No matter how experienced you are with home repair, when it comes to bathroom remodeling, there are specific things you need to do beforehand to get the best results. The bathroom is a room with its own set of needs, and any remodeling project will have several different components. Here are six preparatory steps to get you started on the right track.

Step #1: Clear out the space
While this might seem like common sense, it’s really the most important thing you can do. Get rid of the counter clutter and any movable furniture pieces in order to free the space for all the work that needs to be done. If you can, dismantle the shower and bathing areas to keep the room completely free of obstacles. (See Step #6.)

Step #2: Clearing out the space even more
Remove whatever remains from Step #1 that either doesn’t fit with the new décor, or will interfere with work (e.g., lighting fixtures, wall decorations, window treatments, towel racks, and wallpaper). Old paint can be stripped or painted over, depending on what condition it’s in and how thorough and ambitious you are. Worn carpeting or linoleum should be ripped up if you are envisioning a new floor.

Step #3: Clean remaining surfaces
Dust and wash all surfaces to remove whatever dirt and grime have built up over the years. This is especially important for any area that will be painted, wallpapered, or resurfaced, or used for mounting or supporting cabinetry or other fixtures.

Step #4: Make everything level and flat
Next on your to-do list is to properly prepare all surfaces for their new roles. Patch holes and cracks in woodwork and walls, and sand smooth any freshly cleaned or plastered areas. Plane any bumps or surface irregularities in the floor so the new covering will lie flat.

Step #5: Dry out the area
If you plan to mount anything new on the walls, eliminate as much humidity as possible. Try running a fan or dehumidifier in the room, or leaving a window open if you live in a dry, temperate climate that doesn’t have dust in the air. Dry out the bathroom for at least 24 hours before starting the actual renovation work.

Step #6: Turn off all utilities leading to the bathroom
Since you’ll probably be installing new sinks and fixtures, you’ll need to turn off the water and clean out the pipes as best you can to prevent leaks and spills. You’ll also want to shut off electricity in the area if any wiring is exposed or electrical work is necessary.

Just as the success of any endeavor rests on adequate preparation, so too does a bathroom remodeling project. It may not be a bravura performance at Carnegie Hall, or a winning catch in the Super Bowl, but it does involve a considerable financial, emotional, and aesthetic investment for those who attempt it. Why not do everything possible to ensure its success?

For more ideas and information on bathroom remodeling, go to: www.DiscountBathroomVanities.com

Dave Robert is a district sales manager at Discount Bathroom Vanities Publishing, and an avid fixer-upper who’s been restoring old houses for more than twenty years. Readers can tap into Dave’s knowledge about home remodeling, and kitchen and bathroom design, at: www.DiscountBathroomVanities.com

Marble is a limestone that has been compressed and/or heated deep within the earth’s crust. Unlike granite, marble is not a molten rock, but may have been heated and squeezed enough for the limestone grains to bend and flow through it. Marble is made of medium density material suitable for uses on bathroom, vanity, fireplace facings, table tops including floors or walls.

The elegance of marble has long been renowned as the material of choice with unlimited workability. A multiple of colors and patterns make this natural stone the perfect stone for all time to come. The general uses of marble include flooring, fireplace facings, countertops, table tops, flooring and other vanities.

Marble Tiles Are Used For A Wide Array Of Home Applications

There are many, varying types of natural stone used in residential and commercial applications. Since marble is not considered the hardest of natural stones, it would not do well as a floor covering in areas with enormously high traffic. Although for general residential and light commercial applications, it would hold its ground.

The sole application that marble is not well suited for is kitchen countertops, because marble’s composition fades and deteriorates when exposed to acids and acidic material. The most common residential uses of marble are for window sills, fireplaces hearths, decorative foyers and bathroom floors. Other bathroom applications for marble include wall covering, backsplashes, tub decks and showers.

