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Entry Hall Rehab: Natural Stone Tile A lackluster ceramic-tile floor gets dressed up with the look of natural stone. From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-211

(Continued from page 1)

	Tile and thinset removed.
	Figure E
	Figure F

Selecting Material and Dry Lay

• Dean and Derek pick out their material. When selecting tile, you have a lot of options so choose what works best for you. The material choosen for this room is a natural limestone 12x12 inch tile.

• Measure the area where you will be setting your tile (figure E). This will help determine how many full squares you'll need, and how many will have to be cut.

  Example: Dean and Derek's area is 8 feet by 4-3/4 inches wide. Because they're using tile squares that measure 1'x1', they know they'll need at least eight full tile squares for the width and will have to cut tiles some to accommodate the remaining 4-3/4 inches.

• For this installatin, Dean and Derek set the tiles straight from the door to the stairs. When setting your tile, you'll want to make sure the full squares are in the most noticeable area--such as by the front of the door--while the cut squares are along the wall or steps.

• To mix the thinset, put your paddle mixer in an empty bucket. Pour your thinset in the bucket (figure F) and then slowly add water. Mix the thinset until it is the consistency of pancake batter. Let it false set for five minutes, and then mix again.

  Safety Alert: Be sue to wear a dust mask when mixing thinset.
  

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  	Figure G
  	Figure H

• Set the full 12x12 tiles first. Once these have dried, you'll set the cut tiles along the edges. Apply the thinset first with the smooth end of the trowel (figure G), then follow with the notched side. Work small sections at a time.

  Rock Solid Tip: Before you set limestone tiles, dampen the back of the tile with a grout sponge and clean water. Doing this keeps the tile from absorbing the moisture out of the thinset too quickly and slows the setting time, thus strengthening the bond between the tile and thinset.

• Spread a good amount of thinset on the floor to make up for any irregularities. Adding or taking away thinset will ensure that all your tiles are evenly set.

• Set the first tile in a corner, then move on to the next one (figure H).
  

• Keep the joints small when working with natural stone tile. You can use a toothpick to space the joints (figure I) or just eye it. Smaller joints will emphasize the stonework rather than the joint size.

• As you work, pay attention to the color and patterns of your tiles. Mixing them will greatly enhance the appearance of the floor (figure J).

• Set all of the full tiles (leaving space for the tiles that will be cut along the edge) and allow them to dry. If the area you're working in is the only entryway into the house, you may need to work in sections like Dean and Derek did in this case.

Figure I

Figure J

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