[cuda]

We are redoing my house. We tore it out yesterday, and will install it tomorrow.

Tools of the trade:
2 Jackhammers
3 strong backs
3 weak minds :

 

[cuda]

The only use I could find in Florida for a snow shovel!

 

[cuda]

Two strong backs at work.

 

[cuda]

1600 pounds of trash. (weighed at the dump)

 

[cuda]

This hallway will be by far the most time consuming part of the job.

 

[cuda]

As you can see, we removed the wood base and the wood entry way. We are going to run one course of tile on the wall for base.

 

[cuda]

This is what our Florida room looks like now. We are going to continue this tile throughout the house except in the kitchen where we are putting black 12x12 porcelain.

 

[cuda]

I think I'm going to run the tile up the wall to four feet at the bar. Our stool backs are hitting the wall and leaving marks.

 

[bomar76]

Hey Cuda-
When things are slow (like now) I do quite a bit of tile myself, mostly commercial. Normally I am a commercial tenant finish and fixturing contractor.
Just finishing up the job from Hell...Thin gauge, cheap azz, 16" x 16" tile in this idiot's 11' x 11' room laid on the diagonal. These chintzy Turkish imports from Home Depot that are so thin the edges really curled bad. Took me all freaking day to lay that tiny room. Still looks bad, but not a whole lot more I can do.
Have a feeling this job will come back to bite me in the azz.... should have put her in the Bozo Bin (actually I normally refer these idiots to competitors I hate ).

Starting a friends' bath Friday...walls and floors. At least he bought all Daltile so it will be a cakewalk.

 

[cuda]

These chintzy Turkish imports from Home Depot that are so thin the edges really curled bad.

One thing you have to watch with HD is that all the tile is from the same run. Since they take back any left over tile, there can sometimes be several different lots on a pallet. They can vary quite a bit in both size and shade. On the other hand, sometimes they have great deals on tile. My buddy just did a rental that he has with some 16x16 that he got for 88 cents a foot. I didn't run it, but my guys did grout it for him.

 

[glh]

This is what our Florida room looks like now. We are going to continue this tile throughout the house except in the kitchen where we are putting black 12x12 porcelain.

Overstock from McDonalds?

 

[cuda]

Overstock from McDonalds?

Sort of. I had a little bit on the truck from a MCD that we did in a Wal Mart, and Deb decided that's what she wanted. I had to order it, of course it takes a week for it to get here. She'll have to live with bare concrete floor until then. It isn't the first time she's had bare concrete. Last year while we were at the Miami Show, one of my guys stayed here to take care of the dogs and he stripped the Florida room. I think I finally put the tile down around September or so.

 

[jb]

First off, I admire any tile guy...I am a great tool fetcher!!!
BUT coming from the north...I must say I dont know anyone who has a shovel like that to move snow!!! Your back would be dead in 2 minutes!

 

[cuda]

BUT coming from the north...I must say I dont know anyone who has a shovel like that to move snow!!! Your back would be dead in 2 minutes!

Just goes to show how much I know about snow.

 

[mark woolard]

Hey Cuda I have a tile question. My counter tops are tile and I'm having trouble with the grout. We've sealed it more than once but the grout is still getting wet. What should I do?
I was at my Moms{Tampa} house three weeks ago and the boat lot on Gandy{St Pete side} had two Sonics. Looked good from the road have you looked at them?
Thanks Mark

 

[FormulaBoy]

looks like a bunch of fun.i did the same project last year.

 

[cuda]

Hey Cuda I have a tile question. My counter tops are tile and I'm having trouble with the grout. We've sealed it more than once but the grout is still getting wet. What should I do?
I was at my Moms{Tampa} house three weeks ago and the boat lot on Gandy{St Pete side} had two Sonics. Looked good from the road have you looked at them?
Thanks Mark

There isn't anyway to waterproof grout. The only way to do that is to use epoxy grout, and trust me, you don't want to go there.

I see those Sonics all the time, they are beautiful. I haven't stopped to look at them though.

 

[cuda]

Here we go!

This is a step most people leave out, and it is usually unnecesarry with glazed tiles. We are shuffling the boxes of tile to keep a more consistant look. With these unglazed tiles, one box will look a lot different than the others, and you don't want it to look like a quilt.

 

[RCHEVELLE71]

Let me guess, the guys are working, and you are the official Photographer????

I am surprised Deb is not in the photo!!!!

 

[cuda]

Here we are cutting the door jambs and casings to allow the tile to slide under them. It looks a helluva lot better than trying to cut around them.