There are some marble tiles that are made for a finished look, and are called tumbled marble. The process of creating tumbled marble involves tumbling the tiles with sand inside a large drum. After some time, the sides and corners of the tiles become rounded and the edges slightly chipped, which result in a well-worn, classic and antique look. The fame of tumbled marble has greatly increased these days, especially for use as bathroom countertops and backsplashes

Marble Tiles Are Hypoallergenic

The use of marble can be viewed as hypoallergenic option for bathroom flooring. Before, there were times when marble was used as a flooring base in hospitals, before the use of porcelain tiles grew to its current level of popularity. During hot and humid summer months, the extraordinary cool base of marble could be make for a quite amusing underfoot, which adds a soothing feel, and adds value to the choice of marble tile flooring.

Overall, using marble tile flooring is an excellent way to accent an interior, with the extra added advantages of its more practical features. Marble is highly known for the best homeowner’s choice specifically for the hallway and bathrooms. As marble tiles are made from a natural substance, the differences in color from tile to tile are both expected as well as preserved. The marble tile is polished elegantly and checked for “faults,” or small fissures, which could materialize in the stone, and filled, by pigmented resins or sealants, to maintain the structural value and integrity of the tile, as well as the appearance.

Utilizing marble tiles for bathroom floors are necessary if your main goal is to create an elegant bath. These tiles are available either polished or honed. Honed tiles are used to provide more traction, while polished tiles will provide a more elegant look, but can be quite slippery when wet, so bath mats need be placed at critical points to prevent accidents such as sliding.

Marble Tile Flooring - http://tilenet.net

Vanessa A. Doctor from Jump2Top - SEO Company

Tile bathroom counter tops will upgrade your bathroom. Few projects can improve the bathroom of your home more than tile bathroom counter top installation. Tile counter tops are not only beautiful, they are very practical too. You can spend much money to have a ceramic tile bathroom counter top installed or you can do it yourself. In this article see the steps to install a ceramic tile bathroom counter top.

First choose your tile. This is tough, since there are many choices of ceramic tile for bathroom counters. You must choose between an endless variety of sizes, colors, textures, grades, finishes.

Decide how you will trim the tile too. If the edges will be exposed, choose tile with finished glazed edges. Some floor tiles have glazed edges and look great as counter top tiles. Porcelain tile is used often in bathrooms. Since porcelain tile has a slick glass-like finish it’s easy to clean and great for a bathroom. Also many porcelain tile models come with all kinds of trim pieces for edges and accessories. Accessories include soap dishes, towel racks and related fixtures.

Part of the art to installing ceramic tile counter tops is deciding how to arrange tiles. How do you start? Where should cuts be made? Which layout looks most attractive? After your base is installed, try laying some tiles, without adhesive, on the counter and see what looks best. Try different arrangements to see what you like. Move the dry tile around and save yourself a lot of time ripping out tile and starting over.

The base for the tile is important. Your tile bathroom counter top can be installed over many materials. Formica is a good base. Just check with your dealer to choose an adhesive suited for the surface. A favorite base is cement board. With cement board you can use ready mixed latex glue as an adhesive for ceramic tile counter tops.

When you’re ready to start laying your ceramic tile, it’s much like laying a floor. Spread the adhesive over an area with your tile trowel. Spread the adhesive with the notched side of your trowel to get the right amount of adhesive. The size of the trowel notches and the angle of the trowel determines how much adhesive you apply.

Lay your tiles following your plan you made with the dry tile. Use spacers to get the gaps between tiles consistent.

You cut tile at edges or around fixtures using a cutter board or a wet saw. Finish trim using tile nippers. After the tile adhesive is set, prepare to grout. Choose sanded grout if the joints are 1/8 inch or larger. An excellent alternative for a tile bathroom counter top is epoxy grout, which is excellent on any tile surface in a bathroom. Epoxy grout doesn’t stain and is completely waterproof.

Those are the basic steps to completely update your bathroom with a tile counter top. This beautiful, practical surface can last for decades with minimum maintenance!

Have other questions about a tile bathroom counter top? I know laying ceramic tile can be puzzling.

