Building & Remodeling

Matching grout color is an art, not a science. Age, use and cleaning products can discolor existing grout so much that using the original color to fill gaps or to add more tile to the same...

Travertine tumbled stone tiles are cut flat and square like other stone tiles, but their surface is pockmarked with craters and holes, the result of natural mineral activity in the stone. The...

Laying tile on a floor usually requires very rigid cement board and thinset mortar, but it's much simpler on a countertop because there won't be significant weight on it. Just about any solid,...

An inexpensive way to change the color of ceramic tile floors is the use of primer and paint. This type of renovation process should be considered a temporary application and not a permanent...

Grout is a type of mortar made to sit in the spaces between tiles, providing a solid connector. "Floating'' the grout refers to the method of pressing the grout into the lines and wiping off the...

The usual method of grouting the spaces between tiles is to wipe the grout across the entire surface with a flat rubber trowel, and then sponge the excess grout off the tile face, leaving it in...

Laying random natural stone needs some special preparation, but is otherwise similar to laying tile. The variations in size and texture mean that you will use a technique called "back buttering"...

Installing handmade tile is similar to laying any tile. The main difference lies in the small imperfections that make each tile slightly different in size and width. In this way, laying handmade...

Installing tile over a subfloor usually entails first putting down a layer of concrete backerboard or extra plywood. If you are trying to avoid raising the level of the floor, you can get away...

Laying a tile floor requires a strong, immobile underlayment. It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that it's possible (and even advantageous) to lay new tile over an existing tile floor or over...

The backsplash behind your countertop is generally going to be made of tile, with grout between the tile lines. Regardless of what material it is, though, you should caulk around the bottom of the...

Large floor tiles tend to create a different set of installation difficulties than smaller tiles. The size and weight of large tiles makes them harder to move around and set, and, once placed,...

Porcelain, when fully glazed, is one of the most solid and moisture-proof kinds of floor tile you can buy. But that won't mean much if moisture can seep under the tile through the grout in...

Marble and grout are both porous materials that need to be sealed in order to protect their appearance and durability. A penetrating sealer contains silicates that will absorb into the marble and...

Installing natural stone can be less challenging if you choose to use pre-mounted natural stone available in 12" x 12" squares. The stones resemble river-washed pebbles. They are already mounted...

Slate tile, like all natural stone, is porous, and should be sealed with chemical sealant during installation to prevent moisture penetration and stains. The sealing process isn't...

Grout is a mixture of water, cement, sand and dyes that is used to fill the joints between tiles. The grout for marble tiles, which are set closer together than ceramic tiles, may not contain...

White grout is not always the best choice for a ceramic tile application. White gets dirty quickly, creates a stark contrast with some tile colors, and is particularly impractical in high traffic...

Tile grout is the cement that fills the spaces between tiles. It looks rock-solid, but it's actually the most porous and vulnerable part of any tiled surface and is apt to absorb moisture and...

Loose or cracked ceramic tiles not only look bad, they can also cause damage. Tile walls or floors are designed to seal out moisture, and any break in that seal can allows moisture to get behind...

As trends, budgets and personal tastes change, you may decide to remodel part or all of your house to get the look you want. With any remodel, challenges may arise. During the remodel of a...

Whether your countertop is tile, wood, laminate, or some other material, a tile backsplash is always appropriate. The backsplash serves two purposes: dressing up the area behind the countertop and...

An outdoor deck not only adds value to your home, it creates additional living space. There are many innovations in deck construction, including decking products that resist rot and decay....

You want a new countertop and you want it tiled. If you think you can do it yourself, go for it.

When installing tile, you typically spread the grout over the entire area, forcing it into the crevices between the tiles. As you grout, you should wipe excess grout off the tiles so that it does...

Grouting mistakes include colors that dry darker or lighter than expected or mismatched grout and tile color. A grout color change is also an inexpensive way to change your decor. No matter the...

Whether you build a new or remodel your bathroom, a tub and shower surround can be the focal point of your bathroom. The job typically averages 80 square feet and involves all of the basic...

A good home improvement job for the moderately skilled do-it-yourselfer is replacing tile in the shower. This will not only improve the look of your bathroom, but it can also help stop water leaks...

Shower tile are always problematic because of their tendency to retain moisture between the grout joints. The moisture is retained in the base materials--usually plywood or wood framing--and the...

A steam shower adds luxury and convenience to any home. Enter the shower enclosure and at the push of a button steam billows forth, engulfing you completely in a rising cloud of warmth. Tiling a...

Grout is the cement-like substance that fills in the spaces between your shower tiles. If it starts to crack and crumble, it means either that it wasn't properly installed in the first place, or...

You can change the color of fireplace grout and change the look of the fireplace surround. Lighter grout colors can become a deeper or darker color and dirty grout can look like new through the...

Renovating a tiled bathroom shower is a challenging task, but the do-it-yourselfer with the right equipment, patience and time can renovate a tiled shower that will add value and beauty and...

Laying tile can seem like a challenging task. However, even a novice do-it-yourself handyman can do the job like a pro with the proper tools. Two types of saws can be used for cutting tile. A wet...

We usually think of base trim as being made of wood or maybe laminate. But base trim of ceramic, porcelain or even stone tile is an age-old decorative style that can be a great-looking...

Grout is a form of cement that fills the spaces between tiles. Grouting newly hung tiles on your shower wall is a crucial part of the moisture shield around the shower. There are two kinds of...

Grout and stone or clay tiles look impenetrable, but in fact neither is completely waterproof in their natural, unsealed states. Applying liquid sealant over the grout lines is simple, unless...

Adding a natural stone interior wall to a home can make a room look and feel unique. Natural stone is similar to tile in many ways. As with small mosaic tiles, you can buy natural stone pebble...

As tastes, technology and budgets have changed over the years, many homeowners are upgrading their once-in-style laminate countertop with natural stone such as granite and limestone. Whatever your...

Building a natural stone shower is similar to building a tile shower. The steps are the same, and the same rules apply about which grout to choose, which trowel to use, as well as setting times....

"Shower pan" is the term that refers to a properly built shower floor structure around a drain. The top layer of a shower pan is Portland cement that's sloped toward the drain from all sides. Your...

A wall tile that's loose, cracked or broken can ruin the look of an otherwise nice tiled wall. It can also literally ruin the wall, if moisture gets under it and migrates beneath the other tiles,...

If you're ready to re-tile your kitchen floor, but the old tile that's there is still fully functional and doesn't appear to be going anywhere, why not tile right over it? It sounds strange, but...

The trickiest part of tiling a bathroom floor is dealing with the toilet. There is almost never an instance in which you'd want to tile around the toilet, so you have to remove it, tile the space...

Even if you don't have a shower head over your bath tub, the walls around the tub are especially vulnerable to moisture and damage because of rising steam and splashing water. Tile is one of the...

Refacing a fireplace with tiles can add a modern or more updated look that coordinates with your room. There are a number of different designs that can be used for inspiration. Visiting local tile...

A tile backsplash protects the wall behind your countertop from splattered water while also providing a decorative element to the countertop and tying it to the wall. There are numerous ways to...

Travertine is a form of stone rich in mineral deposits, air holes and other variations. When cut into tiles, it creates a distinctive look of pockmarks and holes throughout the tile face. Since...

Attaching self-adhesive tiles to a wall is a quick process compared to the more traditional mortar and tile placement. The self-adhesive tiles are made to simplify the tiling process. They install...

Installing 2 x 2 tile can greatly enhance the look of your kitchen or bathroom, and give it a distinctive feel. Some 2 x 2 tile comes with a mesh backing already attached to it, however some 2 x 2...