I recently moved into an older apartment with many quirks and charms. The floor is not one of them. It's quarry tile, like you find in restaurant kitchens, and it is disgusting. At one point it had been sealed or varnished, and the sealant is now peeling off. The grey grout looks like someone mashed dirt into it even after it's been scrubbed with Comet. Help!
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posted by tatiana wishbone
on Apr 8, 2013 -
17 answers
The cabinets are already installed at floor level. Do we tile under the range and dishwasher or up to them? Also the dishwasher is already installed, but if we have to, we can take it out and tile under it. Opinions?
posted by Andrea2880
on Feb 12, 2013 -
15 answers
I am having my bathroom professionally remodeled and I am strongly considering having the shower floor made out of wood (most likely Teak or Ipe), resting over conventional concrete drainage. Any experience, advice or vendor referrals from people who have done this or from professionals would be appreciated. I'm particularly concerned with the ongoing maintenance and durability compared to traditional pebble or tile shower flooring. Is it worth the elegance and tactile comfort enhancements?
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posted by jameslavelle3
on Nov 15, 2012 -
8 answers
Please give me a thorough, basic summary of open mapping (open source mapping) so I can add pretty, complex maps to websites without making it a full-time job.
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posted by kristi
on Aug 21, 2012 -
12 answers
Can you help me come up with some cute ideas for a customized onesie or other baby gift, having to do with
tile?
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posted by rachaelfaith
on Jul 4, 2012 -
9 answers
Do you use a steam floor cleaner? I've read all the reviews, now I'd like your thoughts ... a few special circumstances inside:
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posted by anastasiav
on Jun 8, 2012 -
10 answers
What is this weird stuff that appears to be growing in grouted areas of my outdoor patio tile? Photos inside.
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posted by cgk
on May 27, 2012 -
7 answers
What is the difference in quality between Home Depot/Lowe's porcelain tile and that from a specialty tile store?
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posted by amicamentis
on Mar 3, 2012 -
12 answers
What color grout should I use? I'm using these
hexagonal tiles in our bathroom, and we're about to grout them, but I'm not sure if I should use black, white, or grey grout. Which color might best highlight the tile shape and pattern? I'm leaning toward black or a dark grey, but haven't seen it used on these tiles before. Any experience with a dark grout?
posted by Toekneesan
on Dec 28, 2011 -
18 answers
a friend's basement flooded, and the floor needs replacing (wood on a concrete slab). she asks if porcelain tile could be laid in, considering the (remote) chance it could happen again. I think so, but wonder about the contact layer, and leveling over the slab. what would you use? would you seal the edges to prevent water getting in there (freezing/expansion)? is porcelain impervious?
posted by ebesan
on Nov 20, 2011 -
10 answers
How can my kid best test an experiment regarding roofing materials and their ability to block heat?
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posted by Fairchild
on Nov 8, 2011 -
10 answers
How to quickly retile over a busted old floor? Bonus: potential asbestos hazard.
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posted by zvs
on Sep 29, 2011 -
9 answers
Fine me a project! A friend visited the Kennedy Space Center a year or so ago, and brought back souvenirs – I now own a
4x4 tile made of the same (silicon? ceramic?) insulating material that protected the Space Shuttle. Is there anything I can do with this other than admire it?
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posted by aimedwander
on Aug 18, 2011 -
3 answers
Building a bathroom in Portland, OR. Where to buy affordable fixtures and tile besides bix-box stores, Ikea and the Rebuilding Center?
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posted by pernoctalian
on Jul 23, 2011 -
6 answers
Love weight lifting, hate the drive to the local Megagym (or any gym). Reasonably cheap weight lifting equipment abounds, but space is a problem. I have a couple of options available, and I could use some help.
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posted by Punkey
on Jun 17, 2011 -
8 answers
My tiled shower walls are water permeable, and it is messing up the adjacent drywall. Two tile guys agree - is a design issue, and re-grouting will not fix. Would cost a small fortune to fix right. I am redoing bathroom in five years or so, but for now, I need cheap waterproofness. What can I do to my walls that will keep water out?
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posted by juliewhite
on May 20, 2011 -
14 answers
We are putting tile in our bathroom! what do we need to know? or what do YOU wish YOU had known before your bathroom tile project?
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posted by hollyanderbody
on May 3, 2011 -
18 answers
Now I need help choosing tile for the shower floor. Is the one I picked going to hurt me? I know you are not my tile setter but I've got to order tile soon. Testing the tile before ordering is not an option.
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posted by bilabial
on Apr 14, 2011 -
12 answers
Putting in a kitchen backsplash and want your opinion. Doing a stainless steel backsplash behind stainless steel oven/range and white subway tile the rest of the kitchen. Grout is a grey which will work for the SS tile and also for the white subway tile. However, the white subway is 3x6" and the SS tile is sold as 1x2" but isn't really quite 1x2. Our handyguy says it will look bad to have the groutlines not even with each other due to height difference of tiles (SS vs white) but the guy at the upscale tilestore says not an issue. We aren't sure if it will or not.
