1. What do you think about the product Grout Boost vs sealing the grout? Our flooring company is recommending Grout Boost.

Most grouts are already modified, so the grout boost isn't necessary. Additionally, adding it to an already modified grout may cause problems between the different polymers. AS for sealing grout, I'm in the minority, but if you look at my FAQ thread in the gallery forum, you'll see I don't believe in sealing grout.

2. I've read a lot about caulking the corners of the showers and where the tub meets the tile (shower/tub combo), do you recommend this? Do I have to ask for anything specific?

Absolutely. Wherever you get your grout, ask for latex caulking by the same manufacturer, and in the same color and texture(sanded or unsanded), so that once dried, it'll look exactly like your grout.

3. One of the bathrooms is a kids bathroom...my little son doesn't always have great aim when he uses the toilet. Is there any way to protect the grout in this area to avoid any odors? In our current house, I clean the area as often as I can...and even so there is still odor sometimes. I've read some people caulk the base of the toilet, but then read that is not recommended in case there is a leak.

If this is the case, you may consider using an epoxy or urethane grout for the floor. Neither one will allow urine to get into the grout, making it much easier to keep clean. As for caulking the base of the toilet, many times it'll depend on where you live. Some places require that you caulk the whole base, while others require that you DON'T. If it were up to me, I'd leave it alone and not caulk the toilet base. If I HAVE to caulk it, I'll still leave a gap in the back of the topilet so you know before it's too late if you end up with a leak in the flange seal.

4. I am looking for a light to medium beige porcelain travertine-look tile that doesn't break the bank (around $2-$4 SF). Ideally I'd like it rectified so I can do a smaller grout line. Any recommendations?

My recommendation would be for Laufen, but someone else posted a link to some pretty impressive looking large format travertine lookalike that was VERY reasonable in price. If I were in the market for a tile like this, that's where I'd be looking.

Bill-Wow, that was fast! Thank you SO much for your response!

I think I will skip the grout boost now, thank you for the info!

As far as the kids bathroom, the epoxy sounds very expensive. Is urethane grout/labor less expensive? I know it can't get wet for a number of days which would not be a problem for us.

If we were to caulk the toilet base (this seems the most cost effective):
-would I have them use latex caulking as you recommended in your answer to question 2?
-when you say leave a gap at the back of the toilet, would there be just plain grout there instead?

Lastly, do you happen to remember the name of the reasonable travertine tile? I was considering Ilva Petre Travertine, but not sure if I can get it here.

Thank you!!

Is urethane grout/labor less expensive?

About the same as epoxy.

If we were to caulk the toilet base (this seems the most cost effective):
-would I have them use latex caulking as you recommended in your answer to question 2?

yes. as for the gap in the back, no grout, no caulking-- leave it completely open

Lastly, do you happen to remember the name of the reasonable travertine tile? I was considering Ilva Petre Travertine, but not sure if I can get it here.

Check the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Please show me your travertine look porcelain tile!

Ummmmmm..... nevermind!! I just realzed-- it's YOUR thread!! ROTFLMAO

Hi Bill,
LOL!! I thought, "Hey, isn't that my thread?" and then I saw your next post:)

You are so kind to take the time to respond since I know so many people ask you questions! I am trying to think of the rest of my questions so I can stop bugging you:)

1. Toilet base:
-If we caulk base of toilet, how much of a gap should be left behind the toilet?

-Still trying to decide if we should just caulk or spend the extra $ for epoxy or urethane grout. What would you do keeping in mind we are on a budget and that my son won't have bad aim forever...I hope:)

2. Caulk:

These are the areas that I think should be caulked if you could verify:

For the baths with tub/shower combo:
(no glass to worry about, there will be shower curtains)
tile corners inside tub/shower
where wall tiles meet tub inside tub/shower
where tub meets tile floor

For the master bath:
shower N/A since it is a pre-fab steam shower
where tile tub face meets tile floor
where tile tub deck meets tile tub backsplash
where granite countertop meets tile backsplash

Does anything different have to be done where floor tile meets drywalled wall?

Am I missing any other areas for caulk?

3. Is it reasonable to ask the installers to be mindful not to set tiles of the same pattern down right next to each other...and to ask to approve the tile layout before they grout??

4. If you can think of anything else I need to specify with the installers, please let me know!

Thank you SO much!
Jane

1. Toilet base:
-If we caulk base of toilet, how much of a gap should be left behind the toilet?

-Still trying to decide if we should just caulk or spend the extra $ for epoxy or urethane grout. What would you do keeping in mind we are on a budget and that my son won't have bad aim forever...I hope:)

I would do neither. I don't EVER caulk the base of the toilet (in fact the plumber comes in and installs the toilet after I'm gone, and HE doesn't caulk it, either), and I'd use a good wuality polymer modified cement based grout, like Laticrete's Permacolor.

2. Caulk:

These are the areas that I think should be caulked if you could verify:

it all looks good to me. as for where the floor tile meets the drywall, I'll usually leave that open, being that it'll be covered by the baseboard.

3. Is it reasonable to ask the installers to be mindful not to set tiles of the same pattern down right next to each other...and to ask to approve the tile layout before they grout??

If you feel the need to approve the tile layout, that needs to be done BEFORE THE FIRST PIECE OF TILE IS SET. Not afterward, because that's when trouble begins, as someone's going to lose money-- either you, or the installer.

