Home Repair and Paint Guide

... Drilling ceramic tile requires a carbide or diamond drill bit. Both are perfect for the task. You can find these at most home improvement and tool stores and the price is reasonable.  Ceramic tile is very hard and breaks easily if not supported. If you drill too fast, the heat buildup will crack the tile. In order to prevent cracks and discoloration, use a variable speed drill and new drill bits. Don’t apply much pressure, just let the drill do the work. Use a very slow speed in the 100 - 200 RPM range. Don’t use any type of hammer drill on tile because that will shatter it like glass. Since there is no way to score ceramic tile, you cannot use a punch to create a starting point for the drill. This causes the drill bit to wander over the surface, scratching it in the process. Use a piece of duct tape to keep the drill bit still until it bites into the surface. Again, don’t use much pressure. To prevent overheating, keep the drill bit cool by dipping it in a small container of fresh cutting oil every 15 seconds. Wipe excess oil from the bit with an old rag to keep the tile and grout from being contaminated. You can buy this oil at a home improvement store or plumbing supply house. Use diamond tipped bits for porcelain tile. These will do a satisfactory job as long as they are kept cool the same way as carbide bits. Once the drill bit cuts a cone-shaped hole into the tile, it will make good progress ...

... It takes a certain level of skill to grout tile. Grout can be ruined if mixed with too much water, and will be extremely difficult to apply and smooth if too thick. If you are not familiar with grout application, practice on a set of old tiles before starting your project. All powdered wall and floor grouts are made from Portland cement. Some grouts have additives such as powdered latex or acrylic to improve bonding. Portland cement can absorb water vapor from the air if left exposed. That’s why grout bags are lined with plastic. Don’t open a bag of grout until you are ready to use it.  The correct consistency of grout will stick to a putty knife and not droop or fall off. As stated earlier, mixing grout with too much water will cause it to fail over time. If you open a bag and find lumps or clumping, don’t use it because water vapor has already been introduced. You cannot discard the lumps and continue with the rest of the powder. Throw the entire bag away and start with a new one. The grout should look like a bag of baking powder, with no lumps. Mix enough grout for about 30 minutes of work. This will keep it from hardening and also keep you from trying to move too fast. Make sure you have an extra bag in case you mix a batch with too much water. If this happens, just add a little extra powder. If the grout starts to harden in the bucket, discard it and make a smaller batch. Don’t try to “save” it by adding water ...

... Ceramic tile can be painted. In fact, this is a good way to change the character of a room without having to replace the tile. In order to be successful, you must purchase the correct type of paint, and then apply a coat of clear urethane to lock it in. Before starting, the tile must be perfectly clean. All traces of dirt, grease, and wax must be removed. Use a good tile cleaner (available at most home supply stores) and really scrub the tiles. Allow to dry thoroughly. It’s also a good idea to wipe the tiles with an old towel after they are dry to remove any film that might be left behind by the cleaner. Water-based paints that contain a urethane resin would be a good choice. Urethane is a very sticky glue and that’s just what you need to prevent peeling. Tile is smooth and shiny, and that’s not a good surface for adhesion. Paints containing urethane resin overcome this problem and provide a good lifespan. There are some areas where it’s not a good idea to paint tile. Do not apply it where it gets wet on a regular basis, such as the inside a tub or shower area. The bathroom floor should be fine because wet spots are not usually allowed to sit for long periods.  If you are going to paint the grout with the same color as the rest of the floor, the job will be much easier. Otherwise, you will have to either paint each individual tile by hand (keeping paint off of the grout), or mask the grout with acrylic masking tape before starting ...

... Before starting, review the features of the area. Pay attention to the color of walls, countertop, fixtures, floor, and appliances. Try to compliment any pattern that is present. Don’t forget the color of cabinets, and also the type of lighting. A good backsplash design will enhance the overall look of your kitchen. On the other hand, a backsplash that doesn’t work well with the overall scheme of the kitchen will make you wish you had watched TV all weekend instead. Surface Preparation Tile can be installed over most substrates if they are clean, smooth and dry. Check with your supplier to see if the tile you have chosen requires a specific underlayment. Repair and level any damaged or uneven areas. Make certain your counter top is level. If not, insert shims between the lower cabinets and the countertop. Turn off power and water to any outlets within or near your work space. Be careful! Electric wires and plumbing run between studs in walls. Don’t make the mistake of cutting into either while they are still live. Layout and Cutting Dry fit your tiles and carefully mark with a pencil or felt-tip pen. Make straight or diagonal cuts with a tile cutter and curved cuts with a nipper. For best results on curved cuts, only chip small pieces at a time. Smooth sharp edges with a carborundum stone. Applying Adhesive and Setting Tiles Select the right adhesive for the substrate. If in doubt, ask the supplier for the correct type. Follow all instructions and precautions on the adhesive or mortar package ...

... For a tub or shower enclosure, the basic procedure is to start with the ceiling first. Make sure the tile edges are no more than 1/8 inch from the walls. Once the ceiling has been tiled, proceed to the back wall. Finish by applying tiles to the side walls, working from back to front. Horizontal Working Lines Horizontal working lines are drawn first. Make sure the lines are accurate and easy to see. The procedure to use depends on whether your tub or shower pan is level: Level Tub or Shower Pan - If the tub is level to within 1/8″, measure and mark your horizontal line from the high point of the tub. The 1/8″ difference (if there is a difference) can be hidden with grout. Measure up from the lip of the tub, the width of a tile plus 1/8″. Make a line (using a level and a straight edge) along the back wall and the two end walls.   Out of Level Tub or Shower Pan - If the tub is not level to 1/8″, mark your horizontal line from the low point. Determine a level line just like for a level tub and run a batten along the bottom of the line. It is usually best to nail a straight wooden batten so that the top of the batten is set to the horizontal line. This provides a level surface for the tile. After all the tile is laid, remove the batten and install the bottom row. You will have to cut the bottom row of tiles to fit along the uneven top edge of the tub or pan. Vertical Working Lines Setup the tiles so each edge (border) tile is the same width on each end, and more than half a tile wide ...