Glass Mosaic Backsplashes

This is the “top of the list” no-no for interior designer and TikTok user Phoenix Grey (@phoenixgrey). In one particular video, he rails glass mosaic backsplashes for being “too busy” aesthetically and explains that “the extra amount of grout means that they’re grimier and much harder to clean.” Yikes!

Despite scouring resale and vintage shops in the area, I couldn’t find the vintage tiles I needed. My solution? I painted white tiles to try to match the blue and coated them with clear spray-on enamel. It wasn’t the best match, but it did the job, and wasn’t very noticeable behind the toilet anyway.

As it turns out, had I scoured the internet a little more diligently, I might have found dealers who specialize in selling and reproducing vintage tiles for kitchens, bathrooms, fireplace mantles and other parts of the home. We asked several to shed some light on what makes tile vintage, how to work with vintage tile, and why it’s worth trying to find the real thing.

What Is Vintage Tile?

“Vintage” is a word that gets tossed around easily. There no a hard-and-fast cutoff point where tile becomes vintage.

Josh Blanc, artist and owner at Clay Squared to Infinity in Minneapolis, Minnesota, says “vintage tiles in America are tiles that were installed in homes built from the 1890s to the 1950s. Each period had distinctive styles and colors.”

Scott Wells, owner of Wells Tiles & Antiques in Los Angeles, says vintage tile can be a little younger. “In our 30 years of business selling tile, we’ve learned that the term ‘vintage’ is used very loosely,” Wells says. “We consider vintage tile that is approximately 30 years or older. Antique tile is 100 years old and, of course, much harder to find.”

The qualities that make tiles vintage include their dimensions, glazes and other aspects of manufacture. All eras used unglazed porcelain tiles, Blanc says, so the color went all the way through the tile. Victorian floor tiles, he says, typically had borders and highly decorative patterning.

Bungalow-style homes, including the popular Sears, Roebuck and Co. kit homes of the early 20th century, “tended to use unglazed porcelain hexagons and used more solid colors with florets and other smaller florets as their design tools,” Blanc says.

Blanc says mid-century homes “went to multi-sized patterns” and often used unglazed porcelain tiles as small as 3/4-in. by 1- 9/16-in.

Can Modern Tile Be Used to Match Vintage Tile?

If you’re trying to replace only a section of vintage tile, it may be tough to find a match.

“Modern reproduction tiles focus on a few iconic designs and mass produce them at a low price,” says Blanc. One example: hexagons tiles in white with black florets. “They look like a classic tile from the bungalow period,” he says, “but they offer little to no customization or variations in color choices and sizes.”

Additionally, modern tiles will simply not match up to vintage in many cases because of their different glaze techniques. Even if you can’t get an exact match, artisans like Blanc and his team produce reproduction vintage tiles that adhere to vintage patterns and color schemes.

Is Vintage Tile Better Made Than Modern Tile?

Many homeowners want to preserve or recreate a vintage style simply out of design preference. But beyond aesthetics, are there advantages to using vintage tile, or is modern tile better? Wells leans towards the old stuff.

“Most of our older tiles are approximately 1/2-in. thick,” Wells says, “Whereas today, most new tile is between 1/4-in. to 3/8-in. thick so I would say, not as durable.”

Blanc says “the [tile] industry expects homeowners to change styles and rip out what was put as the next trend takes hold.” But ceramic tile is extremely durable, he says, and “is supposed to be a 100 year product no matter what tile you choose.” Installation will make all the difference in how well a tile project holds up.

How To Clean Vintage Tile

“Grout needs to be redone on a semi-regular basis depending on use,” says Blanc. “It saves home owners lots of money and makes their tile installation look new again.”

If you choose to hire a professional rather than tackle your grout repair as a DIY job, he recommends The Grout Doctor, which has locations across the US.

If you go the DIY route for routine tile cleaning, Blanc recommends mixing a solution with these elements:

• 1/4 cup white vinegar;
• Two teaspoons borax;
• 3-1/2 cup hot water;
• Twenty drops essential oil (he prefers lavender or lemon);
• 1/4 cup liquid dish soap.

Once mixed, put the solution in a spray bottle and spritz the tile surfaces. Then wipe clean with a paper towel or washcloth. A sponge or soft brush will work as well, but avoid any abrasive cleaning tools.

Can Vintage Tiles Be Repaired?

If a maintenance or repair job in your home broke a few tiles, you might piece them back together and reinstall them. But it’s unlikely the repair will be “invisible.” Unless you had clean breaks and retained all the tile pieces, cracks along repair lines are going to show.

And if a structural problem damaged the tiles, Blanc says you’ll likely need to chisel them out and investigate the problem.

Where to Buy Vintage Tile

“It’s always advisable to search for the old tile if one is trying to match an existing installation,” says Wells. “Even if the new tile has the same design, it would stand out noticeably next to the original antique/vintage tile.”

