the different sizes of tile options, as well as the material of the tile.
3. Consider different colored tiles. You can select one style of tile to make a floor pattern, or go for a more dramatic look through coordinating tiles of different or similar color pallets.
4. Purchase sample tiles. After selecting the tile you want to create your floor pattern with, buy a small quantity of your tiles to take home to determine that they'll go with your home's style and wall color.
5. Test your pattern. Lay out the sample tiles in the pattern you've mapped out in Step 1. If that initial pattern you chose doesn't seem to be working, choose a different pattern and redesign your test layout.
6. Make your final determination and purchase all the necessary tiles. Measure your room and bring your tile layout with you to make sure you buy the correct number of tiles you're going to need to complete your pattern.

Source: www.eHow.com

How to Restore Victorian Floor Tiles

By Kevin McDermott, eHow Contributor

Victorian floor tiles are renowned for their unique designs and colors, but if the glaze over the tiles becomes dull and cloudy, they lose their impact. One way to restore the luster of those tiles without changing the design and colors is to apply new gloss over the surface. The old glaze must be dulled and thoroughly cleaned first, to allow the new gloss to stick. Use oil-based floor-grade polyurethane, which takes a long time to dry but leaves a much harder glaze than acrylic gloss.

Things You'll Need
Belt sander with a medium sandpaper belt
Trisodium phosphate cleanser
Scrub brush
Mop
Oil-based, floor-grade polyurethane gloss
Paintbrush
Extra-fine sandpaper

Instructions
1
Sand the surface of the tiles with your belt sander and medium sandpaper. Don't try to sand off the whole top layer; just get the tiles dull and clean. They should end up looking less shiny than they were, but otherwise the same.

2
Scrub down the tiles with a solution of 1 cup of trisodium phosphate to 1 gallon of warm water. Rinse-mop the floor very well. Let it dry for 24 to 48 hours.

3
Spread a coat of polyurethane over the tiles, using a paint brush. Brush it on tile by tile, keeping the polyurethane very thin and even, and avoiding the formation of bubbles. Let the polyurethane set for 48 hours.

4
Dull the surface of the dried polyurethane with extra-fine sandpaper, using quick, small strokes until it turns slightly milky. Wipe up the dust. Re-apply a second layer. Let it dry for 48 hours.

5
Dull the surface of the second layer of polyurethane in the same manner as before. Clean up the dust. Brush on a third and final layer of polyurethane. Let it set for another three to four days before using the floor.

Source: www.eHow.com

How to Clean a Limestone Floor

By Erica Roth, eHow Contributor

Limestone creates a natural, elegant look for your home when used as flooring material. Limestone floors are soft and pick up dirt and everyday grime more quickly than marble or hardwood floors. Maintain your limestone floor with routine care, reserving heavy-duty cleaning for serious spills and stains.

Things You'll Need
-Broom
-Microfiber dust cloths
-Paper towels
-Sponge
-Mop
-Dish detergent
-Bucket
-Bleach

Instructions

How to Clean a Limestone Floor

1
Sweep your limestone floor on a regular basis, daily if possible. Sand, leaves and other dirt that may be tracked inside can scratch the floor and dull its shine when left on the surface for too long. Use a dry dusting mop system with microfiber cloths as an alternative to a broom.

2
Attend to wet spills to avoid penetration into the limestone and possible staining. Blot water and other liquids with absorbent paper towels. Remove sticky residue with a damp sponge and a few drops of dish detergent.  

3
Remove mud and other debris with a soft mop and a soapy mixture of warm water and dish detergent. Avoid using abrasive cleaners or solvents that are highly acidic as these solutions can harm the finish of the limestone.

4
Clean mildew and plant-based stains such as algae with a weak bleach solution. Combine 1/4 cup bleach with a gallon of water and use the mixture to mop the limestone floor.

Source: www.eHow.com

Installing Porcelain Tile

Installing porcelain tile requires some methods and tools that are different than installing ceramic tile. If you are considering installing porcelain tile yourself you should make yourself familiar with all the aspects of installing ceramic tile, plus the additional porcelain tile installation information below.

Porcelain Tile Installation
Just as with laying ceramic tile, laying porcelain tile can be tedious and time consuming work, there are many accepted installation techniques, and in most cases there is a reason for that. The job conditions, skill level of the installer (maybe you!) the products being used, and the expected usage after installation will all contribute to the final installation methods. We will go much more in depth into the different ways of laying tile for your tile flooring project in our how to install tile flooring section. If you have purchased porcelain tile flooring or porcelain wall tile for yor project yo will need to know about some unique aspects of porcelain ceramic tile before you attempt to install it.

