IMHO...
If it is seldom used, I wouldn't go to the extra expense of the thermostatic valve. Also, if it is only used by guests, then the pressure-balance valve is a better choice. It is a common valve and almost everyone will undertand how to use it as compared to the two knobs on the thermostatic valve.

This is a good idea. I can't help much with alot of the other stuff-- not from a professional standpoint, anyway-- but if you all want to give me a list of some of the biggest things that come to mind with reference to ceramic tile and stone in a bathroom, I'll put together a tile FAQ, and post it in the Gallery side. I'll give it a week for questions to come in, and then I'll start to put the list together.

Some of these questions probably require a whole article to answer. Maybe even a book for the DIY stuff. I found there were some areas where I was totally uninformed and heading in the wrong direction, like using a porous tile in the shower. In other places I just needed to know what choices were available such as tile layout patterns.

For Everyone:

What are the different types of tiles you can use in a bathroom and what are the advantages/disadvantages of each?

What should I be sure to look for when choosing tile for a bathroom?

Where should I use tile and where not?

What size tile and what layout patterns to use in various areas?

How do I find/choose someone to install the tile?

For the DIYer:

How do you build a shower properly?

What are the proper underlayments for tile?

What are the proper tile setting compounds?

How do you deal with different thicknesses of tile?

What are the typical tools required to lay tile?

What about tile spacing and different types of grout?

You're right. Questions like "How do I build a shower properly" would be akin to "How do I solve the world's problems"!! However, I DO have links I can post for questions like that, that are pretty general to all showers. As for the rest of them, they sound like pretty valid questions so far.

Keep em coming!!

bump

I would love to know as far as the plumbing fixtures- what is needed? To have a shower head, a thing to turn on and off , and the tub spout but then I see all sort of other fixtures. I can understand the optional handheld shower thing, but all the other fixtures just astound me. Can anyone dumb it down for me?
For example, I just was browsing and saw this delta fixture for $110. If cosmetically it is pleasing to me, what would I be missing? I am not trying to be cheap here, I am being sincere and thank you for your time.

Here is a link that might be useful: delta lockwood $110 baby!

I would be interested in knowing the following (since I am not handy and everything I am learning about home renovation is on this site):

1. Definition of thermostatic, pressure balancing, and any other options in a shower valve. Pros and cons of each.

2. Options in shower floors, like pans, trays, tiles etc..

3. Odd sized shower shapes, like neo angle.

4. What to look for in quality shower fixtures.

I'll try to think of more. Thank you for starting this!

Mongo, I don't agree. I am constantly telling the contractor that the manual says to do it this way, but he says it doesn't matter.
I found out HGTV is a joke. They don't even recommend sloping a shower pan.
AND I brew my own beer, so come on down to Orlando.

Just stay away from Santec valves unless you like hearing loud valve knocks every time water in (or outside) the house is turned on and off.

I would love me some answers. Maybe it would make sense to start this wish list over, with one set of questions regarding the tiling and the other regarding the plumbing?

Bumping to the top

The cutoff for questions is this weekend. I won't have much time to come in saturday or sunday. I'm headed down to Ct. for my sister's 40th birthday on saturday, and sunday I have to be back up here for a tournament. The beginning of next week, I'll put this together as a thread over in the Gallery.

How many knobs/controls do you need with the different brands.

For a very specific example (mine!), I've got a shower over tub. I want a thermostatic valve, and both a fixed showerhead and handheld shower. Under Grohe, this would mean one thermo valve trim plus three volume controls (one each for fixed showerhead, handheld, and tub spout). Under Hansgrohe, I can do it all with one control (though the control isn't as flexible as with the Grohe arrangement - for example, you can't just turn on the handheld, you'd have to cycle it thru the fixed showerhead). Are there other options?

Thanks, Bill!

Bill- I did start another thread pertaining more to just plumbing questions - as I am under the impression that tiling is your forte and then some, was not sure how comfortable you are answering questions about the plmbing fixtures like the one charlikin posted. If you are fine with that, Grrrrrreat! Let us know?

Yo no se NADA!! (about plumbing, anyway!!)

(I donno Nuttin!)

