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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 19, 2006 20:01:07 GMT -5
Hubby decided that the kitchen needed a makeover, so he decided to do the floor in ceramic tiles. His friend who works in construction had done some for work a dozen times or so and said he'd do it for us (we'd help of course). So Friday night we installed the plywood and put in over 2000 screws between then (we quit at midnight) and Saturday morning (thank god for drills). Saturday morning 9:30, we started instaling the tiles on a diagonal (never again) - took a break for lunch & supper but worked till past midnight on installing all the tiles in a 240 sqft kitchen dining room (had enough of tiles to last a lifetime) but I was eyeing the plastic tile thingys! My hands are raw and cracked, my back hurts, my legs, feet, arms hurt! The kitchen looks great but we still have to clean the floors over and over again & eat in the living room - but am i ever glad it's over!!!! Never again will I do that (hubby's brother wants his floor done, but he can pay someone to do it! (not to be mean but I hope next time hubby gets a hankering to renovate, he'll remember the kitchen  - seems like he forgot the hell he went through when he put wood flooring in the living room - I'll remind him, don't worry!!!!! It's 8PM, I'm off to bed! Here's the finished floor (it's still got grout that needs washing - but I've washed it already about 5 times, I'm still cleaning it (the kitchen extends past the central "almost island" to the left)  |
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Post by Cher on Mar 19, 2006 20:12:46 GMT -5
Awww poor Tweety, take a pic, I want to see how it looks.
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Post by takilasunrise on Mar 20, 2006 9:56:21 GMT -5
I tiled a small tabletop this last summer, which wasn't too bad, but I can't imagine a whole floor! I wasn't too worried about perfection for the outside table, but I know a floor has to be.........yikes! What an accomplishment! I'd like to see a photo, too!
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Post by docone31 on Mar 20, 2006 18:54:00 GMT -5
Why is the center line off? Otherwise it looks good. The centerline is the first thing I see.
Tile does look good though.
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Mar 20, 2006 19:32:59 GMT -5
;DTweet! I know exactly what you went through. I installed about 550' of tile in the house we just moved into. I installed it in the entry, kitchen, both bathrooms, and ding area. It took my brother and I nearly two days to complete the job, but when we were done I felt very good about it. The biggest pain in the ARSE was scrubbing the tiles and getting the grout film off. I didn't ever think I was going to be able to get the whole thing done...and when I did, I still wasn't finished. I also put a gloss sealer on it....It's nice to have it done, but I do "feel" for you. It is a tough job, but it sure makes it look nice when finished. Here's the entryway of my house. We decided to install them diagonally with the little diamonds design.  Get some rest Tweet! and go play with some rocks....you deserve it. Oh yeah, the kitchen looks fantastic! Steve |
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chassroc
Cave Dweller 
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Mar 20, 2006 19:37:38 GMT -5
Ah but it is sooo worth it. That is a beautiful floor Tweetie...Those two thousand screws are a detail that you cannot skimp on ( and obviously you did not), otherwise you'll have a creaky floor with cracking joints...i don't remember if ceramic tile can take it but when I did my slate foyer I "etched" it with muriatic acid with great results and then put a glossy layer with something (mybe linseed oil?)
Enjoy your beautiful floor for the rest of your life
csroc
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 20, 2006 19:39:13 GMT -5
Why is the center line off? Otherwise it looks good. The centerline is the first thing I see. Tile does look good though. Doc, the centre line is good - I'm feeling lightheaded & dizzy today - the camera angle is off as well - if you look the tiles line up with the counter on the left & up against the right wall (which you can't see) and this is the first house I've seen where the walls are even Now that I look at the pic - it does look crooked but at home it's straight! |
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Post by docone31 on Mar 20, 2006 20:28:05 GMT -5
Yeah, it could definately be the photo. None the less, you guys done good. For the days of labour, you will have the satisfaction of a good job, and doing it yourself.
I know, I lay the tile in our house. Sore knees, dried fingers, grout dust.
I wipe the grout, rewipe the grout, and let it dry so it can be vaccumed. Lots easier, especially after laying the grout. As long as it is wetted a couple of times after laying down, it becomes dust and comes up easily.
Job well done.