Visit InstallingCeramicTile.Net to get answers to your questions and get some great resources to speed you to success with your project.

Al Bullington admires the beauty of ceramic tile from his home in the country.

Bathroom ceramic tile is often used in five different applications. This article discusses each application and some choices you can make.

Bathroom ceramic tile in your home is both beautiful and very practical. Nothing else can match the beauty and the great variety of colors, textures, designs and shapes possible with tile construction. Especially in bathrooms, ceramic tile can’t be matched as a durable and useful surface.

Tile On Counter Tops

Tile bathroom counter tops are very practical. Many times porcelain tile is used on counter tops. Porcelain tile is tile that is fired under certain conditions. The surface or finish of porcelain tile is very slick and glass-like. Because of that slick finish, porcelain tile wipes off very easily, which is great for clean-up in a bathroom. Porcelain tile comes in many types of trim shapes, suitable for trimming edges and trays in bathrooms.

But other kinds of tiles are used on bathroom counter tops. Granite and marble tiles are good on counter tops. Even floor tiles are fine. Just think about how you will trim the tile around the edges.

An epoxy grout is great for bathroom counter tops. Epoxy grout is stain proof and waterproof, perfect for use anywhere in a bathroom.

Ceramic Tile on Bathroom Floors

Bathroom floors get wet, making ceramic tile a perfect floor covering choice. Make sure to select a tile with some texture so it won’t be slick. Installation goes under the commode edge. The commode must be removed to install the tile. This is a good time to replace the commode mounting hardware and seal. Again, epoxy grout is perfect for the floor grout since it’s waterproof.

Tile On Walls

Bathroom walls are a great place for tile. Especially in a steamy shower environment, The moisture will not bother the ceramic tile wall at all. A ceramic tile wall is virtually a no maintenance surface. And porcelain is ultra easy to clean.

Ceramic Tile On Tub And Shower Surrounds

Maintaining many kinds of tub surrounds is a constant battle. But not ceramic tile on the tub surround. Just a simple wipe down occasionally is all that’s required. Also built in trays and racks can be fitted to the ceramic tile tub surround to make it both beautiful and useful.

Ceramic Tile Showers

Ceramic tile showers can be installed quickly and at reasonable costs. The standard method of building ceramic tile showers includes building a masonry shower floor over a waterproof membrane, called a shower pan liner. The shower floor will last a long time with very little maintenance. The only real maintenance required is to keep the grout sealed to prevent deterioration of the grout.

Do It Yourself Bathroom Tile

It is very possible for a handy person to learn to do bathroom ceramic tile installation. There are just a few steps to the process and a few tools to acquire if you wish to do tile installation yourself.

There are some tricks to installing ceramic tile, but nothing that you can’t learn. Just like many other home improvement projects, a handy person can do a professional ceramic tile installation job. You may be slower than a pro, but your finished work can be just as good. Maybe even better, since you can take all the time you need and you aren’t in a hurry. Installing ceramic tile is just done in steps. If you understand the steps, you can do a great job.

You can enjoy the satisfaction of bathroom ceramic tile installation done right. Plus save some money and not have strangers in your house!

Are you ready to enjoy bathroom ceramic tile in your home. I’ve enjoyed ceramic tile in my bathroom most of my life and it’s an affordable luxury.

Visit InstallingCeramicTile.Net and get started on your bathroom tile project.

Al Bullington enjoys bathroom ceramic tile in the rural South.

Your shower floor pan isn’t often noticed, but it can become very important.

When I noticed a wet spot on the bedroom floor next to the shower, I knew I was in trouble. I hadn’t notice that the grout had deteriorated at the bottom of the shower. A trip under the house confirmed the leaks and damage to the floor under the shower. Then I learned that the tile guys in our area are all very busy, so you wait for someone to get to your job. I paid close attention when Mr. Davis finally got there, because it looked like “how to build a shower pan” would be an interesting do-it yourself project.

After watching the whole job, I still think a handy person can learn how to build a shower pan.

