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How Ensuring a Safe Cleaning?

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Avoid harsh cleaners and anything abrasive. Some cleaners may strip your marble tiles of its finish. Check the label of all cleaners to ensure they are suitable for marble tiles. Abrasives in cleaners and abrasive cleaning tools, like scouring pads, steel wool, or scrubbers, can also cause damage to the marble tiles. The surfaces cleaners are intended for should be clearly marked on the label. Abrasives, too, are generally marked on the label.


Test cleaning products on an out of view part of the marble tiles. Even if the label says a cleaning product is suited for marble tiles, it’s always a good idea to test the cleaner first. Choose an out of sight location on the marble tiles, like under a stationary appliance, and use a small amount of cleaner on the marble tiles. If the finish or color is affected by the cleaner after it dries, refrain from using the cleaner.


Soak stubborn stains in bleach. Although bleach is a generally accepted cleaning agent for marble tiles, it’s relatively harsh. Only use bleach sparingly to clean your marble tiles. Same as when using vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, dampen a clean, soft rag with bleach, wring out excess, and drape the rag over stains. Only use this technique for marble tiles that is light in color. Bleach may cause discoloration in dark colored pieces.


Identify engrained stains in your marble tiles. If you’ve cleaned a spot time and again with various cleaners, it’s likely the stain you are attempting to clean is engrained in the marble tiles. To remove spots like this, the marble tiles will have to be buffed and refinished. For the best results, this should only be attempted by a professional.


Apply the cleaning solution with a clean, soft rag. Douse your rag in the heavy-duty cleaning solution. Wring out excess solution over the sink, then lay the saturated rag on the stains. Wait roughly 10 minutes for the stain fighting action of the solution to go to work, then wipe away remaining liquid with a clean, dry, soft rag.

How Targeting Stains and Grease?

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Use an alkaline degreaser for oil and grease. Oil and grease, often found on garage floors, should be cleaned with an alkaline degreaser. You can purchase this online or at a hardware store. Consult the label to see how much water to use to dilute your degreaser. Apply to oil and grease stains and then rinse it out completely using water. Make sure to wear goggles and gloves when applying degreaser.


Look for chemical strippers to remove graffiti. In general, chemical strippers should not be used on cement. In the event of graffiti, however, such cleaning solutions are necessary. Go for citrus-based strippers, as these are the mildest. Apply these cleaners to the graffiti and allow them to sit in for several hours before rinsing them out. Use protective gear when working with chemical cleaners.


Apply an acid neutralizer, which you can buy at a hardware store, according to package directions after using a chemical stripper. Remove rust stains. Rust stains are difficult to remove and sometimes require professional cleaning. Cleaners with oxalic acid are usually used to remove rust stains. Apply these according to package instructions, making sure to wear goggles and gloves.


As removing concrete can be difficult, it’s usually best to seek professional help if you have concrete built up on your cement. Spray down the cement with clean water to remove any traces of your cleaner. Make sure to keep spraying your cement until water runs clear. Any cleaner reside can damage the cement over time.


Although proper usage will vary from product to product, in many cases you can combine a product, like Barkeeper’s Friend, with a small amount of water to make a paste. Apply this to remaining stains or buildup for a few hours. Generally, by allowing your cleaning product more time to work on the stain, the results will be better.

Choosing the Right Type of Flooring

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Choose solid flooring if you want to be able to refinish it in the future. Solid flooring comes in planks made solely of wood. It’s noticeably quieter and can be refinished over and over again since it gives plenty of solid wood to work with. However, solid flooring is also prone to expansion and contraction, which can change its appearance over time.


Opt for engineered flooring if you want the wood to be more stable. Engineered flooring consists of multiple layers, only the top one being solid wood. The way engineered flooring is made prevents it from expanding and contracting, which means it always stays the same. However, it usually comes with a pretty thin layer of solid wood, which doesn’t leave enough room for future refinishing.