My 2 cents on epoxy grout. I just did my bath using Laticrete's Spectralock and the cleaning process was laborious. I think I'd read in a post in this forum by Bill V. that he charged $1.50 more per sq foot for Spectralock, (labor only I assume), and while on my hands and knees cleaning the residue off the tiles for the 5th or 6th time, that premium sounded real low. Course, now that it's done I'm glad I did it; overkill, yes, but I'm hoping for clean grout and low maintenance over the years.

We're about to embark on our tiling adventure also. Bill, I have a question about your comment that "if you feel the need to approve the tile layout, that needs to be done BEFORE THE FIRST PIECE OF TILE IS SET"...

I assume that you mean before the tile is permanently set in place, not when (or if) there is a dry run so to speak to see how the pattern will fit into the space(?) Would an experienced professional even need to lay out the tiles ahead of time or would they typically proceed directly from prep to installation?

With an agreed upon layout in hand, would most experienced installers be able to anticipate potential issues around niches and other elements that could require partial tiles so that you could have a discussion ahead of time as to how they would be handled?

Just curious... Do you find that it's best if the homeowner stay available or stay away while you're completing your work?

Thanks for the help, Bill (and sorry for the thread hijack!)

Thank you Bill V and Bill G for your comments.

No need to apologize treasuretheday, this forum is meant to help EVERYONE!

As an update (I also posted this info on my other thread):
I went to AZ Tile today and I think I found THE ONE!
AZ Tile Legacy Series. It is rectified, comes in 4 shades, comes in 13x13, 20x20, and has bullnose trim in 20" length. AND IT IS ONLY AROUND $2 SF! We put it next to real travertine and it looks amazing.

When I talked to our local flooring company (not AZ Tile), they said they'd charge extra to do a 1/16 grout line and doubt they'll be able to do it anyway. They said the floor has to be perfectly flat. I said how about 1/8 and they said that may not even be possible :( What's the point of getting rectified tile then??

Here is a link that might be useful: My other thread

I assume that you mean before the tile is permanently set in place, not when (or if) there is a dry run so to speak to see how the pattern will fit into the space(?)

Correct.

Would an experienced professional even need to lay out the tiles ahead of time or would they typically proceed directly from prep to installation?

Yes and no. Some WILL actually lay them out dry. I've got my own thoughts on that, but however they do it, so long as they show some kind of forethought instead of just finding a corner and starting, they're ahead of the game. What I'll normally do is take several tiles and measure to see what the coursing (one grout joint and one tile) measures. I'll then make a cheat sheet of coursing that comes out somewhere around 2 feet (whether that be 4 6x6, 2 12x12, etc), and then I'll measure around the area, to see how the tile is going to fall. it's from there that I'll decide if I can center the layout, or if there might be a better way, taking into consideration how the tile will hit several different surfaces, and which ones are most obvious in the room.

(did you get all that? LOL)

With an agreed upon layout in hand, would most experienced installers be able to anticipate potential issues around niches and other elements that could require partial tiles so that you could have a discussion ahead of time as to how they would be handled?

before the very first tile gets set, a good installer will know exactly how the tile is going to hit any obstruction in the layout. In fact, I'll grid out the area with chalk lines, and then all my cuts will be made before I set the first piece of tile. but even before the cutting starts, I'll know how big all my cuts will be.

Just curious... Do you find that it's best if the homeowner stay available or stay away while you're completing your work?

Doesn't matter to me either way. I'd prefer that the customer be available in case of questions that come up, but if they'd like to watch (and I HAVE had several that did) the whole time, they're most welcome to watch. I LOVE playing to an audience!! That's when they see that all this stuff doesn't exactly happen just by "luck"! I know alot of installers who'd rather the customer weren't around, though-- too many questions. Funny thing is, I welcome the questions. To me, the internet has given us the one thing this industry has really needed-- an educated consumer. Not so many fly by nights getting away with their BS any more.

And Bill G-- yes-- that's just the labor cost. the retail is MUCH more. Based on 12x12 tyile, a 25 pound bag of grout should grout about 150 sq. feet, for about 15.00- 25.00, depending on the grout. For epoxy, a unit will do about 75 sq. feet, for about 80.00.

Thank you SO much, Bill, for patiently (and thoroughly) answering all of these rookie questions!!!

Janealexa... Congrats on finding The One! It looks beautiful and I can't wait to see it in your room. Did you decide on a shade?

Bill V, I will be purchasing 20x20 rectified porcelain tile.

My flooring company said doing a 1/16 grout line would be more expensive. They also said they probably can't do it anyway because the floor has to be perfectly level. Then I asked them to do 1/8 and they said probably not. So it sounds like 3/16 at least - this doesn't make sense to me...if this is the case, I might as well buy tile that ISN'T rectified!

My questions are:
1. Should I insist on 1/16 or at least 1/8?? How do you determine whether or not the subfloor is ok for small grout lines?

2. Should they agree to do it, what is reasonable for an "extra charge?"

3. What grout line do you suggest for the tub/shower, we will be using the 20x20 tiles in the tub/shower.

Thank you so much Bill, I'm hoping these are the last of my questions for you:)

treasuretheday, thanks for your message! I haven't figured out the shade yet. I have to take the tiles to the new house and look at them in that light. I have samples of bone, desert, and sand:)

Can you tile over builder grade all white 1 piece carrara shower walls? It’s so boring and I just hate it!

Thank you for your time,
Pam