Here’s how you do it.

Repair damage.

Damage is usually to the sub floor below and around the shower pan. Remove rotted material and replace it. If water has damaged walls or ceilings in floors below, you could be looking at big repair bills. Avoiding these problems is why you want the job done right.

Install the drain base.

Tile floors are not water-proof. The mortar that’s exposed to water absorbs some water. If you don’t mix the mortar properly, it will crumble and fail. Install the drain properly so whatever water weeps
into the mortar finds the drain. Now rough in the drain base.

Build a sloped mortar base.

Build your slope in here. The slope moves all the water to the drain preventing standing water. Build a two inch thick base that sloping to the drain. Let this bed cure before the next step.

Install the shower floor pan liner membrane and drain top.

A flexible, waterproof membrane goes over the mortar base. The membrane is a rubber-like material that’s waterproof. The membrane goes up the sides of the wall a few inches. One of the tricks is properly folding the liner in the corners.

Install the top mortar bed.

A second mortar bed is installed over the liner and reinforced with wire.

Build the threshold.

Build any threshold forms and pour mortar mix to establish the correct shape.

Install tile.

After the second coat of mortar cures, install a coat of thinset. Then install tile. Let thinset cure then grout.

Shower floor pan tricks:

There are several places to make mistakes and many questions can come up.

• Like how do you build the threshold?
• How do you get the right amount of fall in the floor?
• How is the pan attached to the drain?
• What kind of mud is best and how do you mix it?
• How do you get the liner in the corners?
• How do you run the pan up the walls?

Still puzzled about how a shower pan works?

There are “secrets” about shower floor pans that the tile guys don’t want you to know.

Visit: InstallingCeramicTile.net! and find the answers to your questions.

Al Bullington enjoys ceramic tile and showers in the hot and sticky rural South.

Many new parents struggle to find space for all of the new equipment they need to take care of a new baby. This tiny person enters your home and immediately takes over all of your space, time and energy. Fortunately, manufacturers of baby products are increasingly working to make the transition easier for parents, especially when it comes to products and equipment.

One of the biggest pieces of gear needed for a new baby is a bathtub. The days of bathing infants in the kitchen sink are gone. New parents now purchase infant bathtubs for their babies. These tubs are touted as being safer for the baby and easier for the parents. However, they are also quite large and difficult to store. What you’re looking for is a space saver bath tub.

Safety 1st Space Saver bath tubs are an excellent solution for parents. They have all the bells and whistles of full size infant tubs, but collapse for easy storage. The head and foot portions easily fold up over the base, making it easy to put the tub away when not in use.

One of the features parents love most about Safety 1st Space Saver bath tubs is that they do fit inside the kitchen sink. This gives parents the opportunity to bathe their baby while standing up. Most infant bathtubs are larger, forcing parents to put the tub on the floor and bend over, often causing backaches. Others tubs may require some installation. However, with these smaller tubs, installing a bathtub is not necessary, as they fit right into the sink or can be used on the floor.

Many infant tubs are large and difficult to drain, with the need to tip them up and pour out the contents. Safety 1st Space Saver bath tubs have built-in drains, making them much easier to empty. They also have holders for soap and a washcloth, so all of your supplies can be kept in one place. These tubs also are contoured to provide comfort and safety for your baby.

Parent reviews of Safety 1st Space Saver bath tubs are very positive. They provide a safe environment for bathing an infant, have many convenient features for parents to use, and are easily tucked away when not in use. They can be purchased at many major retailers of infant supplies.

Visit us for more information on how to refinish a bathtub, how to caulk bathtub tips and Japanese bath tubs.

Shower floor pans develop leaks several ways. Sometimes the only way to fix the problem is to tear out the old shower pan and install a new shower pan and liner. But there are at least two other ways you can sometimes fix a leaky tile shower.