About tile, I'll tell ya just about anything you want to know. As for plumbing, hell-- I won't even reinstall a toilet on my jobs!! I'll pull it, but a plumber's gonna put it back!

Oops, no plumbing questions then... sorry! :-)

(Just wait till I get up to figuring out the tile portion of my renovation!!!)

Bump

Okay, Bill, I'm still very much in the planning phase but here's my very basic questions so far....
Minimum size of shower?
Are those recessed niches to hold shampoo & such a good idea or not? (practicality over the long run -- do they collect water & mildew, hard to clean, etc) I assume you recess them into the wall between studs, correct? Placement on wall -- same wall as plumbing fixtures or different wall and why? Height from floor? Better (aesthetically and practically) to frame with deco tile or not?

On a frameless door does the water drip out all over when the door is opened? For the partial frameless, do they still have the trap on the bottom to catch the water. Mine is old so I don't know if the newer ones are better, but it's a mildew catcher.

Here would be my thoughts on tiling FAQ:
Shower construction from the inside out: vapor barrier (when to use/not use), framing (include spacing, blocking, niches, seats), cement board (thickness, brands, screws vs nails), kerdi/redguard (when must use/don't need to use), why not drywall or greenboard underneath.

Floor tiling: subfloor prep, deflection calculations, underlayment options/pros/cons, how to lay out (grids, avoiding slivers, where to center/start).

General: thinset types, when to use and not to use each.
Grout options/pros/cons.

weedyacres-- As I told kevin above, going from A to Z on building a shower would take a book just in and of itself. However, there are several points along the way that you touched on that COULD be included. As for laying out, there's no hard and fast rules. I've said several times-- I don't lay out any two floors in exactly the same way.

How to calculate CFM requirements for vent fans

Pros/cons of stone v stone-like porcelain. Installation of each (subfloor, thinset, grouting, sealing)

How to deal with contractors who patronize/ignore/refuse to learn new things (and inspectors stuck in 1954)

Pros/cons of online buying - how to check out retailers reputations, lead time expectations, backup options

Why John Bridge hasn't incorporated Mongo's "how to kerdi" thread into his book!!

How to deal with contractors who patronize/ignore/refuse to learn new things (and inspectors stuck in 1954)

Get rid of the bum. End of story.

Why John Bridge hasn't incorporated Mongo's "how to kerdi" thread into his book!!

Ummmmm..... John's book came first. :-)

I would like to echo Salonv's questions about bathroom fixtures. I am just starting and it is all bewildering!

Maybe diagrams of popular bathtub fixture setups with labels as to what everything is and what can be bought as a set and what can be bought separately.

Example: picture of a shower with a rain showerhead and a hand-held shower on a bar with labels as to what everything is.

Also, an explanation of cement board vs. greenboard etc. and how to deal with insulation and waterproofing would help a lot of people avoid moisture issues!

I'll deal with the cement board/ greenboard issues. but for plumbing fixtures, your best bet would be to post to the plumbing FAQ thread.

Let me put this one on so I don't forget about it--

Epoxy vs conventional grouts (where, when, and why)

I posted a bit of a "pressure balanced versus thermostatic valve" bit on the other FAQ thread.

I'm not sure if what I wrote is what people are looking for, but it might work as a starting point.

Mongo

Hey Bill, bring your shorts and a raincoat this weekend, spotty weather predicted.

Here's a couple:

-Do the holes you cut into the vapor barrier for the plumbing stubs somehow compromise the idea of the barrier? Why/why not?

-A section on handling out of plumb walls typical in 50+ yr old houses.

-How to deal with the issues that arise when tearing out a mudjob floor and replacing with Ditra (ie: transitions, toilet flanges, etc)

-How to set the dam green cement board screws to the right height without stripping them?

-Level vs flat

I'm sure I'll think of more driving home from the office.

Mongo, any beer left? I'm down in "The Valley" and will be happy to come with burgers and brats...

I'm down in "The Valley"

Atleast now I know where the "67" comes from!! :-)

Yeah, I know about the weather. in the last two years, we didn't have rain during a single bass tournament that I fished (about 14 each year). This year, we're 4 for 5, and even the 5th (last sunday) we got about 10 minutes of rain. This sunday, it looks like we'll be 5 for 6!