Wells says his Los Angeles store offers the country’s largest inventory of vintage tile. Even so, if you have a large tile job in mind and you’re set on vintage, be prepared for some flexibility. “It’s difficult to obtain a large amount of vintage or antique tile, so finding enough, especially from one source, for an entire room would be a chore,” he says.

Blanc’s studio and showroom sells vintage reproduction tiles. He also recommends Restoration Tile, another producer of historic reproductions. And he’s a fan of Retro Renovation, an online resource for vintage home restoration and materials.

Closer to home, you can scour thrift stores and architectural salvage companies for genuine vintage tiles.

What Paint to Use for Tile

Painting can be an affordable way to refresh the look of outdated tile. Although painting tile can be somewhat tricky to pull off, it’s a viable alternative to tearing out and replacing tiles completely.

We don’t recommend painting high-traffic areas like countertops and floors, as well as around showers, tubs and sinks. However, if you have your heart set on painting a tile backsplash or bathroom walls, we recommend using products specifically made for use in moisture-prone zones.

Professional painter Brad the Painter believes there is a way to paint tile successfully to ensure the best, most long-lasting results. “It’s a combination of proper prep and the right primer and paint,” he says. That holds no matter which type of paint you choose — oil-based enamel, epoxy acrylic or non-toxic latex.

Ceramic tile-painting dos and don’ts

• Do give tiles a good cleaning.
• Do repair imperfections and fill hairline cracks with putty.
• Do sand tiles lightly.
• Do use a highly-rated primer made to bond to tile surfaces.
• Don’t use normal house paint that’s not formulated for tile — it will peel right off!
• Don’t mask off the grout. Not painting grout will produce an uneven look.
• Don’t apply a clearcoat/polyurethane. It will make it difficult to repaint or touch up later.
• Do invest in top-quality brushes and rollers to achieve a professional finish.
• Do be safe. Always wear a respirator mask and work in a well-ventilated area.

The following are six paint options for you to consider.

Touch up Nicks and Scratches

Dry-Pack Mortar

This is the traditional tile backer. First, felt paper is stapled to the floor and covered with expanded metal lath. Then cement, sand and water are mixed together to a crumbly consistency and floated over the lath to form a flat surface.

Given the complexity, it’s easy to see why even experienced tile setters avoid dry-pack mortar and use backer board instead when they can. But a mortar bed does have advantages. There is no cutting or fitting of boards, and a mortar bed is good for leveling and flattening uneven or out-of-level floors, which are common in old houses. If you are good with a trowel and understand how to set up and use screeds as a guide for leveling or forming the mortar, pouring a traditional mortar bed may be a good alternative to tile backer board, especially on uneven or sloping floors.

I have spent numerous hours on my hands and knees, scrubbing the nooks and crannies of tiled bathroom floors. So in an attempt to clean my bathroom faster (especially using these 13 tricks for cleaning a bathroom), I decided to look for an alternative solution. If only I knew how hard I was really making it for myself.

The Grout Pen

If you’re also in a situation where you live in an apartment with lots of “charm,” you may find your bathroom floor in need of a little TLC. Instead of scrubbing with a sponge or even a toothbrush, you may want to try this magical Grout Pen!

Shop Now

What Makes This Pen So Magical?

The Grout Pen comes in different colors and sizes, to match the grout color between the tiles in your space. You can get a Grout Pen in white, terra cotta, brown, gray, beige, cream and even black. The sizes either come in 5mm or 15mm pen width, to match both smaller and larger grout spaces.

The pen is a water-based formula that covers over stained areas that can have mold and dirt build up on the grout. Not only that, but Grout Pens can even restore the grout’s look and prevent future molding with an antibacterial formula.

It’s a non-toxic, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal formula that is safe to use in enclosed areas—like a tiny city bathroom. The pen will cover a 60-meter distance of grout area, and it’s water resistant (which is obviously a necessity for the bathroom).

What Reviewers Are Saying

According to numerous reviewers on Amazon, this grout pen works swimmingly. Some say that the bathroom looks sharp and clean, and takes away the “horribly dirty” look from before. The pen has a 52 percent 5-star rating, and even recognized as an “Amazon Choice” product.

You can snag this pen over on Amazon for just under $9 (for the 5mm) or $12 (for the 15mm). Dirty grout, be gone!

Up next, check out the best cleaning products for the bathroom.

These days, if you want to put in a shower, you can just go to a home center and pick up a fiberglass unit. Before that was possible, pros had to build a custom shower pan by mixing and applying mortar, troweling it flat, and laying ceramic shower floor tile.

Although fiberglass units make shower pans quick and easy, they lack the elegance of a handcrafted mortar and tile floor. So if you’d like to install a tile shower and are willing to build your own custom shower pan, you’ll be able to tile it to match the walls. And with a mortar and tile floor, your shower can be any shape. (For instance, see How to Install a Glass Block Shower.) In fact, no matter what its shape, if the shower you have in mind doesn’t conform to the rigid size requirements of a manufactured base, a mortar floor may be your only alternative.

