Encyclopedia

of Home Improvements

*Question & Answer Tile*

Dear Bob

What is the difference between installing tile over mud (screed) or other materials such as plywood, wonder board etc..?

Dear AA

Mud (screed) is basically a mixture of a sand and Portland cement. When mixed and used properly it will give you a flat and level concrete-like solid surface, improve sound proofing, won't fall apart with moister, and the mortar will bond better on mud then ply wood-like surfaces. Wonder board (cement board) provides an excellent tiling surface when installed over your plywood subfloor.

Dear Bob

What should I use to seal my newly installed Stone/Tile and grout?

Dear BD

Well, this is a simple question, but unfortunately the answer is not that simple. In order to recommend a type and amount of sealer/impregnator, first we need to know what kind a Stone/Tile you have.
Stone such as Granite, Marble, Travertine, Limestone, Sandstone, Slate etc. What kind of finish it has? Polished, Honed, Flamed etc. (this will tell us how much you need to buy). Where its located? Interior/Exterior, kitchen, foyer, bathroom floors, shower walls or counter/tops, vanity/tops etc. (this will help us to choose the right type of sealer/impregnator for that location) such as water repellent, oil repellant, or color announcer type etc.

Dear Bob

Which is better Ceramic tile or Porcelain tile?

Dear DF

It's all depends on where are you going to use it? If it's a commercial building or exterior surfaces, then it may be wise to choose a good quality porcelain tile for that project. If this is an interior residential application you could get a well glazed ceramic tile that will do the job as good as a quality porcelain tile would.
Keep in mine that not all Porcelain tiles are created equal, like any other materials there are good and bad ones. Just because it says porcelain doesn't men that it is a better material then ceramic. There are so many good glazed ceramic tiles out there, that will perform far better then any ordinary porcelain tile.

Dear Bob

Can you give me your best advice on whether or not I should seal my kitchen countertop? It is made of Absolute Black Granite.

Dear Art

If you are sealing granite or natural stone kitchen counters, look for an oil repellant impregnator. An oil resistant impregnator will only slow the absorption of oil while an oil repellant impregnator will keep the oil from entering the stone. All of them work well to protect stone.

The sealer penetrates into the stone and attaches it's protection to the stone walls within the pore structure. This allows the stone to breathe. It does not alter the color or sheen of the stone and does not need to be reapplied after each cleaning. The sealer is not on the surface so the coating won't scratch or scuff. A penetrating sealer does not need to be reapplied as often as a topical sealer because there is no surface coating to wear off.

Disadvantages:
Penetrating sealers do not protect the surface of the stone from scratching or etching.

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