Thread: Diy
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Old 04-01-2010, 10:51 AM
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TrudyM TrudyM is offline
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Location: Bought Tamarind Grove, Mercer Island Wa, previously NH,FLA,Hi,CT,CA,GA, Hubby from Hawaii
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Wink Tileing tips.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GMONEY View Post
what tile did you use for back splash? we are using the tumbled stone chiaro for ours. How did you go about sealing the tile? before putting on the wall, or after sticking up on the wall before you grouted?
I know you didn't ask me but.

If you are using a grout that is close to the color of the stone. (Recommended because of the little holes in the tumbled product that need filling during the grouting process.) you seal it after grouting. An enhancement sealer is a little more expensive but it is a tougher finish makes the tile just a little darker like it looks when wet. (I used Aqua Mix Enrich 'N' Seal)

Warning always uses the white thinset as the dark can bleed into the tile and discolor it.

Caution nothing sticks to this sealer so if you have to touch up the paint around the edges you will end up sanding and drywall mudding to make it stick. Frog tape around the edges before you seal. I found out the hard way.

Tip if you are putting in a decorative strip in tile it is quite often thinner than the field tile if you try to float it in the mortar seeps up and makes it messy and hard to do a nice grout job. Buy peal and stick cheap vinyl tile (available at Home Depot by the tile.) and cut it the width of the decor strip use the fine premix tile mastic and secure the tile to the vinyl then set the strips in the thin set. This allows you to get them nice and level.