You’ll find that the cost of the materials used in a hand-crafted base is roughly the same as the cost of a comparably sized fiberglass pan. The downside is that instead of just plugging a manufactured unit into the opening, you’ll have to do a lot more work. You’ll need a couple of days to form and tamp in two layers of mortar, deal with some tricky vinyl membrane liner and then install the tile. Installing shower pans isn’t a project for winging it or taking shortcuts. Poorly installed shower pans will leak, and the only correct way to fix a poor installation is to rip out not only the base but also the shower walls.

The shower pan installed in this project is somewhat complicated, but the fundamental techniques are the same for even the simplest shower — one the size of a phone booth. If you have experience with cement and some basic trowel skills, you should be able to do almost any size shower floor in less than two days, excluding tile work.

Anatomy of a Mortar Shower Floor

The first layer, called a sloped fill, is simply a mortar subfloor. It’s sloped toward a special two-piece clamping-type drain (available at any home center) that is made specifically for a mortar bed shower floor. The sloped fill slants from the drain toward the perimeter of the shower with a slope of 1/4 inch per foot. Since our shower had an average width of 3 feet, we sloped up from the 1/4-inch thickness of the drain to a 1-inch thickness around the shower walls and curb to get the necessary 3/4-inch slope.

The second layer, called the pan, is a durable CPE (chlorinated polyethylene) membrane. This vinyl liner is turned up at the edges to create a waterproof membrane in the shape of a shallow pan. Water that works its way through the grout and the top layer of mortar will flow down the slope to be drained through the weep holes of the drain. On top of the pan is a layer of expanded galvanized metal lath to reinforce the mortar. Over the lath, a sloped mortar bed is laid using the same 1/4-inch-to-the-foot slope rule we used for the sloped fill.

Shower curbs help by containing water in areas that aren’t bordered by walls. If a drain becomes blocked, perhaps by a washcloth over the surface, a curb buys you time. It will dam the water within the shower for a while before it lets it run over onto the bathroom floor.

(For a larger version of this drawing, see Additional Information, below.)

Draw the Floor

• Draw the outline of the shower floor on the subfloor to use as a pattern for setting the mortar forms.
• Nail an 8d nail next to the wall and strike a 65-inch arc for the curved form board.

The time you spend in the kitchen isn’t always glamorous. For every meal you make, there are about five labor-intensive chores required to keep your kitchen looking clean. There are counters to wipe down, ovens to clean and dirty sponges to throw away. But our least favorite chore has to be cleaning the grout between our kitchen tiles.

What if we told you it was easy and all you needed was an old-fashioned secret ingredient — baking soda. Intrigued? Read on.

Why Baking Soda?

Baking soda does just about everything, from polishing silverware to cleaning between those pesky kitchen tiles. It can actually be more effective than your dish soap.

Though soap and baking soda are basic (i.e., they have higher pH levels), soap contains fat molecules that make it gentler. Baking soda, on the other hand, is tough enough to handle the most stubborn stains in your home. Just make sure you’re not confusing your baking soda with baking powder — there is a difference.

What’s the Recipe?

We’re glad you asked. For best results, we recommend baking soda and vinegar. When the acidic vinegar combines with basic baking soda, the concoction fizzes like a science fair project. But it really works into all the grime on your grout.

First, clean the area around the grout by vacuuming, dry mopping or wiping down.

Next, apply a paste made of water and baking soda to those dirty areas. Then pour equal parts warm water and vinegar (another great cleaner you already have at home) into a spray bottle. Once you spritz the vinegar-water mix on the paste, scrub the solution-coated grout to remove stubborn dirt and grime. Clean off the vinegar, baking soda and water with a damp paper towel and voilà! Your tiles will look like new.

That’s Not All You Can Do

If you don’t have vinegar and a spray bottle handy, there’s an even easier way to clean out that grout. TikTok user @maandrews showed us the simple solution to grubby grout — hydrogen peroxide (which you’ll likely have under your bathroom sink), baking soda and dish soap. Combine these ingredients into a bowl, then use a toothbrush to remove dirt buildup from those tile floors.

@maandrewsHow to clean tile floors 😁☝️ ##cleaning ##lifehack ##tilefloors ##fyp ##foryou ##tips♬ Buttercup – MixAndMash

To save time you can opt for a broom or a drill brush, though toothbrushes are just as effective. Either way, you’ll dazzle everyone in the house with your sparkling grout lickety-split!

What Is Tile Grout?

What is grout? Basically, it’s the stuff that fills the gaps between the tiles. There are cement and non-cement (epoxy and other materials) versions of it. Grout is not what holds the tiles to the surface, but it does help strengthen the tiles and add to the visual appeal.

