My dad has wanted to replace the bathroom sinks and countertops for a long time. I've been telling him I could do it if he would buy the materials, and we finally got around to doing it. Everything has turned out looking really nice. The countertop has a formica surface with a tile pattern. We decided to do the backsplash with a single row of 6" tiles.
I've never done tile myself, but I've watched other people do it. It looked easy enough, so I went to Home Depot and got everything I expected to need. Included in the purchase was a small bucket of drywall mud, which unfortunately is the same size as the bucket of tile adhesive. You probably see where I'm going with this.
The tile was going great, and I got called away to do something else. Many hours have now passed, and I came back to finish. I have discovered that all of those tiles are stuck firmly in place with drywall joint compound! Yeah, I should have known better. No excuses. Dumb mistake. The dilemma now is, how to get the tiles off without breaking them. Or, since it's a backsplash, if I should just leave them in place and hope the caulking and grout will keep moisture from causing problems.
I might be able to slip a hacksaw blade behind each tile but it would be slow going. I have also thought of spraying water along the top of each tile so it can slowly soften up the mud. This in combination with the hacksaw blade might work. Any ideas? Feel free to laugh. I'm laughing.
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Russ, one of my close friends is a contractor who does a lot of tile work. I'll email him your post and see what he says.
Posted by Tim Barrow (Member # 576) on :
drywall mud will soften if you can saturate it with water,...I would try a soaking wet towel if not pouring warm water directly over the tile,...ever see drywall where a roof is leaking?
Posted by Russ McMullin (Member # 5617) on :
I think I figured it out. I poured a bit of water on the tops of the tiles, waited, and then slowly pushed the blade of a putty knife behind. I have five of them off so far. What a relief.
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
Russ, can you come over and help me lay some tile?
Looks like tt turned out OK. Just wash 'em off and start over. Posted by Russ McMullin (Member # 5617) on :
Wayne, you don't want me working on tile. I might end up using toothpaste for the grout. Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
Russ, you could have laid tile to the whole counter top as well. Its really simple once you have all the tools and materials in front of you. I figured this out and did this part before the floor dude came back a couple days after laying the wood floor. The tiles are down but at this point needed the final grout in between the tiles. I was removing the separators when I took this photo Posted by Dana Stanley (Member # 6786) on :
Joey, Work from the middle out, alternate the grain on those tiles! You had better go back to signs dude. Just kidding looks great!
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
At least you realised the 'mudstake', Russ, before the job was finished!
Posted by Sam Staffan (Member # 4552) on :
Neighbor; Is that 'Drywall Mud' you used?
Russ; Yup, I figured the wall was dry so that was the type I was supposed to use ON A "DRY WALL"!............ HERES YOUR SIGN!
Glad all is working out Russ!
Posted by Jon Jantz (Member # 6137) on :
A graphics guy doing tile work with drywall mud. Somewhere in there is a great Jeff Foxworthy joke, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Glad it worked out, Russ. I wouldn't have figured it out until my dad had the whole family over, was bragging about his counter, and they'd all started popping off.... one after another.
Posted by Dana Stanley (Member # 6786) on :
You know your a sign guy when you use magic sculpt to make faux tiles on your wall!
Posted by Neil D. Butler (Member # 661) on :
Russ, what would you say to a tile guy wanting to do his own Sign? Just Kidd'n with you... I love doing tile work, but ya gotta have the right tools.lol
Posted by stein Saether (Member # 430) on :
if the room is big enogh maybe forget it and build a new (bit smaller room) inside.
proper this time Posted by Russ McMullin (Member # 5617) on :
Nice work Joey! I'll try a floor someday, but first I need to accomplish something simple, like reading the label on the adhesive bucket.
Thanks for all the comments. I'm glad this is something I can laugh at. If I had to break out the tiles I would have hated to tell my dad about it. "Hey Dad, I screwed up, and it's gonna cost you."
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
thank you Russ but I must ask you if you laid a piece of Hardy or Wonder board between the tile and the drywall as this way you can finish with a quarter round tile. The reason this board is used is so the tile backing remains water repellent, mold and moisture free. I read up on a lot of this stuff as well as asking questions to those who do this for a living. I've been buying materials for my next project, the master bath where I will be removing everything and replacing with tile and teak. The bathroom walls must be backed w/ Hardy or Wonder board before any tile is installed in order to be mold and moisture free as I said above
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