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posted by dublin
on Mar 1, 2011 -
12 answers
I need inspiration for an impending South Florida master bathroom remodel. I like a shabby chic style, and I understand the principles, but desperately need specific images for a bathroom that totals 45 sq feet outside of the shower stall, and probably more like 30-35 sq feet once you subtract the water closet.
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posted by bilabial
on Feb 25, 2011 -
9 answers
Need help deciding on tile for our new kitchen backsplash! We recently moved into a renovated house, and it already has these
granite countertops. I'm not a huge fan of the color or strong veining, but they're new and we don't have the money to replace them. Our cabinets are currently
dark brown, though we might paint them a light grey or white in the next year or so. What kind of tile or marble should we use on our backsplash? Or should we just paint it another color with somewhat washable paint? We cook lots and there are already quite a few marks above the stove and around the sink.
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posted by barnone
on Sep 16, 2010 -
26 answers
Is anyone here a mosaic tile artist ? I'm looking for a source for mosaic tiles that have a significant range of shading, to construct a monotone tile mosaic from a b&w photo.
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posted by eaglehound
on Aug 16, 2010 -
5 answers
I'm looking for (tiling) industry standards for acceptable amounts of lippage (one tile higher than the one next to it) for 12"x12" granite tile. Also, what's the best way to a) Measure and b) photograph the amount of lippage?
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posted by If only I had a penguin...
on Aug 16, 2010 -
3 answers
Basement remodel / cardio equipment question: old unfinished basement had concrete floors. Down there we have all the usual basement 'stuff', plus a cardio setup with a treadmill. Until now, the treadmill was on rubber mats - but we've installed a new porcelain tile floor...
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posted by matty
on Jul 6, 2010 -
4 answers
Should we lay a tile border around our sink so we don't ruin our new birch countertops? If so, what do you wish you had known about tiling before undertaking your first project?
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posted by joshuaconner
on Jun 19, 2010 -
10 answers
My huge fancy stone-tile shower is growing mold like crazy. What can I use to clean this up that won't hurt the septic tank?
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posted by jeoc
on Apr 21, 2010 -
13 answers
Foundation work has caused a number of problems, how do I triage? Issues include cracked/buckled drywall in walls and ceilings, misaligned doorframes, gaps in shower stall tile, and cracked/separated bathroom floor tiles.
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posted by restless_nomad
on Dec 29, 2009 -
12 answers
this should be pretty simple - Ive got a HUGE image (72" x 96") and want to print it. Thats going to be REAL expensive to print as one piece so i was hoping to find some software that would chop it into many 8x10" pieces that I can then print in a standard printer. Suggestions?
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posted by nihlton
on Nov 20, 2009 -
13 answers
There is a tacky (as in sticky) film on top of my newly installed tile floor. Help me make it go away! (the tacky film, not the tile floor, mind you)
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posted by sandra_s
on Oct 29, 2009 -
5 answers
Custom Settlers of Catan Tileset! Help me find (or make) the perfect hexagonal tile for Settlers
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posted by comradestu
on Sep 22, 2009 -
7 answers
Flooring-filter: Talk to me about linoleum in general, and Marmoleum brand linoleum in particular. Is it nice? Is it DIY-able? What should I know before choosing it for our kitchen?
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posted by Bardolph
on Aug 24, 2009 -
8 answers
Bathroom DIY Filter: Tiling our one full bathroom. Is it okay to do one wall of tile, cover it with plastic, and take a shower? It's really the only way I see of doing this and having a normal life in the process. Or we're gonna be some stinky people.
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posted by littlerobothead
on May 27, 2009 -
12 answers
Help me find a table-top sliding tile game from the 70s involving connecting "pipes."
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posted by rleamon
on Apr 29, 2009 -
8 answers
What kind of travertine is this? We found photos of two floors that we really like, but haven't been able to find anyone selling something quite like it. We're pretty sure it's travertine, but the color and color variations are moderately different than anything I've seen at a store or online.
Floor 1 |
Floor 2 |
another shot of floor 2
posted by jewzilla
on Dec 21, 2008 -
5 answers
My mosaic tile floor is crumbling. I suspect its because the floor gives a little under weight. If I repair it, will the same thing happen again? Or, what else could I do to avoid giving up on it completely?
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posted by nzydarkxj
on Dec 1, 2008 -
6 answers
I recently ripped up ceramic tiles from a patch of hardwood floor - what's the best way to remove the remaining glue and debris without harming the wood itself?
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posted by deern the headlice
on Oct 6, 2008 -
12 answers
