| Subject | Date Asked |
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| Application of gaged marble | 9/21/2006 |
Q: I want to use gaged marble for covering a wood platform, covered with hardibacker to support a 300lb ...
A: You dont have to have a grout joint, but it is strongly suggested. A 1/16" joint will allow enough ...
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| Porcelain tile installtion methods | 9/19/2006 |
Q: What is the best method of installing Porcelain tile on a kitchen floor. We were givin 2 quotes: 1 ...
A: YOu cant beat a wire mesh job that is done correctly. It is solid, sound, stable and permanent. On ...
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| Tile installation | 9/16/2006 |
Q: My husband and I took our bathroom to bare studs. We reboared the walls with greenboard in the tub ...
A: Well Mrs and Mr. California....you are OK..Hardibacker is a 1/4" cement board that you can affix to ...
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| Floor Options | 9/15/2006 |
Q: Dave, I have a walkout basement on a concrete slab. Has always been carpet. House built in 70's. I ...
A: I would suggest WilsonArt in stead of Pergo. More element compliant. More plastic in volved which ...
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| vinyl flooring | 9/12/2006 |
Q: we had heavy vinyl flooring installed over concrete its been awhile and now vinyl is curling on some ...
A: A Long time ago they were selling a vinyl flooring that was a perimeter glue only. Supposedly you ...
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| flooring question | 9/9/2006 |
Q: In my basement, which is finished, the wood flooring in the kitchen area is wobbly because the ...
A: Advertising is a funny thing. Some people believe what they see and hear. Floor levelers are for ...
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| ceramic tile | 9/8/2006 |
Q: i removed my tile due to some loose ones and now i have a concret floor with thin set allover it i ...
A: This is not an easy remedy. I start with a hammer and screwdriver to get a start. Depending on how ...
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| Engineered Hardwood Installation | 9/6/2006 |
Q: We are building a new home and will be having engineered hardwood (Bruce Turlington) installed over ...
A: They do not make a toxic glue anymore. It may have a odor...but everything does. You cannot have a ...
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| bamboo floor | 9/4/2006 |
Q: I would like some advise on how should i installed bamboo floor over a wood sub floor, I have 550 sq ...
A: I am going to make some assumptions to start with. Your bamboo is prefinished. It is 3/4" thick ...
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| Vinyl removal | 8/31/2006 |
Q: I have a question about removing vinyl/tile installation. I've installed tile 4-5 times in the past ...
A: The concrete needs to be as clean as you can get it. If there is paint or texture residue, the tile ...
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| Tiles lifting from concrete floor in AZ | 8/30/2006 |
Q: I live in Phoenix, AZ and had 800 SF of 18" ceramic tile installed over concrete subfloor approx 7 ...
A: If your concrete was poured in difficult weather, it is possible that a sealer was sprayed on while ...
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| vct finish | 8/29/2006 |
Q: I had Armstrong Commercial (Exelon) installed and finish is very dull. Contractor said I need to ...
A: There is a very slight difference from the top vs the bottom. Most of the time it is a physical ...
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| peel-n-stick vinyl tile | 8/27/2006 |
Q: I saw on a home improvement show, for vinyl tile they had a peel-n-stick "grout" that outlined the ...
A: This is not a good idea. The 1/16" tiles do not give sufficient space for grout. Peel-n-stick is ...
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| Laminate Flooring | 8/26/2006 |
Q: I am going to be installing laminate flooring soon - currently we have oak accents (ie: cupboards, ...
A: Costco has a pretty good product line, so I wont cast aspersions. The type of laminate is pretty ...
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| Laminate vs Tile | 8/25/2006 |
Q: I would like to upgrade my flooring in the main level which includes about 1000 sqft of kitchen, a ...
A: If you can afford the tile....that is way prefered over the laminates. Laminates are the cheap way ...
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| Marble or Granite Grout Joints | 8/16/2006 |
Q: Dave-one last question.....if the 1/8" or less grout joint is an industry standard grout joint for ...
A: Most boxes of Custom Blend Unsanded Grout specify grout joints of 1/8" or less. The 1/4" grout ...
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| installing tile over linoleum | 8/8/2006 |
Q: i read your previous postings and still need clarification. Is it safe to install 1/4 inch cement ...
A: Safe is a good word. The reason I caution against laying tiles on linoleum is the flex factor of ...
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| How to Prep Concrete Foundation For laminate Flooring | 8/7/2006 |
Q: I just removed ceramic tile, carpeting, and carpet tack strips from my concrete foundation. I wish ...
A: First off, we need to discover the difference between laminates and manufactured flooring. ...
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| Floor Prep for Laminate Flooring | 8/6/2006 |
Q: I am considering to install laminate flooring in my basement, I think I have a good understand of ...
A: If the floor is purposely sloping to a floor drain, it is not a good idea to put a laminate floor in ...
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| How to clean travertine bathrooms | 8/6/2006 |
Q: What do you mean by "rated for shower walls?" Do you mean that we shouldn't have used it inside the ...
