Bathroom Tile

Scott wanted to learn how to tile.  Ron likes to do everything himself because he thinks he's knows he's Superdad and nobody else can do things as well as he can.  So I say, "Superdad, you have to remember that Scotty is a Superdad in training.  How will he ever become Superdad if you don't teach him?"  So, Ron stood back and let Scott do the tiling.  It was probably the hardest four hours of his life.

 Getting started.

 Matt was a great help scraping the popcorn ceiling off of the bedroom. I think he was glad not to be in the way of the tile experience.

 Not bad.  5 courses up then the border and continuing upward.

 Next wall.

 Classic Scott concentration shot.

 After lunch, Scott had to leave.  He and Matt went out with friends shooting.  This was probably great timing because the 3rd wall had some circles that had to be arranged to fit around the plumbing.  Ron finished up this wall.  My assignment all day was to open the boxes of tile, spread them around and mix and match the colors so they went up 'randomly' on the wall.  We put up multicolored slate.  Some boxes had almost all gold, some had almost all green.  So it was necessary to shuffle them a bit.

 Then we added a border around the edges.  Today's project done.  It took all day.  Ron did great letting Scott help.  I heard the 3 boys discussing the floor tile. We bought a pile of travertine with a couple of buckets of random cut pieces off of craigslist last summer for next to nothing.  I was wanting to do the bathroom and kitchen/family room area.  As they were doing the math, we were 16 pieces short of being able to do that.  Ron had picked up 17 pieces of another shade of travertine from a lot he was hired to clear all the junk off of and grade.  So the boys decided to put smaller amount, which was a lighter shade in the bathroom, and put the main amount in the main room.  You following this?  I love how they get together and pow-wow and think they've solved the problems of my universe.



So while I was shuffling the bathroom tile, I kept looking at the other tile.  After Ron reached the end of the bathroom, I announced our next tile project.

Ron looked at the floor and knew he was in for a lot of time in front of the tile saw.  I would like it on the diagonal, from the new front door, making an L shape for the kitchen area, and into the bathroom.  Leaving a space for carpeting in the main sitting area.  Bordered with 4" strips.  I had my arguments all ready on how I know it would be easier just to lay them straight, less cuts involved, etc.  But it would look 100% better laid on the diagonal...  Ron just dreads making all the cuts.  And he took a piece out to his tile saw and sure enough it's not big enough to do this size tile on the diagonal.  In Ron's words, "I'll have to cut it half way, then turn the tile around, trying not to break it, and cut the rest of the line."  Me, "but it will look so much better on the diagonal.  I'll stand here one morning and make all the cuts for you, then you just have to lay it."  That offer didn't go over too well.  My new assignment is to take a straight edge and mark diagonals on half the tiles.  And take the buckets of extra pieces and mark off the 4" strips for him to cut. 

When all is said and done, Ron even invited Scott back to help with the floor tile, "You know it's easier to tile a floor than a wall."

Before we can tile the floor this is what needs to happen:

• Grout the shower tile
• Finish installing the new front door.
• Take out the old door and frame and sheet rock that hole in.
• Move the travertine tile outside
• Remove popcorn ceiling from the main room.
• Retexturing (ceiling, around where the windows were installed, etc.)
• Primer new texture areas.  Paint whole thing
• Then we can tile the floor.

I'm excited.  I think it will all pull together so nice. 

I'm also excited about the tiling costs.  The bathroom tile was on sale with a 15% off coupon, so we were able to purchase the bathroom tile, grout for both bathroom and floors, plus the mortar, and the travertine for under $500.