It’s also there to help keep the surface clean by preventing dirt and grime from getting wedged in the gaps that would otherwise be there between the tiles without it. Of course, keeping grout clean poses its own set of challenges.

Frequent exposure to hard water, soap and hair care products can quickly turn clean bathroom tile grout into a dingy mess. The good news is that, in most cases, dingy grout can be effectively cleaned with a mixture of common household cleaners.

How Often Should You Clean Tile Grout?

That depends on where the grout is located. For a tiled shower where there’s regular use and constant moisture, the grout will need to be cleaned more often than a tiled wall. It’s best to clean grout as soon as it starts to look dirty, discolored or whenever mold and mildew start are starting to build up.

How to Clean Grout

The recommended cleaning method depends on how dirty your grout is to begin with. Some solutions will be more suitable for regular grout cleaning and maintenance, while others are made to really get after the gunk on especially grimy grout. Here are four methods for cleaning grout using common household cleaning supplies that you probably already have under your sink.

Home centers carry high-quality grout, but they don’t make choosing it easy. Luckily, Dean Sorem, our tile expert, has tried all the options and offers clear recommendations based on decades of experience. Here’s what you’ll find at home centers and flooring suppliers:

Ready-to-use grout

All the formulas in this category let you skip the messy mixing process, and some offer excellent durability and stain resistance. But they can be tricky to use. Some harden very fast; you need to work quickly so they don’t harden on the tile before you can wipe them off. And Dean has found that they can stain porcelain tile that has a matte finish.

Standard cement grout

Like concrete or mortar, these grouts begin as a powdery mix that contains Portland cement. Then, when mixed with water, they gradually harden. While some of these products are superior to others, none of them is a bad choice. But you can find much better options that cost just a few bucks more. Check out these tips on removing grout.

Best grout choice: Top-quality cement grout

The three products shown here are superior formulations of traditional cement grout. Dean considers them the best choice for DIY projects and for most of his own jobs. Here’s what makes them stand out:

• The particles, or “aggregate,” in the powder are much smaller. That makes the grout less porous and more stain resistant. Dean has tried to stain these products and found that every stain—even red wine—disappeared with a little detergent and light scrubbing.
• There’s no need to seal the grout. Stain resistance is essentially built in.
• Unlike standard cement grout, there aren’t “sanded” and “unsanded” versions. The same product can be used on walls and floors, with narrow and wide grout joints.
• This type of grout achieves better color consistency, with very little blotchiness, even with dark-colored grouts.

Dean has one warning about these grouts: They harden fast—not as quick as epoxy or some of the premixed products, but faster than standard grout. To avoid hardened residue on the tile, mix up smaller batches, have your sponges and water buckets ready to go and don’t delay the wipe-off phase of the job. Learn our best grouting tips.

Grout cost? Who cares!

The best grout might cost you twice as much as the cheapest option. But after spending all that time, energy and money installing the tile, do you really want to risk the whole project just to save 20 bucks?

What about Epoxy?

You may have heard that epoxy is the best grout available—incredibly durable and stain resistant. That’s probably true, but Dean doesn’t think DIYers should even consider epoxy. It’s difficult to use and hardens fast, and any residue that hardens on the face of tile is a nightmare to remove. With other great options available, epoxy just doesn’t make sense.

Meet the Expert

Dean Sorem has been installing tile and teaching others how to get the best results for more than 40 years.

How to Repair Grout That’s Cracking

Vacuum the grout lines, then scrape any protruding grout using a stiff putty knife and vacuum again. Don’t scrape too hard or you may chip the tile glazing.

When you own a painting company or other contracting business, you know that your online reputation is a huge part of your storefront. And you know that if your storefront is looking shoddy, you can’t expect people to want to enter and find out more about your business. But if your reputation is glowing and positive, people are going to take that first tentative step to learn more about you.

In fact, 86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses. Not only that, but they read an average of 10 online reviews before they feel they can trust a local business. And you risk losing 22% of customers when just one negative article is found about your business.

It’s clear that online reviews are a powerful form of word of mouth these days. They have the power to both boost your sales or destroy your profits.

So how do you earn positive reviews, and tap into that powerful force for the good of you business?

Do a Great Job

It’s a simple concept. When you do a great job, you’ll make your customers happy. But don’t just expect that everyone in your company knows what “doing a great job” means. This needs to be clearly defined for your company’s products, services, and culture. For example, what is your process for greeting people who come into your store, call on the phone, or email? What types of interactions will set your customers’ minds at ease? What expectations do you have for how your services are presented and delivered? Set a culture of delivering exceptional customer service, and clearly lay out to your employees what that means.

Create Profiles for the Sites Where You Want Reviews

Make it easy for people to find information about your company by setting up and fully completing your profiles on the sites where you’d like to earn reviews: Yelp, Google, Home Advisor, Houzz, Angie’s List, Thumbtack, etc.