There is a method to fix shower leaks by injecting epoxy through the floor of the shower. The injected epoxy forms a waterproof layer under the tile shower floor. I understand that injecting epoxy evenly under the shower floor could stop a leak. But I worry that you don’t know where the epoxy actually is going. If epoxy runs toward the shower drain under the floor, the pan won’t drain properly and you may not know it. Any structural problems caused by leaks aren’t fixed either.

Maybe the epoxy injection method has a place but any savings over actually rebuilding the shower pan may disappear over time. It’s just postponing a real repair.

Another approach, short of rebuilding a shower pan, is doing spot repairs. When I recently had a shower leak, I called our local tile guru. He suggested looking for grout problems and then sealing any grout breaks with silicone. I eventually had the shower pan rebuilt, but that may have been unnecessary. Read on to find out why!

Grout in shower floor pans is not waterproof, unless an epoxy grout, like Spectralock is used. Water leaks through the grout to the shower pan liner beneath and then flows down the liner to the shower drain. That’s the design. Over a long period of time, the water seeping through the grout causes grout deterioration. The grout can crumble, crack and fail.

One step you really should take is to seal your shower floor grout to help repel water. This will prolong the life of the grout. This normal maintenance is often overlooked.

If you have cracked grout causing a leak, you should evaluate the damage. If you have a crawl space under the shower pan, it’s easy to see what happened. Is there mold or rot? How much? Minor problems will look better if you stop that leak and let everything dry. Maybe you need some expert advice before you decide what to do. If the subfloor is still solid underneath, you may not need a complete replacement.

Many times the grout failures are in corners of the shower and the water is leaking over the existing shower pan liner so the pan hasn’t actually failed. The water is running outside the shower pan liner. If the shower pan is still good, fixing the leak may be all you need to do.

Here’s how to proceed. First, let the shower dry completely. Then regrout or seal the cracks with silicon caulk.

If you choose to regrout, get a tile grout saw and remove the damaged grout as much as possible. Then work in new grout with a rubber grout trowel. Go over all the grout especially in the corners and the floor to make sure it’s all sound. Clean the tile and seal after it’s dry and you’re ready to try your shower pan liner repair.

If you just seal with silicone, make very sure the area is dry and work in plenty of silicone. That’s after you’ve used your grout saw and removed damaged grout. The challenge in sealing a leak with caulk is getting the caulk down in the grout grooves. It’s hard to do especially with narrow grooves!

Carefully watch for shower leaks after your repair and you should soon know whether your repair worked.

Want to know more about shower pans and shower pan installation? Understanding how shower pans work can save you a bunch of money even if you’re just making a shower repair! You might pay for a shower pan replacement when you only need a repair!

Visit InstallingCeramicTile.Net! and get the guidance you need to repair your shower floor pan.

Al Bullington enjoys ceramic tile and showers in the hot and humid rural South.

Building shower pans is something you can learn to do. Building shower pans is a great skill to learn or maybe you just want to understand how it’s done.

Here are the basic steps for building shower pans.

1. Repair damage.

If you’re replacing a shower pan, fix damaged places. Usually you find damage to the sub floor around the shower floor pan. Remove and replace rotted material. If water has harmed walls or ceilings in floors below, repair that at the same time. To avoid these problems in the future, shower floor pans must be built properly. You can do it right yourself.

2. Rough in shower drain base.

Tile floors are not water-proof. They’re water-resistant. Exposed grout and mortar absorbs some water. Mix the mortar properly, or it will crumble and fail over time. Also, there are different grades of mortar. Consult your dealer or read the package directions to make sure you have the right grade for your application.

It’s very important that the shower drain be properly installed. The water that weeps into the mortar must reach the drain. Rough in the drain base here.

3. Build the shower floor pan mortar base.

Build your shower floor slope now. The slope moves the water to the drain which prevents mold, fungus and odors caused by standing water. Build a two inch thick base sloping toward the drain. Let the base cure before the next step.

4. Shower pan liner membrane and drain top.

A waterproof shower pan liner membrane goes on top of the mortar base. The shower pan membrane is a rubber-like material and is waterproof and resistant to household chemicals. The membrane extends up the sides of the shower wall several inches. Folding the liner in the corners is a trick to building shower pans!

