Any type of remodeling project is going to be generating, yes, that 4 letter word we all loathe . . . DUST! Anything you don't want to get dusty, either cover it up or move it to another part of the house. Ask your installers where they will be setting up their staging area. This is the vicinitywhere all their equipment is within easy reach. This will be a high activity area so clear out anything in their way. If you are concerned about foot trafficplace pieces of cardboard or plasticdown on the flooring you want to protect.
Tile Installation Materials
The installation materials arethe meat and potatoes of the project. Other than the tile itself, very specialized equipment is used to achieve the best outcome.
- Small stuff first: chalk line, measuring tape, sponges and painters tape, all these items are used in aligning thetile as well as preparation for the job.
- Tile Cutting Tools: tile cutters and wet saws both are utilizedwhen a single tile won't fit in a particular space. Both of these tools are sharp and can hurt someone who is unfamiliar with apparatus.
- The messy stuff:grout,mastic, thin set, grout float andself-leveling cement are all used to secure each tile into place. Many times installers will use a powdered product rather than a ready to use compound. Much of the dust produced in laying tile comes from powdered materials.
- Notched Trowel: this piece of equipment is neither refinedor priceyhowever, it is essential for laying tile. Think of trying to put butter on bread without any utensils. This is the knife used to put down the 'mud' before setting each tile into place.
- Most important for the symmetryof each floorare spacers and tile wedges. Without these little plastic 'X's'the tile placement would not be aesthetically pleasing and there would be different widths of grout lines between each tile.
As with any remodeling or refurbishing project there will be a time of upheaval and dust. After seeing the finished product of a beautifully tiled floor you'll know it was worth it. Contact D&B Tile, we can help with it all, decorating and remodeling ideas, tiling options and recommended installation methods.