Porcelain tile hardness
Porcelain floor tile as well as porcelain wall tile are made up of about 50% of a product called feldspar with the other half containing various high quality light firing ball clays. Also because porcelain is pressed under higher pressure than other tiles it is more dense than regular ceramic tile. The higher firing temperatures also give porcelain tile flooring a much lower rate of absorption. These traits that differ in ceramic vs porcelain tile cause us to consider additional factors when installing porcelain tile.

Beginning your porcelain tile installation
First the surface to be tiled must be clean, dry, flat and structurally sound (does not flex when weight is applied), secure, and free from any type of contamination that can act as a bond breaker or bond inhibitor. If there is any substance present that could inhibit the bond of the mortars used, it must be completely removed. Suitable substrates include, but are not limited to, exterior grade plywood, cement backer board, concrete, mortar beds, cement plaster, and existing ceramic. Just as with installing any other ceramic tile each of these acceptable substrates may require various different methods of preparation.

Be sure to get the right mortar. Depending on the application and conditions present, the use of a liquid-latex fortified sanded cement mortar, polymer modified sanded cement, medium bed, or epoxy mortar is recommended for the installation of Porcelain tile. It can also be installed in mortar bed (i.e., thick bed) applications. Consult the installation materials manufacturer for additional information and installation instructions. Ensure that adequate coverage of mortar is present under the tiles to provide proper bedding coverage and problem-free performance. We recommend a quality premium polymer modified thinset mortar for most normal porcelain tile installations.

Next you will lay out your project just as you would with any other tile installation project. Take special note of any cuts that will need to be made (this the biggest different between porcelain vs ceramic tile installation projects). Cutting porcelain tiles is more difficult than regular ceramic tile.

Cutting porcelain tile
When cutting porcelain tile be sure to always use a very sharp or even a new blade. One of the biggest contributors to breaking porcelain tile when trying to install is due to the wrong or a dull blade. Another common problem is if your cutting head bearings are worn it can cause vibration which will contribute to breakage when cutting.

In most cases a wet saw is the best tool to cut porcelain tile with. We recommend using a continuous rim diamond tip blade designed for porcelain tile and glass as it has a softer rim that exposes a fresh diamond cutting edge when used on hard dense porcelain. I also brings a smoother cut and less chipping as the diamonds are smaller and closer together.

Also when cutting porcelain tiles using minimum but firm pressure will bring the best results.

Grouting porcelain tile
After you have finished installing porcelain tile, a polymer-modified, liquid-latex fortified or epoxy grout should be used. While grout-staining problems are extremely rare when using Porcelain tile products, a small test patch is recommended when using a dark grout over a light-colored tile, or vice versa. The test patch will also verify cleanability of the grout with heavily textured tile surfaces.

Read more: www.FlooringProfessor.com

Anti Slip for Tile at the Millennium Galleries, Sheffield

The Millennium Galleries opened in 2001, is one of four Sheffield museums which collectively have over a million visitors every year. The museum hosts a number of Events and Exhibitions including permanent collections from Victorian writer John Ruskin and Metalwork, Sheffield being world famous for its metalworking past.

The museum buildings manager was concerned about slipping on the floor tiles in the main entrance lobby covering approx 144m2, the tiles are of a high gloss porcelain variety which are by their nature slippery when wet. We gladly responded to the request and applied the Tile Doctor Anti-Slip treatment to a small area so they could see for themselves how effective the treatment is. The solution we use is not an Anti Slip coating but an invisible treatment which only becomes active when wet. The management team soon came back with a positive response and gave us the green light to complete the remainder of the floor.

Millennium Galleries, Sheffield and Tile Doctor Anti Slip
Before applying the Anti Slip treatment we cleaned the floor using Anti-slip Pre-cleaner diluted 1 part cleaner to 4 parts water, this was applied using a slow speed buffing machine fitted with a black buffing pad and then the floor was rinsed with water and left to dry for 30 minutes.

Once dry the Anti-slip solution was applied neat using a pump action spray, this was then worked into the tiles using a deck brush taking care to avoid splashing any exposed metalwork or glass. After 4 to 5 minutes the Lock-in solution was applied again diluted 1 part solution to 4 parts water and applied directly on top of the Anti-slip solution, this was worked into the tile using a black buffing pad. We used a low speed Victor Trojan Buffing machine to do this, the low speed reduces splashing.

Millennium Galleries Floor Treated with Anti Sip treatment

The last step was to polish the floor with a white buffing pad and wash down with clean water to neutralise any remaining anti slip solution which was then removed with a Wet and Dry Vacuum.

Read more: Anti Slip for Tile in Sheffield