Not sure which one to start with? Pretend you’re a potential customer and do some searches for your business. Which review sites are showing up consistently? Put your first efforts there.

Be Proactive

One thing customers hate more than anything is finding mistakes after the’ve hired a painting company. It’s a hassle to call the company back, and they already feel untrusting — they don’t know if the company is going to fix the problem, or leave them to handle it on their own.

Get ahead of this problem by always completing a final walk-through of the project. Don’t wait for mistakes to be pointed out by your customers. Find and resolve potential issues before the customer ever sees them.

And if you miss something and the customer has to call you back, be quick, courteous, and thorough in your repair.

Ask for a Review

If you’ve done 1 through 3, you probably have a very happy customer. Once the project is complete, ask the customer to leave an online review, and tell them where they can do so. Make it even easier by setting up a “Reviews” page on your website that lists the platforms where you’d love reviews. You can also send a follow-up email with links to where customers can leave reviews. And include links to the platforms in your invoices and email signatures as well. The easier it is for your customers to leave a review, the more likely they are to do it.

Just beware: Don’t offer compensation. Most happy customers are excited to share their experience. Plus, offering compensation is against most platforms’ terms of service.

If you’ve received some negative reviews in the past, make any necessary changes to your business and hustle hard for positive reviews that will offset the negative. 40% of consumers only look at reviews written in the past two weeks, and few go to the second page. If you’ve improved since your negative reviews, it’s possible to put the negativity behind you.

As you take care of your customers and ask for positive reviews, you’ll see that people will want to do business with you.

About the Author

Josh Abramson is the chief solutionist at ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING, a residential and commercial painting company serving the Greater Los Angeles Areas.

What to look for in a roofing contractor

A new roof is not a cheap investment and shopping for a new one can be intimidating. The roof is the single most important element of your home for protecting you from the elements. When you’re putting the security of your roof in the hands of contractors, there are a few steps you should follow to ensure you’re making the right choice.

Make A List And Narrow It Down

Don’t choose the first contractor online that gives you what you think is a decent quote. Make a list of up to ten contractors in your area that you would like to investigate further.  From there, narrow down your list based on obvious criteria. Contractors that you can cross off are those who are not insured or licensed, have a bad rating with the Better Business Bureau, have a slew of negative customer reviews online, and are those who are willing to give you a quote over the phone without inspecting your home first.

Pick Your Top Three Contractors

Once you’ve narrowed your list a bit, there are a few more criteria you can use to narrow it down to your top three. Ask your prospective contractor how long they’ve been in business, if they are willing to give you a dedicated onsite point of contact for your project, and what references they can provide.

Schedule A Quote Call For Your Top Three

Ask your top three roofing candidates to come perform an estimate on the roof work that needs to be done. Accompany them as they move about your home. A good roofer will check both the exterior and interior of your roof if there is attic access, this includes the gutters. Once they’re finished, you’ll have a better idea of which roofer you prefer.

Get A Quote In Writing

Each of your prospective contractors should provide you with a quote in writing, and do it promptly. If you have to wait for longer than a week for your quote, then that contractor isn’t prepared to handle your business efficiently. Those who hand you a detailed, well written quote promptly are those that are ready to handle your business.

Detail Post Work Cleanup

Your contractor should include post construction clean up in their written contract. If it’s not listed, get it listed with detail before you sign on the dotted line. By getting it in writing you’ll ensure you’re not left with a giant mess in your hands once the work is done. This cleanup should include material removal, especially if the job entails a complete roof replacement.

By following the above steps and taking any other measures you need to before the roofing work begins, you’ll ensure the process is as smooth and painless as it can be. Hiring a reliable contractor with a long history and outstanding references will give you the peace of mind you need to know you’re having quality work performed.

Richard Frazier works with Arlington Roofing Contractors, located in Arlington, TX.

Tile Removal: Start with a chisel and hand maul

There’s no easy way on how to remove tile. Unlike tile on cement board or wood, there’s no underlayment or subfloor that can be pried up and thrown away. How to remove tile from concrete requires knocking out the tiles and adhesive. How to remove tile takes time and hard work. Even a small bathroom will take half a day, at a minimum.

Chisel up tiles

Work the chisel between the tiles and the concrete, hammering them up with a 2-lb. maul.  Use a 3/4- or 1-in. masonry chisel and a 2-lb. hand maul. Start at a broken tile or between tiles where the grout has loosened. Work the chisel under the tiles, forcing them loose. Strike the face of stubborn tiles to break them up for easier removal. Wear safety glasses, gloves, pants and a long-sleeve shirt, since hammering the tile sends sharp shards flying. Also wear a dust mask.

Typically, older floors with mastic adhesive will come up easier than floors laid with thinset mortar. Rent a small jackhammer with a chisel point if the tile refuses to come loose. For larger rooms, consider renting an electric tile stripper or using other concrete demolition tools.

