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linlee_gw

Glass mosaic bathroom tile for Calamity J...

LinLee
16 years ago

This room was my introduction to the world of tile.

Little did I know I'd be getting so involved 2 years later.



This niche was the first to be done...took ALL day.

Got speedier as time went on.

The tub niche took awhile, and the ceiling also got "the treatment". The tile came in the usual square foot sections. Paperfaced, so I was working backwards kinda.

It took about 3 weeks, (with a few non-work days) to get the tile on the walls/ceiling as I could only work about 6 hours a day...doing about 8 square feet at a time. With the paperface you thinset it on then have to go back and wet the paper to remove, then fix any issues before it's set.

The limestone floor with glass inserts took about 12 hours

to do. Then grouted the next morning. I will definatly invest in knee pads if I ever have to do that again!

Seriously, it is a TON of hard work. But you come out of it knowing a lot about thinset and back pain etc.

AND I got a great wet saw and a laser level out of it...It's all good!

Linlee

Comments (13)

  • Calamity_J
    16 years ago

    WOW!!! I bow down to you!!! What a lil' go getter you are! A real spitfire! Maybe if I could get DH to go on a 1 mos vacation....ship him off to his sister...in ontario!!! hmmm
    Thanks for showing me, I am pondering just what I'd need and what I can have with the budget I have...I also have an ensuite to include, so two toilets, two sinks, etc.. I can't imagine something as divine as you have!!!

  • rosemarythyme
    16 years ago

    Linlee: I am BLOWN away! It looks so professional. What size tiles did you use in the tub area? Is it a tub/shower combo? We're going to be renovating our master bath in a few months and I wasn't even considering doing the tile work myself but might have to reconsider. Did you tile the floors also?

  • mosaicwench1
    16 years ago

    All hale the QUEEN of the bathroom!

  • diytrying
    16 years ago

    Wow, that is beautifully amazing!!! Your design is just spectacular. Is that the dark brownish/black glass tile with the copper running through it? I did my vanity and backsplash in it and I thought it was a pain working with the paperface. I couldn't judge how much thinset I was getting on and kept having to scrape it out and then I would dislodge the tiles. I agree, you are the QUEEN! Your work should be in one of the practical applications galleries on a site that's trying to sell the tile.
    (P.S. was trying click on pics to enlarge so I could see better but I keep going to photobucket home page instead of getting a larger pic to see. What am I doing wrong? thanks.)

  • Calamity_J
    16 years ago

    Had to come back and say that those niches are AWESOME! So is floor, marble, well, EVERYTHING!!! I can't even imagine how hard it would be for me(a visual person) to do that tiling with paper on it!!! You must feel so incredibly proud everytime you walk into that masterpiece!!! Ooh La Laa! Tres Bien Mon Amie!!!

  • LinLee
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Queen of the bathroom!!! ha ha ha ha...gee thanks.

    This bathroom is our one and only...not easy to remodel
    with a family of 4 let me tell ya.
    The wall tile is Hakatai Ashland 1"x1" in Burnt Amber.
    The floors are 4"x4" red limestone with the glass inserts.

    The granite was the biggest pain. They wouldn't split the slab so we had to buy the whole thing. Only needed less than 1/3 of the slab. So what do you do with a big piece of rock?
    You beg your other half to build a piece of furniture!
    His first one. I think he did a great job :o)

    A note about the paperface tile: It came in 1'x1' sheets,
    but because of the weight I sliced them into 6"x6" manageable pieces. The first few sheets I had the thinset squishing through too, but knew I'd never finish having to scrape the groutlines out. So started to backbutter the tile instead...sped things up immensely.
    Linlee

  • haziemoon
    16 years ago

    Beautiful work linlee!
    I love that design on the bathroom floor.
    I got into mosaics after doing tile work in our homes too,
    I sure feel ya about remodeling with a house full. This place was tore up for 2 years. Your black entertainment center fits perfectly in your beautifully tiled home.

    Hazie

  • barbfrizzell1955
    16 years ago

    Wow Linlee, these pictures show your tile work much better. Your DH did an awesome job on that table...bet it weighs a ton. Do you leave it out in winter?

    Fantastic job!!!

    Barb

  • Calamity_J
    16 years ago

    I sooo wanna do that to my kitchen table!! A big slab like that! What a great idea doing 6x6, buttering. I could do that,I'd love to do the kitchen floor & backsplash and the bathroom and my foyer but......but DH can't stand the idea of ongoing construction.I can't remember who did their basement but it sure was gorgeous! I pulled out my stove a while back to see how hard it wold be to tear up the kitchen tile...dynomite would be the only option!lol! The floor is white tile and white grout!!! YUCK! Plain Jane!!!

  • shrty411
    16 years ago

    Beautiful!! Going to set my bathroom on fire now....

    Maria

  • d3bbi
    16 years ago

    Linlee, what a beautiful tile job you did! Looks like you could go into the tile business. What a since of pride you must have. This belongs in a magazine.

  • texaswild
    16 years ago

    I agree - this is definitely professionally done. Ever thought about going into the tiling business? SHRTY: LOL.

  • LinLee
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Well thanks all!
    Yes the table does indeed weigh a ton. The base was supposed to be
    temporary but the guys squirted silicone
    on the frame before laying it down. Hope it lasts awhile.
    We've only had it out 1 winter, covered with plastic.

    calamity j, if the kitchen tile is sound, you can in lots
    of cases tile over it...just an idea.

    Doing the walls was time consuming but fine...but the floor!
    I don't know how real tilers can do it on a daily basis.
    It is soooo painful, course maybe it's just me. The neck, back and
    knee strain had me in tears by the end.
    But I truly do love the way it turned out. :o)