# Tile Talk: Your Biggest Challenge



## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

When it comes to installing tile, what's your biggest challenge?

Lippage?
Mixing thinset to the proper consistency?
Layout?
Telling people you work on your knees for a living?


Discuss


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Standing up.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Finding a real pro to do it.


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## kevjob (Aug 14, 2006)

charging enough for it.

Lippage has always bothered me, the thickness of a credit and I might rip it out.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Accidentally stepping on freshly laid tiles.

Dropping a tool from a ladder and cracking a tile.

Spilling my coffee over porous tile that has yet to be sealed.

Its not as nice to stand on as carpet....


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

Given enough time and money, I feel like I can make damn near any job perfect. So yeah I'd have to say getting enough time and money to satisfy my picky ass nature :laughing:


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Standing up.


Sorry dude - I'll take my hands off your shoulders now :laughing:


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## kneedeep (Jun 28, 2010)

Satisfying EVERY homeowner.


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## ROVACON (Apr 19, 2010)

Biggest problem for me is speed. Damn it I am slow but like Precision says, maybe it is because I am too picky also? :shifty:


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

kevjob look into the tuscan leveling sytem. It levels as it goes pretty sweet. a big bullet to bite for the first round on the gun and caps.


my biggest challenge is trying to get homeowners to understand flip flops are work shoes they just dont get it


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## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

It's tiring and difficult for me to grout a large area by myself. I'm using sponges. I started using a scale and cutting the grout batches into quarters. Temperature plays a big role as well, both on me and the grout.


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

oh and the other biggest challenge is getting angus to unload my tile for me... He just doesnt seem to want to do extra work


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## jarvis design (May 6, 2008)

opiethetileman said:


> kevjob look into the tuscan leveling sytem. It levels as it goes pretty sweet. a big bullet to bite for the first round on the gun and caps.


I used the Lash leveling system on the last job - using 16x24 honed travertine tile. I was quite impressed - and the cost wasn't out of this world. Will definately use it again.


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

jarvis big dif my friend.. the tuscan is a totaly different system.. to start up its about 800 bucks and the capos are reusable same as the gun..


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

Look into the Raimondi leveling system. It's a hybrid between the lash & tuscan. :thumbsup:


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

angus do you have it???? I have the pearl and tls and lash


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Angus, I met the guy who is going to be tiling the house of horrors. It's in the preliminary stages and he's booked 7-8 weeks out. He claims that he puts more pressure on himself than the HO ever could.:whistling

I'm pretty sure he'll be getting his ass handed to him.:laughing:


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

opiethetileman said:


> angus do you have it???? I have the pearl and tls and lash


I don't. I have some of the lash mostly used to keep tiles from creeping on me when I tile over multiple days.


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

hey lone make sure ya take some good pictures of the golden platter of the matter................


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

*Design & .......*

Layout.... people that have no concept of dimensional space and why you should not use 20" tile in a small area.... inserting borders... the correct color scheme...the correct tile .... how to accent the room .. I could go on and on~ basically for me the challenge is putting together I design and tile or stone that I would like to see used... and in the end after discussing it with them ~ with everything taken into consideration~ I give them several options and layouts that I can do for them...and I usually do a good job of explaining why it is so critical when selecting the write tile or natural stone in the project. ~ but IMPO layout/borders ..color..type and design are the biggest challenge for me. 

Lippage is a key as well- all depends on the surface and size tiles/stone used and the preparation for the tile. 

thinset ~ paste and firm ...enough that it holds the tile firm but also has flexibility to adjust for leveness...

matching 2 different grouts......thats another issue 





good question:thumbsup:
Brian


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