If price is a big concern, engineered flooring is a better option. Not only is it cheaper, it can also be installed directly onto concrete floors, which can significantly reduce your costs. Get prefinished flooring if you prefer not taking risks. With prefinished flooring, the top coat is added before the planks leave the factory, so you know exactly what you’re getting.


Also, you don’t need to rely on your contractor’s skills when it comes to finishing touches. Once the flooring is delivered, it only needs to be installed. Go with unfinished flooring if you want a higher level of control. Unfinished flooring gets delivered without the top coat and has to be finished on site.


This is riskier, since you don’t see the end product before it’s already installed. However, choosing for the flooring to be finished on site allows you to make adjustments during the entire installation process. When it comes to price, unfinished flooring is less affordable, since you need to pay a contractor to first install your flooring and then do the finishing touches as well.

How Selecting the Right Wood?

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Select a type of wood. Different species are of different levels of durability. In general, the harder the wood, the more durable the flooring is. That’s why you should look for harder species if you want your floors to last for years to come. It’s not uncommon for wood to change color over time. Although the changes are normally subtle, it’s worth keeping this in mind when deciding on a color for your flooring.


Choose plank size. There are plenty of available sizes, but it’s important to keep in mind both cost and design. Generally, the wider the planks are, the more expensive the flooring is. However, wider planks tend to make a room appear more luxurious. Take into account that seams get more pronounced with time.


If you think this could hurt the appearance of your home, consider investing in wider planks. Since they’re bigger, they automatically have fewer seams. Select a grain pattern. Plain-sawn wood is ideal for traditional interiors, with lines joining to form peaks known as cathedrals.


Rift-swan wood has straight lines that are fairly subtle, which makes it capable of fitting into any decor. Quarter-swan wood also has straight lines, but they’re much more eye-catching, which makes for excellent flooring choice for modern and rustic styles. Distressing is a finishing technique you can use to make the pattern on your flooring more prominent.


Work from one side of the other, pinning the panels with 1⁄4 in (0.64 cm) galvanized siding nails placed in their pre-cut nailing slots. When you get to the end of the wall, start with the next row, allowing the new panels to overlap the first ones by 1 in (2.5 cm). Since distressing gives the wood a worn look, it’s normally used in vintage and rustic interiors.

How Scoring and Snapping Thin Glass?

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Use a glass scoring tool to make straight lines. If you plan to make longer, straight cuts on tile 1⁄8 inch (3.2 mm) thick or less, use a glass scoring tool. Scoring refers to cutting small cuts in the surface of the glass that will allow you to break the piece off with a clean edge.. Choose a scoring tool with a carbide or diamond cutting wheel to score the glass.


Scoring and snapping allows you to cut larger squares of tile into smaller squares and isn’t ideal for cutting irregular shapes or patterns. The cuts need to be at least an 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide in order for you to snap it off, so scoring is not a good method to cut thin slivers of glass tile. You can find glass scoring tools at hardware stores or online for about $15.


Lay the glass tile face up on a flat surface. When you score and snap, you want to make your cuts on the front facing side of the tile so the visible part of the tile has the straightest line. Place the glass tile on a workstation or table with the side that will be facing out when you install the tile facing up.


Be sure to lay the glass tile down gently to avoid chipping or cracking it. Tip: Consider laying a towel or cardboard down beneath the glass tile to keep it from knocking against the surface.

Use a straightedge and washable marker to draw guidelines. Scoring and snapping is ideal for breaking glass tiles across their entire surface, rather than cutting sections out of a larger piece of glass tile. To give yourself a guideline, place a straightedge on the tile, and use it to guide your washable marker as you make a straight line across the tile. Washable marker will wipe off easily after you snap off your glass tile.

How Create a strong bond?

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Since the surface of glass is very smooth, it’s important that the setting materials have a strong bond. Materials with a high polymer content have a high bond strength, ensuring that the glass maintains its spot in the installation.


