BedStuy Reno
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January 25, 2007
Tile Prep
So last weekend we didn't get to laying down the tile but we did prep the floors and lay out the pattern (in our future bedroom). The image here is just a tease - the pattern is G's brainchild, and she doesn't want to show any images until it's actually down. But let me just say it looks f-ing amazing. We're going monochrome - just black and white hex on the floor, and the pattern has us so psyched. It took G the entire weekend sitting on the floor with her plan and her exacto, cutting out strips of the white and black hex to assemble them all together like a giant puzzle. Meanwhile, I got familiar with the properties of thinset, and following our handy new book on tiling, I filled and taped all the joints between the durock boards on the floor, feathering edges as well as I could (well enough, I hope).
This weekend we will start laying down the hex. We're hoping to get through the whole bathroom floor. Then we can start tackling the shower walls and the wall behind the future sinks as well.
Comments
You guys are really amazing. Keep it up!
Posted by: anon at January 25, 2007 6:54 PM
I agree--I think you're doing great stuff. I like those hex tiles a lot, and almost bought them myself, but I never contemplated coming up with the design. Cool. I love that they're matte finish.
Posted by: Bob999 at January 25, 2007 9:36 PM
Great tiles. I put the exact ones down 18 years ago. They also were unglazed and matte finish. They still look great now. Just one small warning. Matte "unfinished" also means that they do not repel dirt. As a matter of fact, the dirt seemed to literally sink in to them. I have to take a scrub brush on a regular basis to really get the grime up. So you may want to put some kind of matte silicone sealer on to prevent that.
Also, we chose a dark grey grout which I do not regret. But again, we had a heart attack right after grouting when we realized that the tiles absorbed some of the colorant of the grout. Took us a while to clean the tile. So if you are planning to use colored grout, don't wait too long to get the excess off the tile after it dries.
But I love the look. Everybody thinks that I have the original floor in that bathroom. So good luck this week-end.
Posted by: Katia at January 26, 2007 9:26 AM
i'm really enjoying your project. you guys seem to be very modest about your abilities!
i was just wondering: given all the work you've done, how much of the original house do you think you'll be saving? i guess i'm really wondering if it's easier to buy a shell than a house that needs so much work.
Posted by: alison at January 26, 2007 10:25 AM
If you are worried about grout clean-up, you can seal the tiles before you grout. Somethings i do to make the job eaiser. Match the thinset to the grout color. Don't use sponges to clean up. Try cheese cloth. It doesn't hold as much water so you dont over work the grout. Pay special attention to the floor near the toilet. Check it with a straight edge to prevent the toilet from rocking later. Also the wall with the double sinks? If you plan to have wallmounted sinks without vanity bases make sure the area where the floor meets the wall is level. Subway tile is harder to conceal crooked floors. What I mean is if you plan on doing wainscoting halfway up the wall and you start out with a crooked floor you will end up with the top rail being crooked. If its less than a inch you might not notice it but over a 6 foot span the floor may be off inches. Run a level line around the room and measure down to the floor in several spots to double check. And don't forget to vacuum the floors real well before you start, to prevent those annoying backerboard crumbs that always end up under a tile somehow.
I really like your choice in tile...classic, clean, elegant. Like a beautiful floor cloth. Good Luck.
Posted by: Tim at January 26, 2007 11:22 AM
We're psyched about the tiles too. Thanks for then encouragement and advice. We did get gray thinset and grout for helping to conceal dirt over time. we also bought matte sealer to help preserve the tiles.
as for what we're saving of the original house - we're saving quite a lot!!! check the archives and watch our progress to see.
Posted by: P at January 26, 2007 4:46 PM
What a tease!
The pattern looks great so far. Where did you buy the tiles and what brand are they?
Posted by: Mrs. Limestone at January 26, 2007 8:33 PM
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