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Post by joe on Mar 20, 2006 21:46:21 GMT -5
Job well done Tweetie. I hope you're starting to feel better. ...you mean you actually used a tile saw to cut tile? What a novel idea!  |
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jlc0321
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2005
Posts: 408
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Post by jlc0321 on Mar 20, 2006 22:04:33 GMT -5
Look's good Tweetie, you guys did an excellent job. My wife tried that remodeling stunt about 20 years ago. I got home from work after about a 70 hour week, and she had pulled the carpeting and and molding out the kitchen. Under the carpeting was a glued down textured linoleum. Make a long story short, two 18-20 hour days later and about $3000 later she had a new kitchen floor. I don't think she will ever do that again, as I made her stay working with me until it was finished.  Jeff |
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Post by rockyraccoon on Mar 20, 2006 22:15:56 GMT -5
tweetie, i made my hubby come look as this is his specialty. he says use vinegar and water to clean the grout off the tile - mix of half & half - test an inconspicuous spot. he said use a "doodlebug" pad (3m scotchbrite pad) on a painters handle to scrub it off. he said if you are looking for a job let him know . kim |
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Post by Alice on Mar 20, 2006 22:18:52 GMT -5
It looks great Tweetie! I feel lucky! I'm moving into a house whith tiles already installed. Nothing for me to do ;D Here's a shot of the dining area. The tiles extend to the kitchen on the left (That's not our furniture, it belongs to the people we just bought the house from)  |
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Post by rockds on Mar 21, 2006 1:03:17 GMT -5
it looks great, your too steve. We put in hard wood when we moved in, not me but I paid for it.
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 21, 2006 9:09:56 GMT -5
Joe, we had a tile saw, but the thing sprayed water all over the floor (might have filled the tray too much and as this wasn't our main cutting tool, we stashed it away - darn I coulda used it to cut rocks) but we actually rented a tile cutter (the one that scratches the surface like a glass cutter & splits the tile - much faster and good for straight lines) and a small hand grinder to make intricate cuts - the tile saw was too slow for this job
Kim, tell your hubby thanks but no thanks! I was planning on not being there but I proved extremely helpful as my job was cutting the tiles on the cutter and figuring out how to cut the tiles around all the weird spaces - my trick? to cut a paper bag the size of a tile and place that were it needed to go and how it should fit & then transfer this onto the tiles, worked like a charm 95% of the time till my brain bogged down & out then it was a bit slower going specially the "s" shaped tiles around the fridge & stove.
We got off to a horrible start as our friend opened up the tile cutter box & sliced his finger open with his knife EWWWW! Thought he needed stitches (which I think he did) but he sucked it up and I piled on 3-4 bandages to try to stop the bleeding & off he went back to work - I stayed away from that knife when I had to!!!
the thing is: we didn,t want it done diagonally, as we knew it would be longer, but when I went out to get the tile cutter the guys had layed down a few tiles, square & diagonal to see what it looked like - shouldn't have done that - but I figured that for a first effort it turned out very well - I,m proud of us! But I never want to do that again!
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Post by Bikerrandy on Mar 22, 2006 5:13:30 GMT -5
Those look great! Every house in Canada that I've been inside look just as clean and beautiful as those two. Are all houses up there like that? mine looks like a redneck biker lives in it. ;D
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 22, 2006 7:58:42 GMT -5
Randy, mine kinda does too, but I had to clean up to get the floor in! - you just can't see the stuff piled up on the countertops - my mothers comment on the floor & empty kitchen: "You should take this opportunity to clean while all the furniture is gone" Yeah that's my mom! - I should not have said that!
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Post by Alice on Mar 22, 2006 9:05:43 GMT -5
Those look great! Every house in Canada that I've been inside look just as clean and beautiful as those two. Are all houses up there like that? mine looks like a redneck biker lives in it. ;D LOL Randy What you don't see is what's beind the camera. Us canadians just shove everything over and take a picture. Then shove everything to another spot and take a picture, etc... Making you believe our houses are spotless |
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 22, 2006 9:50:34 GMT -5
Alice I'm so glad you said that - I'm not the only one!
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Mar 23, 2006 0:21:43 GMT -5
I wish you guys wouldn't have those pics. Takila and I are gonna have to rip up some carpet this summer so we can have a floor like that. Gotta stay up with the Jone's ya know.
Beautiful floors.
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Post by Alice on Mar 23, 2006 20:46:58 GMT -5
E-dog, I'm thinking you won't need to buy tiles. You probably have enough rocks down in that basement of yours to make you own |
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- seems like he forgot the hell he went through when he put wood flooring in the living room - I'll remind him, don't worry!!!!!
