Pin Wheel

[FloorMaven]

It took me 28 hours to do this project. It has one common ingress/egress and as someone who is always looking to improve my efficiency (ie less time equals more profit) I was wondering how you might go about tackling the logistics of this 100 sf project.

 

[Ernesto]

Wow, that hurts my brain. Most of the time I go in and do as many full tiles as possible and when backing out of the exit I'll check the time and if I have some I start throwing in cuts. That way the next day you can crawl around on the floor, all you have is cuts set with speed set and buryable spacers, then grout.
Course that is a difficult layout so I might not get'r done in two days either.

 

[FloorMaven]

Wow, that hurts my brain. Most of the time I go in and do as many full tiles as possible and when backing out of the exit...

The thing about this layout is the positioning of all dots is dependent upon the one dot in the center of the entry. So do you think you would attempt to grid the entire space (a chore) then start in the water closet and work your way out the door, (which I considered)? It's a narrow space so I don't know how it would be possible to work away from the entry and back into the corner and still leave enough room to work and get out. Thoughts?

 

[Ken]

Maven, that pattern looks incredible. I cant imagine having the patience for a pinwheel this involved. My OCD starts to wreak havok on me if have to put it on a diagonal let alone mix sizes. I like that computer program your using too. I have absolutely no use for it what so ever but I think its really cool you can use that for your customers.

 

[Ernesto]

Grid? The 45? Maybe, or else you could go towards the water closet and paint yourself into a corner.

 

[FloorMaven]

Grid? The 45?

I seriously considered griding the floor. Four tiles were 65cm square with 1/16" grout joints. I thought I would make a square paper template and offset it 3.5", the dimension of the dot. Ultimately I said that I probably still needed to template the cuts as there are a number of different sized cuts. So I decided to template the entire space.

 

[FloorMaven]

... I like that computer program your using too...

Believe it or not its just a really old imaging program. I created a graph at 61 pixels per foot square. I can make scale drawings and insert images.

 

[ernie]

Yea, all the tiles are offset so a grid probably would not help. I like that template idea.

 

[havasu]

Floor Maven, just a question for you...How are you going to treat the cracks in the slab before you tile? Ditra? RedGard?

 

[FloorMaven]

How are you going to treat the cracks in the slab before you tile?

Keralastic as I tile.

 

[Ernesto]

Keralastic as I tile.

I couldn't see those cracks on my phone last night, maybe it was the whiskey. That crack to the left looks around 3/16 so I doubt Kerlastic would help that one if it decided to move. Unless maybe your using a 3/4 trowel. I always use a self stick crack isolation membrane.

 

[FloorMaven]

I couldn't see those cracks on my phone last night, maybe it was the whiskey. That crack to the left looks around 3/16 so I doubt Kerlastic would help that one if it decided to move. Unless maybe your using a 3/4 trowel. I always use a self stick crack isolation membrane.

Whiskey o Johnny o

I've probably put far too much thought into crack suppression over the years and luckily I've never had tile crack on me so I have to assume with all the adjustments I've made in my techniques over time I must be doing something right or at least on the right track with my thinking. Knowing that nothing is 100%.

I've used the narrow membrane but I could never wrap my head around why it would work. I don't use anything smaller than a 1/2" sq. notch and I see going over the thickness of the membrane as using that much less mortar. If I deem the cracks inactive i'll use a backer rod in the wide ones and flexible mortar at least three ft. on each side. This substrate had a narrow fissure down the center as well so I went flex throughout. I have a little different procedure if I predict likely movement beyond what I think this particular technique can handle.

 

[FloorMaven]

always use a self stick crack isolation membrane.

This 20" diagonal, 1/2 offset w/ 1/16" joint project I used a membrane and curelastic 949. Not my favorite.

 

[DarisMulkin]

You don't do Ditra?

Daris

 

[FloorMaven]

Templates have become my preferred method for smaller areas.

 

[FloorMaven]

You don't do Ditra?

Daris

Ditra is my preferred underlayment over wood subfloors. If I don't predict enough movement to specify an underlayment on concrete I won't force the cost on to my customers.

 

[Ernesto]

Nice template. The flexguard really wants you to cover enough ground so the whole tile is sitting atop it, not bridging it. But I never do that unless it is an expansion joint.

 

[FloorMaven]

The flexguard really wants you to cover enough ground so the whole tile is sitting atop it, not bridging it. But I never do that unless it is an expansion joint.

That's so you don't have to compensate for the thickness in mortar, correct? You're supposed to honor expansion joints, haha.

Template the space and cut the base ready to install at the same time as floor.

 

[havasu]

I've had good luck spreading RedGard around any cracks, and just spread it to the width of 4 tiles. A little bit costly but I don't like the thought of the added expense of a Kerdi layed sub-floor.

 

[Ernesto]

That's so you don't have to compensate for the thickness in mortar, correct? You're supposed to honor expansion joints, haha.

Template the space and cut the base ready to install at the same time as floor.

This reminds me, I gotta run and get more scribing felt for a chopped up vinyl bathroom for monday. Krap. Does HD of Lowes carry scribing felt?