Planning, Materials and Tools

Nothing packs more style per square inch than mosaic tile for a kitchen backsplash. So if your kitchen’s got the blahs, this is an easy way to give it a quick infusion of pizzazz. We’ll show you how to tile a backsplash in a weekend! The small tiles are mounted on 12 x 12-in. sheets, so installation of a tiled backsplash is fast. You can install the tile on Saturday and then grout it on Sunday.

Shopping for Mosaic Tile

Mosaic tiling sheets make it easy to achieve a great backsplash. Layout is a cinch—you can simply cut the mesh backing on the sheets to fit the tile along counters and cabinets. In fact, the hardest part of this or any other tiling backsplash project may be choosing the look—the tiles come in a variety of shapes and materials, and many sheets have glass or metallic tiles built in for accents.

To add to your options, strips of 4 x 12-in. tiles are available for borders. So you can match the existing look of your kitchen—or try something new!

Clean the Wall

Before installing the tile, clean up any grease splatters on the wall (mastic won’t adhere to grease).

• Wipe the stains with a sponge dipped in a mixture of water and mild dishwashing liquid (like Dawn).
• If you have a lot of stains or they won’t come off, wipe on a paint deglosser with a lint-free cloth or abrasive pad so the mastic will adhere.
• Mask off the countertops and any upper cabinets that will have tile installed along the side.
• Leave a 1/4-in. gap between the wall and the tape for the tile.
• Cover the countertops with newspaper or a drop cloth.

DIY Subway Tile

After receiving contractor bids to tile our kitchen backsplash that didn’t fit our budget, my husband and I decided to tackle the project ourselves. With one weekend and a lot of hard work, we transformed a plain, white wall into a farmhouse-style tile backsplash. Though we are very happy with the results, this project came with almost immediate lessons learned, and there are definitely some things we would do differently if we did it all over again. Here’s a list of what to do and what not to do when taking on a subway tile backsplash project.

Cement board

Cement board is the most durable, trouble-free tile backer for tub surrounds, showers, floors and all other wet areas. Its made from cement and sand, and is reinforced by fiberglass mats on both sides, so it’s impervious to water. It’s typically available in 1/2-in. thick, 3 x 5-ft. sheets. Other sizes are available, including 1/4-in. or 5/16-in. thick. For installation instructions, see cement board ceramic tile

Strengths:

• Doesn’t deteriorate when wet.
• Stiff and strong.
• Some types can be used outside (check brand specifications).
• Ideal tile-setting surface for thin-set mortars.

Drawbacks:

• Heavy to handle.
• Needs at least 1-1/4 in. of edge support for proper fastening.
• Should be backed with a plastic or other waterproof membrane to protect wood framing, because it isn’t waterproof.

Fiber cement board

Fiber cement board

Fiber cement board is a variation of cement board that’s made from compressed cement and sand, reinforced with wood fibers throughout. Its installation procedures and durability are similar to those for cement board, but be sure to read its product specification sheet for specific limitations. It’s only available in 1/4-in. thick sizes.

Glass mat gypsum board

Glass mat gypsum board

Glass mat gypsum board works well in damp areas, including tub surrounds, but not in areas that may be continuously wet or damp. The sheets are made from water-resistant silicone-treated gypsum, reinforced on both sides by fiberglass mats. The tile side is sealed with a waterproof coating. It’s typically available in 1/2-in. thick, 4 x 5-ft. sheets, but tile dealers carry other sizes, including 1/4-in. thick sheets.

Strengths:

• Waterproof skin; doesn’t need an additional moisture barrier.
• Lighter in weight than cement board.
• Easier to cut and fasten than cement board.

Drawbacks:

• Will soften if water seeps through joints or gets behind the waterproof surface.
• Can’t support all types of floor tile (see product specification sheet).
• Fiberglass mats irritate bare skin. Wear long sleeves, gloves, goggles and a dust mask when cutting and handling them.

Water-resistant drywall

Water-resistant drywall

Water-resistant drywall is a good backer board choice behind sinks and other places where occasional splashing and high humidity could affect regular drywall. The sheets are made from a water-repellent gypsum core covered by water-resistant paper. Like regular drywall, it’s found at most home centers in 1/2-in. thick, 4 x 8-ft. sheets.

Strengths:

• A good base for paint, wallpaper and tile in occasionally damp areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
• Inexpensive—about a fifth the price of the other types of tile backer board.

Drawbacks:

• Not suitable as a tile backer around tubs and showers.

Simplify ceramic tile grout removal by using a carbide-grit blade in a reciprocating saw or an oscillating tool as a grout removal tool. Both speed up this tough, tedious chore.

How to Remove Grout from Tile Method 1: Reciprocating saw

The recip saw method

Install the carbide-grit grout blade into your recip saw so it points down while the saw handle is pointing up. Apply power and “saw” out the grout with your grout removal tool.