A: I have not seen travertine used in a shower anywhere. Only on floors. Marble is not a good shower ...
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| carpet on lanoliem removal | 8/5/2006 |
Q: we have carpet that is glued down to lanoliem. and the lanoliem is glued down to plywood. we want to ...
A: No matter what method you choose, it is going to be messy. A scraper is going to work, but it will ...
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| Sealing Laminate Flooring | 8/5/2006 |
Q: I am installing a Glueless Pergo floor in my Kitchen, should I use a Glue or sealant on the floor? ...
A: I ALWAYS use glue with these laminates. They are water resistant, not water proof. I use Elmers ...
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| Laminate flooring dips and humps | 8/4/2006 |
Q: A few months back, I had a few friends who are side contractors install some affordable glueless ...
A: It sounds like alot things happened. The original parque was breathing, and now it cannot. It can ...
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| Marble Grout | 8/3/2006 |
Q: I am having 18 x18 white marble installed in my bedroom. They finished the installation yesterday ...
A: There is no risk, just a large dust and dirt collector. Is it possible for you to fill the joints ...
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| Fixing water damaged hardwood tile floor | 8/3/2006 |
Q: A window was accidentally left open during a recent storm, leading to water sitting on the floor for ...
A: It sounds logical. If the water got under the flooring, and capilary attraction took its course, ...
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| Solid Hardwood | 7/31/2006 |
Q: My builder is installing 3/4" solid hardwood by gluing directly to the slab. What kind of assurances ...
A: The process is unique, so if he knows how, it can be simple. The key is to not do a large area at a ...
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| Vinyl Tile | 7/31/2006 |
Q: I would like to spruce up a bathroom. Spending the money on fully tiling the walls isn't ...
A: I will give you my Personal and Professional opinion. Vinyl peel n stick is a huge mistake for all ...
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| when to replace the subfloor when installing marble tiles. | 7/31/2006 |
Q: We live in a 35 year old townhouse. We asked a friend of a friend who reportedly had experience ...
A: Preparation is everything. If the new subfloor was not done properly, it will be impossible to get ...
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| laminate protection | 7/28/2006 |
Q: We have just installed Quick Step laminate in our den and kitchen. We don't want the furniture to ...
A: Every great idea has its problems. Those wonderful slippery surfaces are easy to clean, because ...
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| wood floors | 7/28/2006 |
Q: I am installing (3/4"} unfinished oak flooring. When it comes to sanding this before the stain, ...
A: The prep depends on the amount of defection when installed. Some gymnasium floors have a deflection ...
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| Floor Leveling Compounds | 7/25/2006 |
Q: In our kitchen we have a particle board subfloor that's very uneven and the nails are starting to ...
A: I need to ask a type of question. Is the subfloor particle board or OSB. They do get confused. If ...
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| Tile on a new screened in porch | 7/25/2006 |
Q: I would like to install tile on the floor of my screened in porch. I line in Minnesota, so it does ...
A: I would start with 3/4"Marine playwood, then a layer of 6mil plastic, then use 1/2" wonder board and ...
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| Grouting Brick Pavers | 7/24/2006 |
Q: I have laied brick pavers in several rooms of my house and have sealed them, but am having trouble ...
A: I have never heard of brick pavers "in" a house. I would consider them to poarse for an interior ...
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| Subfloor | 7/20/2006 |
Q: So I use thinset to fill in lowspots before I put down the 1/4" hardiboard? Do I need thinset to ...
A: As far a brands, I use what Home depot carries...I think it is just Custom Blend. The thinset will ...
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| laminate (slats-wood) installation | 7/20/2006 |
Q: i am having laminate floors installed in my house. my question is, How should the the slats be ...
A: I would look at it from a doorway perspective. Perpendicular to the doors...as much as possible. ...
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| ceramic tile installation | 7/20/2006 |
Q: I was hoping you can answer a question i have about installing ceramic tiles over an existing vinyl ...
A: I will caution you that if the backer board is not affixed to the floor, the tiles will float and ...
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| Procelain Floor Grout Joints | 7/20/2006 |
Q: Dave, We just installed over 500 sq. ft. of procelain tile in our house. The grout joints (approx. ...
A: Wait at least 7 days...damp mopping each day. Create a good hard cure. After that...any named ...
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| problem with ceramic tile grout cracking | 7/19/2006 |
Q: I have recently installed ceramic tile 12x12 on my entire 1st floor (approx 1,000 sq ft. my ...
A: Since I dont know what he did, I will tell you what needed to be done. Depending on the subfloor, ...
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| newly installed grout cracks | 7/19/2006 |
Q: ok i just put down brand new tile .over brand new subfloor. done this before,yet customer had wanted ...
A: Usually it will crack from too much water in the mix. As the water dries/cures..it shrinks and thus ...
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| Tile Saw | 7/19/2006 |
Q: I have a few home tiling projects and I am trying to figure what saw to buy and keep the cost at ...
A: I use the cheapest wet saw I can get. I consider them disposable to the job. I pay $89 and its a ...
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