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Any tricks we should know before tiling the kitchen sink area? *UPDATE June 16 FINISHED*

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A homeowner without power tools? What is the world coming too.....
I look forward to buying a home so I have an excuse to buy more power tools!😀
 
Cheapo wet saws at Home Depot or Lowes are a must.

Not if all you're doing is "the wall above the sink." The cheapo saws cost $44 or $88 and I doubt they have that many tiles to cut. I bought the $88 wet saw to do the kitchen floor and am soooo glad I did, but we had to make over 80 cuts.
 
You might also want to soak the tile before laying it. Depending on the tile, it could suck in enough of the moisture from the mortar that it doesn't hold well. Soak the tile in water for 10-15 minutes, then just prior to laying it, shake off the excess water.
 
Not if all you're doing is "the wall above the sink." The cheapo saws cost $44 or $88 and I doubt they have that many tiles to cut. I bought the $88 wet saw to do the kitchen floor and am soooo glad I did, but we had to make over 80 cuts.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I bought the $88 one too. I probably made close to 200 cuts since I laid the floor tile diagonally. It was a definate time saver.


You might also want to soak the tile before laying it. Depending on the tile, it could suck in enough of the moisture from the mortar that it doesn't hold well. Soak the tile in water for 10-15 minutes, then just prior to laying it, shake off the excess water.
Click to expand...


If he uses modified thinset mortar and tile backerboard, there is no need to soak the tile. In fact, I read somewhere that soaking the tiles might make the thinset too wet and it won't adhere properly.
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this: make sure the wall you're attaching the tiles to is prepped properly so that they stick okay. Different surfaces take different treatments.

Also, from personal experience, don't accidentally pick up the tub of grout (that looks a lot like the tup of cement) and use that as adhesive. It doesn't work very well 😀 .
 
yeah take the plate off. and put it back when your done.
edit I'd hit HD back up if it looks odd an buy a plate that matches it better
 
You remove the switchplates or outlet plates before you tile. Move the boxes forward to match the depth of the tile. Tile around the box. Grout. Seal. Replace switch or outlet plate.
 
Yea do what allisolm said. Cut the tile to fit as close to the outlet box. I don't bother to extend the box out. I just cut the tile close enough that the 'ears' on the outlets touch the tile, and just buy some longer screws of need be.

FYI, they do make porcelain/ceramic switchplate and outlet covers if you want everything to match
 
Thanks!

Also, is it hard to remove a tile after it's been sitting there? These are 4X4 and they've been mortared on but I have no grouted yet. I'm thinking about redoing a few of them since I Made pretty side cuts around the outlets...
 
just hit em with a hammer and break them out. You'll probably have to grind out some of the flue to get them to sit straight
 
Also, is it hard to remove a tile after it's been sitting there? These are 4X4 and they've been mortared on but I have no grouted yet. I'm thinking about redoing a few of them since I Made pretty side cuts around the outlets...
Click to expand...

Mortared tile isn't too hard to remove. Get a large standard screwdriver and a hammer. Wedge the screwdriver under an edge of the tile, and strike the hammer HARD to drive the screwdriver towards the center of the tile.

Make sure you wear goggles, because there IS a chance that the tile will shatter, and you don't want that in your eyes. 9 times out of 10, though, the tile will just pop off with no damage.
 
Originally posted by: gsaldivar
Also, is it hard to remove a tile after it's been sitting there? These are 4X4 and they've been mortared on but I have no grouted yet. I'm thinking about redoing a few of them since I Made pretty side cuts around the outlets...
Click to expand...

Mortared tile isn't too hard to remove. Get a large standard screwdriver and a hammer. Wedge the screwdriver under an edge of the tile, and strike the hammer HARD to drive the screwdriver towards the center of the tile.

Make sure you wear goggles, because there IS a chance that the tile will shatter, and you don't want that in your eyes. 9 times out of 10, though, the tile will just pop off with no damage.
Click to expand...

I thought I was going to reuse the tile in my kitchen after some countertop repairs, removing an island, and putting in a new smaller counter. Rather than 9 times out of 10, I'd estimate closer to 5 or 6 times out of 10 (for the 4inch tiles I had). I broke almost half of them in the removal process... enough to prompt removing every tile and replacing with a new style (which I like better).