The worst part of learn how to remove grout is the incredibly tedious, tough hand-scraping to get the old stuff out. Now you have two much better options for a grout removal tool. If you already own a variable-speed reciprocating saw, try a Milwaukee Carbide-Grit Grout Blade (No. 48-08-0415; about $14 through our affiliation with amazon.com). It works really well. Just make sure to use the slowest speed until you get the feel of the process.

How to Remove Grout from Tile Method 2: Oscillating tool

The oscillating tool method

Chuck up either a 1/16-in. or 1/8-in.-wide blade (depending on the grout width) and go to town. Rotate the blade and rechuck it to maneuver into tight corners.

If you don’t have a recip saw and you’re dying to get your hands on a new oscillating tool, this is your chance to find a grout removal tool. The Dremel No. 6300-03 Multi-Max and the Rockwell RK5101K SoniCrafter kit are two tools that include grout removal blades. The Dremel Multi-Max is available through our affiliation with amazon.com. The Rockwell SoniCrafter is also available through our affiliation with amazon.com.

An oscillating tool (bottom photo) is a bit easier to control than the recip saw because it’s smaller and has a much shorter blade stroke. Plus, you can rotate the cutting head, so it’s a tad more versatile.

With either tool you’ll need to be careful not to chip the tile. We’ve tried both systems and they work equally fast. The oscillating tool does get you a bit tighter into corners. With either method, you’ll still have to scrape some areas by hand.

Required Tools for this How to Remove Grout from Tile Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration. [project-tools] You also will need a carbide-grit reciprocating saw blade, leather gloves and perhaps an oscillating tool.

Photo 1: Use grout to color-match the caulk

Squeeze caulk onto a mixing board, making sure you use enough to complete the entire job (it’ll be hard to match if you have to add more later). Then add colored grout to the caulk and mix thoroughly with a 3-in. putty knife. Find out how to change the color of your grout.

If you’ve checked out the sanded caulk near the grout in the tile department and can’t find one to match your tile project, just follow these two steps. First add the colored grout to a large blob of fresh caulk and mix it in (Photo 1).

Tape off the caulking area and apply the mixture

Photo 2: It’s like decorating a cake!

Scoop a hefty portion into a zip-top freezer bag. Zip the top shut and snip off one bottom corner. Then apply the caulk/grout bead to your tub and tool the joint with a plastic spoon or wet finger. Pull the tape free before the caulk sets up.

Once you’ve mixed in enough grout to match your existing grout, load the grout/colored caulk mix into a zip-top bag and apply it (Photo 2).

Required Tools for this Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration. [project-tools]

Required Materials for this Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list. [project-materials]

Photo 1: Grind out the grout

Attach the removal unit and set the bit depth to 1/4 in. Run the tool guides between the tiles and grind through the old grout. Clean joints with a grout saw.

Renewing old grout has always involved long hours of hacking away at old, worn grout with a tiny grout saw. Simplify the job by purchasing a grout removal kit that attaches to a Dremel tool. (See photo below). It has a high-speed carbide bit that effortlessly chews away old grout, and guides that keep you from chipping the tile edges. Make sure to wear safety glasses while grinding (Photo 1). Use the grout saw to scrape out edges and corners and to clean out the joints.

How to Remove Grout From Tile Step 2: Regrout the tile

Photo 2: Spread the grout

Using a grout float, push the grout diagonally across and into the vacant joints.

Vacuum up any dust or debris left after the grinding process. Take a chunk of your current grout to a home center or tile shop to find a match. Also buy a latex additive to mix into the new grout to make it more durable. Mix the grout slightly thicker than peanut butter and then apply it (Photo 2).

Shower Tile Video: Removing Tile Grout

Simplify ceramic tile grout removal by using a carbide-grit blade in a reciprocating saw or an oscillating tool. Both speed up this tough, tedious chore.

How to Remove Grout From Tile Step 3: Clean and polish the tile

Photo 3: Wipe off excess

Wipe the excess grout and film off the face of the tile with a damp sponge, rinsing it often.

Photo 4: Buff with a cloth

When the film reappears, buff the entire area with a dry cloth.

Let the grout set up for approximately 20 minutes until a film develops over the tile, then clean the area as shown in Photos 3 and 4. After the grout has dried for a week, protect it with a grout sealer.

Required Tools for this Grout Removal Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration. [project-tools] You’ll also need a sponge, a grout removal kit, a grout float and rubber gloves.

Required Materials for this Grout Removal Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list. [project-materials]

Simplify ceramic tile grout removal by using a carbide-grit blade in a reciprocating saw or an oscillating tool. Both speed up this tough, tedious chore of grout removal.

How to Remove Grout With a Dremel

Photo 1: Strip off the old caulk

Slice through the old caulk with an oscillating tool and a scraper blade. Then remove any remaining traces of caulk with a razor blade.