Another installation concern is the glass-making method: small, boutique glass tile makers may not manufacture their products to meet industry standards due to surface treatments or tile backings. Metallic and painted backings will not bond well to cement-based mortars and may come loose. Similarly, mesh backing can trap water beneath the tile, weakening the bond or creating mold.


Make sure to create a mock-up to test the tile installation materials before proceeding with the full-scale project. Protect glass tile installations from temperature variance. Glass tile installations occasionally fail as a result of exposure to sunlight or other forms of heat.


Glass tile and cement setting materials expand and absorb heat at different rates, which can lead to cracks in the finished surface. Once again, the polymers in the mortar will help to absorb some movement, but silicone caulk should also be used to create movement joints that can handle the flexing tiles.

Tile nippers look and work like giant fingernail clippers, and are an essential tool for any tile job. Standard nippers will cut ceramic and porcelain tiles, but you may want to use specialty nippers for glass tiles or fragile stone tiles (like slate). Wear safety glasses so shards of tile don’t get into your eyes, and sturdy work gloves to protect your hands from sharp tile edges.

How Preparing the Shower for Tiles?

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Gut the shower stall down to the studs. You may need to remove the shower pan and ceiling, as well. Do not put down any plastic because this can trap moisture and lead to rotting. Instead, use a product that you can paint on to help prevent moisture.


Choose a vapor barrier to install and introduce according to manufacturer directions. If you fail to install a vapor barrier, you might grow mold and mildew as moisture from your shower escapes through the tiles and into walls. Improperly installed tile and grout can allow water vapor to pass into the space behind.


When installing a vapor barrier on an exterior wall, it may be helpful to seal a plastic vapor barrier to the concrete floor but not all the way up to the top of the ceiling. With insulation improperly installed, or in colder climates, there’s a chance that condensation that forms behind the vapor barrier will cause the framing members to rot. In order to avoid that possibility, install the vapor barrier with space to spare so that the gap behind the vapor barrier can breathe. Use a roll on product, such as Red Guard.


Wedi boards are another option some consider even better than cement board. If you choose a membranous barrier such as Trugard or Kerdi, you can install plain old drywall or you can just install a cement board instead.


Put up a sturdy cement board backer. Putting up cement board is just like putting up drywall. You cut it to fit using a grinder with a diamond bit, and then screw it to the studs. Leave a 1/8″ gap between panels and then a very small space between the shower pan and the bottom of the backer so that the two don’t squeak by rubbing together.

How to Removes the Dirt and Sanitizes the Tiles?

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Removes the dirt and sanitizes the tiles. A sponge mop works best for this method; however, any mop will do the job. Change the water in your bucket if it turns brown or grey so you don’t leave a film on your tiles.

Buff and dry the tiles with an old towel. Rub an old towel over the wood marble tiles to dry the area. Press down on the towel while you rub it back and forth to buff the tiles and give them a shiny clean look.

This process removes the dirt and sanitizes the tiles. A sponge mop works best for this method; however, any mop will do the job. Change the water in your bucket if it turns brown or grey so you don’t leave a film on your wood tiles.

Buff and dry the tiles with an old towel. Rub an old towel over the tiles to dry the area. Press down on the towel while you rub it back and forth to buff the tiles and give them a shiny clean look.

Wipe the soap suds off the tiles with warm water and a dishcloth. Dunk a clean dishcloth in warm water and wring it out to remove any excess water. Wipe the entire tile surface until all the soap suds are gone. If the dishcloth get soapy, rinse it in warm water and then carry on wiping the tiles.

Dry the area with a tea towel. This avoids the wall tiles from growing mold or mildew. Use a clean tea towel to dry all the moisture from the tiles and grout. If you don’t have spare tea towel, use paper towels instead.

How Taking out a Single Tile?

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Remove the grout around the tile with a grout saw. Grout saws resemble utility knives and are used to remove grout surrounding tiles. Hold your grout saw firmly in your dominant hand and work around the tile you want to remove. Use long strokes as you apply firm pressure to cut into the grout so the tile comes up easier. Grout saws can be purchased at any hardware or home improvement store.

