DIY Network

Claw Foot Tub Installation: Wall and Floor Tile Grout From "Weekend Remodeling" episode WKR-305

	Before: This garden tub just didn't suit the homeowner's taste any longer.
	After: a spacious and elegant new claw foot tub.

On a project difficulty scale of 1-5 (5 being most difficult), this project rates a 3.

Materials:

Cement board
Screws
Thin-set
Wall mastic
Ceramic tile
Spacers
Tile grout
Rubber grout float
Sponge and water
Claw foot bathtub
Plumbing fixtures
Exposed pipes
Various pipes, elbows and connectors
PVC glue
Solder
Torch
Plumbers putty
Trowel
Pry bar
Cold chisel
Tape measure
Allen wrenches
Level
Hammer
Utility knife
Tile cutter
Wet saw
Drill
Paddle bit
Sponge
Framing square
Speed square
Caulk gun and caulk
Hole saw
Pipe cutter
Tile nippers
Tube cutter
Chalk line
Safety glasses
Dust mask
2 x 4
Drywall
Joint compound
Hack saw
Floor scraper

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

1. Remove all the spacers from between the wall tiles, then use a utility knife to cut away excess mastic in joint lines.

2. To mix the grout, simple pour into a bucket, add water and stir together using a blending paddle on the end of a drill (figure A). Blend to the consistency of peanut butter. Make sure to mix enough for both sections of walls to keep the color the same.

3. Use a soft rubber float to work the grout into the joints (figure B). Pack it in and drag float across the joint lines at a 45-degree angle.

4. Allow grout to dry to a light haze, then use water to remove excess grout, again pulling the sponge across the tiles at an angle (figure C). Use both sides of the sponge and rinse often.

5. Now it's time to work on the floor tiles. Working on the floor is easier and quicker. Push the grout into the joints and drag the float across the tiles at an angle. Here, you can add a great quantity of grout and work in larger sections (figure D), making broader strokes with the float.

6. Allow the floor grout to set and develop a light haze, then wipe the area down in the same fashion as on the wall.