Building & Remodeling

Curing, done properly, ensures that your concrete and mortar grow as strong as possible. It occurs in two steps. First is the original hardening process, which is quick. Second, the concrete and...

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...

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....

If you are tired of your painted brick fireplace but do not want to actually remove the fireplace surround, you can change the entire look without altering the surround structure by giving your...

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...

Tiling a floor is not difficult, but you need to proceed carefully and methodically in order to get the results you desire. Tiling is a simple skill which is handy to have in your knowledge base...

Shutters are a decorative element in the facade of a home or building even when they are fully operational and functional. Shutter colors that contrast with the other exterior finishes are more...

How flat a concrete slab needs to be depends on the sheen of the tile finish, the size of the individual tiles and your personal standards. Filling an occasional low spot in a slab is a simple...

Cement backerboards are 3'x5' sheets that get screwed into place much like drywall and then topped with a thin layer of mortar for tile flooring. Backerboards are a much easier method than the...

Applying stucco to a masonry wall can seem a pretty daunting task. While challenging, however, it is not impossible for the homeowner to accomplish. The job demands a certain amount of patience as...

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...

The purpose of laying cement backerboard is to provide a stiff, smooth and continuous surface as a base for tile.Backerboard must be properly oriented and secured to ensure that it provides a...

Heating a floor, such as those found in a bathroom, will require installing a mechanism to heat the floor called underfloor heating. Underfloor heating consists of pads that sit under a tile floor...

Porcelain is a harder, denser, generally finer alternative to ceramic when it comes to shower tiles. It's more expensive and harder to work with, but the end result is worth it. When using...

Brick siding for homes has evolved over time. Faux brick panels in polyurethane have been available for many years. This type of manmade siding is used for underpinning mobile homes or dressing up...

Moen's corporate website offers a comprehensive guide for purchasing its products--and specific parts for its products--through both online and brick-and-mortar outlets. While it is easier to...

Not a bricklayer, neither am I. That's why I made my foundation wall out of stacked cinderblocks, or CMU's (concrete masonry units) covered with surface bonding cement.

Before you can begin laying the tiles in your bathroom, kitchen or entryway, you have to have the proper surface prepared. Ceramic tile is usually laid over cement backer board, if you are not...

Ceramic floor tile can be laid with either a chemical tile adhesive---which resembles an acrylic glue---or thinset mortar, which is more like cement. Which you choose to use is up to you, though,...

Installing tile outdoors is much like installing them indoors so the conventions of planning the layout, working with thinset, cutting tiles and grouting are all consistent skills. Prior to laying...

If you have ever wanted to create a surface or wall that looks like stone, artificial stone veneer is an easy and affordable solution. Artificial stones, otherwise known as cultured stones, are...

When replacing an existing floor, there are many issues that an installer can run into. They can be as simple as screws sticking up to having to replace sub-flooring before beginning the new...

Glass bricks or blocks can be installed for use as a wall or window to add a decorative element to your home. Glass bricks are installed in a similar fashion as traditional bricks--mortar is...

Tiling over brick is typically done to change the look of a wall or floor without having to remove or take out the existing brick. Many tiling projects involve covering up brick that was used for...

A shower pan is the structure of cement around the drain of your shower. The biggest trick to tiling a shower pan is to work around the drain, so it's a good idea to use small tiles (4 inches...

Refacing a brick fireplace with plaster is an excellent way to give an old fireplace an updated look. A plaster surface is easy to apply and gives you the option of choosing a variety of textures...

A laundry room needs a sturdy floor that can stand up to heavy traffic and spills. Tile will provide a durable surface that can last for many years. There are many types of tiles, but ceramic...

Tiling over any surface requires that the surface primarily be flat and solidly secured to the frame of the building in which the tile is being set. Plaster walls often meet those requirements...

Mosaic tiles are very small tiles (often around one square inch), which are sold pre-mounted on mesh-backed sheets of two square feet or more for easy installation. Like any other tile, they need...

Adobe houses are fairly popular in the Southwest. Their thickness insulates, and keeps homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter. An adobe wall can be up to 16 inches thick. This is an...

Normally, you'll want to lay your ceramic tile floor over a strong, flat underlayment like thick plywood or (preferably) cement board. However, if there's already a ceramic floor there, it...

The best underlayment for tile floor installation is a hard, immobile surface---including an existing tile surface. Yes, tile can be laid over other tile, and in fact it's sometimes a better base...

The manufacture and use of concrete was at the heart of most major Roman architectural achievements. From the aqueducts to the Roman baths, this solid but easy to use building material created...

Most packaging instructions for laying tiles will tell you to start with a perfectly flat and even surface, to ensure that the tiles are flat and even in the end. Like many home project...

If you notice that your toilet has been rocking back and forth slightly while you're sitting on it, you need to level your toilet bowl to the tile floor beneath it. If a toilet remains uneven for...

Stone tiles are an attractive and durable flooring choice that can last a lifetime with proper maintenance. Whether laying slate, granite or marble, the procedure is the same. Prepare the surface,...

Bricks are an attractive material you can use for home improvements, DIY projects and building furniture. Brick walkways make a pleasant path in your garden or lawn and will keep the mud off of...

Tile is a beautiful and durable floor covering. In just a couple of days, you can lay an elegant color or pattern that adds interest and value to your home. Tile is very simple to keep clean. By...

Even though it may seem intimidating due to all the materials that are needed, laying your own ceramic tile is actually quite easy once you get everything ready to do and make sure you have all of...

Porcelain is a clay-based product like ceramic, but much harder. This makes it an ideal material for flooring, if you can afford the added expense (porcelain is significantly more costly than...

Ease of use makes ceramic tile one of the most popular kinds of tile--especially among do-it-yourselfers. The clay base gives ceramic tiles an advantage over stone because it is easy to cut and...

When it comes to kitchen flooring, homeowners can take their pick of flooring options. Popular choices include tile, stone, vinyl and wood. Before installing your own kitchen floor, learn about...

Mud or adobe floors use a thick mud mortar in place of cement or tile floors. A mud floor will, in most cases. retain heat better than other types of poured floors and often set up to be softer...

Cementing bathroom tiles requires a careful process of applying the mortar bed and then setting the tiles. Mistakes in the process can lead to failure of tiles to adhere, or to a lowered life span...

Laying a tile floor is a challenging job, and it's made even more challenging if your subfloor is uneven, damaged, or sloped. A foundation expert or home inspector can help you determine the...

Over time, the mortar that holds your brick wall together may become weak or begin to chip away; this is normal wear and tear but should be repaired as soon as possible to save the bond between...

Floor tiles look and feel as solid as rock, but in fact they can easily crack if they're not laid correctly, or if there's any unevenness or movement under them. This is especially true for very...

Travertine is a natural occurring stone that has a medium density--softer than granite, but harder than soapstone. It can be installed indoors or outdoors. However, due to its porous surface,...

A major job in any comprehensive bathroom renovation is laying new tile. Something as simple as a new tile floor can completely refresh the appearance of the bathroom. Many are discouraged from...

Mortar is a popular compound similar to concrete or cement and is often used in various home improvement projects. Whether you need to repair a wall, fill a hole or patch a driveway, mortar is an...