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PROJECTS PROF. SOCIETIES,
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Do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement projects can be some of the most satisfying--and time consuming--experiences one will ever have. My most recent project was the installation of a tile floor in my apartment (with the landlord's permission). For simple and medium-level projects, I highly recommend Home Depot's "Tiling 1-2-3" (ISBN 0696211874, ~$15). This book depicts and explains everything one needs to know in order to plan, supply, implement, and complete simple and moderately involved tiling projects. The hints and recommendations are also "right on the money", but I would like to reinforce a few, which I am glad I did not have to learn the hard way. - Never assume a wall is straight or a corner is square--measure! - Good lighting is critical- Borrow an articulated lamp or a"lamp on a clamp." - Plan twice, then have someone else look at it to check for oversights. - Buy knee pads if you don't already own a pair (I wrestled in high school). - Buy or borrow the right tools: a pair of tile nippers and a good tile cutter save time, nerves, and money. - Don't let the grout dry any longer than necessary because it is tough to scrub off the tiles! - Tape and towel off anything you don't want mortar or
grout in or on. :-) The reason I started this project in the first place was
that the kitchen in my apartment was carpeted! Under the refrigerator
and stove, too! As the the carpeting had been replaced a year before my
arrival, mine was in pretty good shape, but seeing the condition of some
of the other units fueled my ambition. The first order of business was to remove the shelving and mini-closet unit and put it in storage. Removal of the plastic "molding" and the carpet was next. The carpet was was an industrial low-pile foam-backed material which left quite a bit of material (light gray, below) attached to the carpet glue (tan, below). The floor was then scrubbed (no muriatic acid) as clean as possile with a wire brush and allowed to dry for 3 days. Then, the uneven spots and dips were leveled and filled in with mortar, as along the back wall in the photo below.
After another 3 days of curing (just for good measure), the first set of tiles was measured several times and layed out with spacers to test their alignment. With a good alignment, the first batch of tiles--basically what I could reach from one spot--was put down with mortar. (You can see in the photo below that the wall is not square. The little white holders near intersections are reusable spacers.
Below is a better overall view of the first batch of tiles laid down.
After the first batch of tiles is laid down, the rest of the main area (using only whole tiles) goes quite quickly. So quickly, in fact, I didn't bother to take any pictures. After laying down all the tiles which did not need cutting or triming, the floor was allowed to set for 3 days. After this, the tiles could be walked on and the measuring, cutting, trimming, and placing of the edge tiles could be done. I preferred to do all the peripheral cutting first, then go back and lay them down with mortar in one sweep.
After another week to cure (a conference came up), the groutwork was done. After misting the grout twice a day (to help it cure without cracking) for three days, the splash-guard work was done to bring the tiling to a close. A little caulk for the top edges of tiles and seam trim for the carpet-tile boundary and the whole thing really came together!
Future project: a swing-up breakfast table on the wall to the left. (I moved out in June 2003, so it is up to someone else, now.)
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