Hit the tile with a hammer to loosen it. Set the hammerhead directly in the center of the tile. Lift the hammer up and bring it back down in the middle of the tile with a firm amount of pressure. This helps loosen the tile more and break apart some of the adhesive on the bottom. For larger tiles, use a 3–5 lb (1.4–2.3 kg) sledgehammer.

If your tile is smaller than 3 in × 3 in (7.6 cm × 7.6 cm) and you don’t want to damage the ones surrounding it, drill 5 holes in an X-shape through the tile with a carbide masonry drill bit. Use a hammer and a chisel on the holes to chip the tile out.

Pry up the edge of the tile with a chisel. Slide the end blade of your chisel underneath the tile and pull up on the handle to lift it. If the tile is still stuck, hit the end of the chisel’s handle with your hammer to break apart your tile. Work slowly so you don’t accidentally chip any of the tiles next to the one you’re trying to remove. If you don’t have a chisel, use the back of a claw hammer to lift and pry the tile off of the surface.

Use your chisel to scrape off the mortar. Set the chisel blade on the surface next to the adhesive mortar. Apply a firm amount of pressure to the chisel, working in short back and forth motions to scrape the mortar off. Once you’ve removed it all, use a vacuum to get rid of the residue. Make sure the surface is completely smooth or else you won’t be able to lay another tile in flat.

How to lay a ceramic or porcelain floor tiles?

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Find your center point. You have already determined the size of your room, which is 84 square feet. Finding the center point is critical for laying the floor tiles. It will determine where you will lay your first marble tiles and the next ones. Measure one wall, for example the 12 foot (3.7 m) wall. At 6 feet (1.8 m), half the distance, mark a point with a pencil.

Do the same on the other 12 foot (3.7 m) wall. Using your chalk line, anchor one end at the midpoint of one wall and stretch across to the midpoint of the other. “Snap” the chalk line by lifting it up slightly and letting it hit the ground; this will leave a straight line on the floor. Measure the 7 foot (2.1 m) walls and mark a point a 3 ½ feet on both sides.

Rehearse laying out kitchen tiles. When you have found your center point, you will notice you will have a “quadrant” design on the flooing tiles, or 4 equally sized areas. Starting at the center, “rehearse” your tiles design pattern by simply laying them on the marble floor tiles without any adhesive or glue. Place the first small tiles at the corner nearest the center point. You are only going to work in one quadrant at a time. Begin placing wood tiles in a straight line towards either wall, leaving a small space in between the tiles.

Repeat the same process for the 3 ½ foot line. You will use 3 full cement tiles and 1 tiles cut to 4 inches (10.2 cm), since the size of the 3 joints plus the 1 wall joint equals 2 inches (5.1 cm) and your original tiles size was 6 inches (15.2 cm) (6 inches original tile- 2 inches total joint= 4 inch tiles). Note that this does not follow the realignment strategy mentioned above. Because this room is “squared,” the true center is best left where it actually is. Simply make uniform cuts as they correspond to each side (in this case, you will have 9 inch (22.9 cm) tiles as the wall tiles on the “short” 7 foot (2.1 m) walls and 4 inch (10.2 cm) tiles on the long 12 foot (3.7 m) walls.

Pre-drill some tiles to fit over items such as radiator pipes, bath pipes, and so on. To achieve this you may have to drain down radiator systems, remove the rad from the wall and take the taps off the pipework. Very time consuming but worth the effort if a minimal look is desired. Your floor will look better if you can drill a hole in the tiles and lay the tiles over the pipe.

Use a diamond hole saw to bore into the tiles and drill a perfect hole. If you do not have a hole saw you can use a wet-tile saw to cut a square hole in the center of the tiles. Draw a square on the back of the tiles in the desired location of the hole. Carefully place the backside of the tiles against the wet-saw blade at the midpoint of one of the sides of the square. Gently push the tiles against the the blade until the edge of the square is cut. Repeat for the other sides of the square hole.