Skoorb, without pics, it'd be hard to recommend what to do behind the sink where it's in further. I had an almost identical problem and ended up having to shim out the tileboard I used. Now that I think of it, the tileboard may be close to the thickness you need. It's easy to cut, about $10 for a sheet of it, just screws to the wall. (score it and bend to snap on the score - that's how you cut it)
 
Thanks guys 🙂 Now what about padding that little section above my sink - it's really not big (about two inches of tiling which will go above the sink, since above that is a "window".

OK Pic in first post for dr.pizza...
 
Oh, by the way, READ THE F'in instructions on the grout!

That message is to my wife, who thought that grout is supposed to sit for TWENTY FOUR FRIGGIN HOURS before wiping off the excess "in a circular motion." Well, she got the wipe off part right, but missed by 23 hours and 45 minutes. Talk about a set-back for labor and time!! Hours and hours and hours to remove the grout carefully and re-do it. It was recommended to me (and it was my opinion also) not to use the grout that has an extra adhesive mixed in with it.
 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Oh, by the way, READ THE F'in instructions on the grout!

That message is to my wife, who thought that grout is supposed to sit for TWENTY FOUR FRIGGIN HOURS before wiping off the excess "in a circular motion." Well, she got the wipe off part right, but missed by 23 hours and 45 minutes. Talk about a set-back for labor and time!! Hours and hours and hours to remove the grout carefully and re-do it. It was recommended to me (and it was my opinion also) not to use the grout that has an extra adhesive mixed in with it.
Click to expand...
Hehe, I'm doing a lot of this based on the dude at home depot's instructions. He said to grout it and then wipe off the excess, and then about 30-45 minutes later (excess already removed remember) to then take a cloth and buff any small bits of excess grout that are still on the tiles, this way you don't need a grout removing chemical the next day.

I'm also using cocking - not grout - for that bottom 1/4 at the bottom of the tiles. He said that shifting in the house sometimes causes people's bottom row to fly off the wall and that cocking will help that. It's the same color 🙂
 
can you put clear or whatever grout sealer over this caulking? that you are doing? otherwise the caulking can discolor over time, dirt etc... just like a poster previously said about grout....
 
Originally posted by: Dead3ye
Not if all you're doing is "the wall above the sink." The cheapo saws cost $44 or $88 and I doubt they have that many tiles to cut. I bought the $88 wet saw to do the kitchen floor and am soooo glad I did, but we had to make over 80 cuts.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I bought the $88 one too. I probably made close to 200 cuts since I laid the floor tile diagonally. It was a definate time saver.


You might also want to soak the tile before laying it. Depending on the tile, it could suck in enough of the moisture from the mortar that it doesn't hold well. Soak the tile in water for 10-15 minutes, then just prior to laying it, shake off the excess water.
Click to expand...


If he uses modified thinset mortar and tile backerboard, there is no need to soak the tile. In fact, I read somewhere that soaking the tiles might make the thinset too wet and it won't adhere properly.
Click to expand...

can any y'all post which model this is??

i got a price of 3k to totally redo a bathroom... thinking about doing it myself becuase i'm already paying for other rooms to be done....
 
Originally posted by: abc
Originally posted by: Dead3ye
Not if all you're doing is "the wall above the sink." The cheapo saws cost $44 or $88 and I doubt they have that many tiles to cut. I bought the $88 wet saw to do the kitchen floor and am soooo glad I did, but we had to make over 80 cuts.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I bought the $88 one too. I probably made close to 200 cuts since I laid the floor tile diagonally. It was a definate time saver.


You might also want to soak the tile before laying it. Depending on the tile, it could suck in enough of the moisture from the mortar that it doesn't hold well. Soak the tile in water for 10-15 minutes, then just prior to laying it, shake off the excess water.
Click to expand...


If he uses modified thinset mortar and tile backerboard, there is no need to soak the tile. In fact, I read somewhere that soaking the tiles might make the thinset too wet and it won't adhere properly.
Click to expand...

can any y'all post which model this is??

i got a price of 3k to totally redo a bathroom... thinking about doing it myself becuase i'm already paying for other rooms to be done....
Click to expand...
It's in the main section with the other home depot tile saws in the flooring department. It's a yellow one for $88!
 
can any y'all post which model this is??

It's in the main section with the other home depot tile saws in the flooring department. It's a yellow one for $88!

The last time I was in Lowe's and home Depot, it was the ONLY $88 one. Mine is a Workforce THD550.
 
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