5. Install the second shower pan liner mortar bed.

Install a second layer of mortar over the liner membrane and reinforce with wire.

6. Build the shower curb.

Build any threshold forms and pour mortar mix to establish the shape.

7. Install your ceramic tile.

When the second coat of mortar cures, install a coat of thinset.

Then install your tile. Let the thinset cure and then you can install the grout.

Now laying tile is an art, but there are tricks you can use to get your joints even and get your cuts done right.

Tricks for building shower pans:

There are several places to make mistakes and a lot of questions can come up when building shower pans.

Such as:

How do I build a threshold?

How do I get the right amount of fall in the floor?

How is the pan attached to the drain?

What kind of mud is best and how do I mix it?

How do I get the liner in the corners?

How do I run the pan up the walls?

What about making cuts? What kind of saw is best?

Building shower pans and confused about a step?

I know exactly what you’re dealing with.

Vist InstallingCeramicTile.Net to get your project on the right track.

Al Bullington enjoys the beauty and practicality of ceramic tile surfaces from his home in the country.

When you want to add something new to your home, you don’t normally think of heading to the antique section of a store but should you? With timeless character and charm, old-style bathroom vanities are quickly becoming popular choices in modern bathroom designs. Not only do they capture an elegance missing from their sleek, contemporary siblings, but they’re also a great way to add a new focal point to your home’s décor—one that doesn’t fade away with the latest trends.

Finding the best look for your tastes
What you’ll want to do at the start of your search for old-style bathroom vanities is to browse through catalogs and online directories, as well as antique markets. Keep a folder of the pieces you like that includes photos you’ve taken at local flea markets and antique shops. Ask the shop owners what the styles are called and what materials the vanities are made of. In doing so, you’ll be better able to find modern bathroom designs that emulate their construction.

Original vs. reproductions
The truth is that just because you’re looking for an old-style bathroom vanity doesn’t mean you need to find one that’s hundreds of years old. Of course, if you can find an authentic antique piece in good repair, so much the better. But it can take considerable time to find just the right one, and end up being prohibitively expensive. Many bathroom suppliers today are able to replicate older styles at a very attractive price/quality ratio. Look for simple units that appear to be handcrafted. These will be made of wood and have embellished inlays in the cabinets. Again, this is where your previous research will come in handy.

Family connections
A great way to turn an ordinary bathroom-remodeling project into a rewarding family adventure is to look into the history of your home or family. Research your ancestry to find out what kinds of bathroom vanities your grand parents or great grandparents had. If your house is an old one, you can learn what fixtures were originally installed by contacting local historical societies or colleges. You can then find modern copies to carry this tradition forward and give a richer meaning to your décor.

Traditional-looking vanities aren’t just for Victorian or other period houses; in a modern home, they can evoke bygone days and add a special touch of warmth and personality. All you need is a little time and the right research tools to get ideas that will work for you and your family’s sense of style.

For a large selection of bathroom vanities and vessel sinks that offer a “new” old look, visit www.KitchenAndBathWarehouse.com

Elliott Williams is VP of Marketing and Public Relations at Kitchen and Bath Warehouse Publishing. Before coming to K&BW, he had his own home-remodeling business for 15 years. You can learn more about interior decorating and remodeling, particularly kitchen and bathroom design, at: www.KitchenAndBathWarehouse.com

Preparation for bathroom remodeling.
Tiling is made right after the pipes installation, mounting the bath and the door. If the bath panel is finished with tiles, this bath panel is sometimes equipped with a door for having access to the bath water drain. But it is more preferable to make a removable hatch, using magnetic nabs as fasteners (rather strong ones and not less than four pieces of them).

If there is bathroom equipment in the room already, it should be covered with covering sheets, carton etc. The bath is usually covered with plywood (10-15 mm thick) or a woodchip board, to preserve it from accide