Actually it's the year I was born, but I used to live off the other 67 in Oxford. Now I'm closer to your old stompin' ground in Woodbridge.

"Mongo, any beer left?"

I've only ever run out of beer once. But that was when I was on Wake Island.

That's where my brother lives now. He works out of the state firemarshall's office in Orange.

I'm going to be gone all weekend (heading down to Branford tomorrow morning for my sister's birthday, and then back up here for a bass tourney sunday), so if someone could make sure this thread stays page one, I'd appreciate it.

bump

Hello Bill,

If possible, would you address shower floors?

Ours is 5 ft square, tiled w/2" x 2" tile, and hair-line cracks have developed in the grout lines. I'd like to replace this floor, preferably with a poured and polished terrazzo floor. The subfloor consists of a mud pan, which is supposed to catch water seepage. I'd hoped a terrazzo could be poured on top of the mud pan.

It's a mystery that poured terrazzo floors are rare in this area (NY/CT). In the South, I understand they are common. A big loss to homeowners up here.

Terrazzo floors are superb: no grout lines (except around the drain), waterproof, last a lifetime, great colors, they mop up in a snap, and are maintenance-free.

Also, the poured floor materials can be brought up the walls some inches providing a seamless transition between floor and walls, including all corners. Yes, that's right, no grout lines at floor level nor in corners!

This is my first post in the Bath forum. Thanks for your kind consideration of my suggestion. And thanks for using your valuable time on sharing your knowledge.

There's alot being done in homes with precast terrazzo shower bases, but I've het to see a single shower pan pored in place, up here, or down south (I lived for 3 years in Homestead, Florida). Matter of fact, the home I grew up in is the only one I've seen ANY terrazzo poured in place, and that's only because my father, in addition to being a tile contractor was also a terrazzo contractor. Even our pool deck and front walk was exposed aggregate terrazzo done in design. Residential terrazzo is almost unheard of up here, though.

I don't see why, once you find the source of the movement causing the cracks and alleviate it, you couldn't get a terrazzo contractor to pour your pan. Be prepared-- it won't be cheap.

Since a poured terrazzo seems out of reach, I'll pursue a precast floor.

Would you have any advice on what NOT to do, as well as the best line of action? Perhaps even names of reputable fabricators? We're on the NY/CT border.

I'll be looking to the contractor for ideas about "the source of the movement causing the cracks" and for remedies. All I can think of are the yearly expansions and contractions of wood-framed buildings (humid summers/dry winters).

My father, too, poured our bathroom floor in terrazzo. I looked on and would have loved to have learned how to do this work, but at the time, I was just a kid. It would be a neat skill to learn.

Thank you, Bill, for helping me (and many others) out.

In addition to tile, I'm also a terrazzo journeyman, but I don't have the machines for it any more. As for someone who does precast, I couldn't even begin to tell you. The closest I could come to that is a company in North Haven that pours terrazzo on commercial projects (as well as being an "uncle" to me when I was a kid, the owner was also our biggest competitor when my family had a shop in Ct.)

WOW!! Kevin, you kept me BIGTIME busy tonight!! Just your first set of questions alone took me the last 4 hours, and I didn't even answer the one about putting a shower together!!

Ppod, if you still need a rec for a precast terrazzo shower pan, let me recommend Creative Industries Terrazzo out of Chicago (yes, that was the bad part for us...shipping to Oregon was as much as the base!).

No pics yet -- we just "visited" our base at FedEx Will Call last night, now have to get it home in one piece *and* keep our fingers crossed that the plumber can install it properly in a void-free base. We came to CIT after a horrible experience with California-based Acorn Engineering that cost us 2 months(!) of project time. So I'd avoid Acorn like the plague.

Among other things, CIT's turnaround time is SHORT: less than two weeks from pour to arrival vs 4-6 weeks for some of the other places I looked. And CIT will take orders directly from homeowners -- a *huge* plus for us given our issues with Acorn were part plumbing supply house, part manufacturer. They also have a much broader range of standard colors than Acorn did.

Florestone is another with precast pans, but IIRC it was white or white.

I swear I would have been better off flying Bill out here to try his luck with a poured terrazzo pan, ha!

Here is a link that might be useful: Creative Industries Terrazzo