Photo 2: Remove the grout

Turn on the water to get a light spray. Then center the oscillating tool blade in the middle of the grout line. Lower it into the grout and slowly push the blade forward to begin grout removal.

If you have grout that’s stained or moldy, you may get lucky and discover that cleaning chemicals can handle the problem. Skip the traditional solutions like vinegar, bleach and baking soda, though—they don’t work nearly as well as a powdered oxygenated cleaner mixed into a paste (OxiClean is one brand). Or try commercial grout and mold elimination products from the home center. If chemicals work for grout removal, great. If they don’t, you’ll have to remove a layer of the old grout and replace it with new.

After chemicals failed for me, I tried everything else: a grout removal attachment for my rotary tool, a grout removal blade in my reciprocating saw, a pulsating tool with a triangular carbide bit, and a tool that looks like an electric engraver with a chisel tip. All of them either destroyed tiles or were painfully slow. Plus, they all kicked up a gritty dust storm. I finally figured out the easiest and fastest combination for the job—an oscillating tool fitted with a diamond blade (about $10). One source for oscillating tool diamond blades is fitzallblades.com.

You’ll need at least two diamond blades depending on the size of the job. You’ll also need a scraper blade for your oscillating tool (such as the Dremel MM610 Multi-Max Flexible Scraper available through our affiliation with amazon.com) to scrape away caulk at the inside corners (Photo 1). Next, it’s worth fabricating a cooling system for the oscillating tool. I built mine out of inexpensive drip irrigation parts (see “Build a Cooling System” below). Since you’ll be working with water, plug the tool into the nearest GFCI-protected outlet. If you don’t have one, buy a GFCI-protected extension cord. Don’t do this project without GFCI protection.

Next, remove the grout (Photo 2). Your goal isn’t to remove all the grout—only about 1/8 in. deep or so. Make several light passes until you reach the preferred depth. That’ll be deep enough to embed the new grout. Once you’re done grinding, clean the tile and let it dry before applying the new grout.

Required Tools for this Grout Removal Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration. [project-tools] Oscillating tool with diamond blade and scraper blade

Required Materials for this Grout Removal Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list. [project-materials]

Mismatch the Trowel Size

Make sure the trowel you use for the project matches the size of the tile. Larger tiles need a deep layer of thin-set, so you need a trowel with deep notches. When shopping for thin-set for larger tiles make sure the bag has terms such as “medium bed,” “large tile” or “large format” on the bag label.

Make a Sandpaper Dowel

Some gentle scraping with a folded fine-grit piece of sandpaper will rub out dirt and stains on tile grout. But if you have thin tile grouting like most kitchen backsplashes, these areas can be hard and strenuous to reach.

To combat this issue, sand down one side of a dowel on a clean power sander, and then the other so the tip is slightly thinner than your grout line.

Once done, simply cut and tape a strip of sandpaper to the end of the sanded-down dowel. Now lightly sand your stained and dirty areas of tile grout.

If you are worried about scratching glazed surfaces like tile, simply cover them with painters tape, and remove when done.

Fix a Leaking Bathtub Faucet

First, make sure you know whether you have glazed or unglazed porcelain tile. “Glazed porcelain typically has a complex design or veining pattern that only happens with a baked-on glaze finish,” says tile cleaning expert Troy Cantini. “Unglazed porcelain tiles will all look basically the same with monotonous designs and no shade variations among the tiles.” If you’re not sure, Cantini suggests letting water sit on the tiles for five minutes and then wiping it off. If the tiles darken, they’re most likely unglazed.

Step 2: Unglazed porcelain tile cleaning techniques

Alkaline cleaner

KlenzAll, an alkaline cleaner, tackles grease and grime.

Acidic cleaner

Restore, an acidic cleaner, removes grout haze. Both cleaners are available at tile shops and online.

Clean glazed porcelain the same way you clean ceramic tile. Cleaning unglazed porcelain tiles is trickier. There are no industry standards governing porcelain tile quality, so you can’t be completely sure what you’re dealing with. For that reason, Cantini says it’s critical to test a cleaning product on out-of-the-way tiles before using it “to make sure your scrub pads don’t scratch the tiles and the cleaners won’t damage or discolor them.”

Cantini recommends starting with a soft, nonabrasive scrub pad and a good-quality alkaline cleaner like StoneTech’s KlenzAll to emulsify and dissolve dirt, grease and grime. “If you still see smudges, swipe marks or a hazy appearance, it’s probably a grout haze leftover from the tile installation.” In that case, he suggests using an acidic cleaner, such as StoneTech’s Restore, which will safely remove grout haze from tiles that are not sensitive to acid. “Again, test it first on an out-of-the-way tile to make sure the acid cleaner doesn’t etch the tile.”

Required Tools for this Project

You’ll need a soft, nonabrasive scrub pad and plastic gloves.

Required Materials for this Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list. [project-materials]