Uses of Tiles Around the Home

Tiles are one of the most versatile building materials for your home. They’re not just for walls and flooring-you can use them for décor, protection, or other less common applications. Since they’re light and easy to install, anyone can work with tile for a wide range of home improvements. Here are five places around the house that can benefit from tile applications.

Counter: Ceramic tile is among the most common materials for kitchen countertops. Because it’s hard and water-resistant, it holds up extremely well to the moist and often humid environment of the kitchen. If you’re busy, you’ll also like its low-maintenance nature; a quick wipe once in a while is usually all it needs.

Backsplash: The backsplash protects your walls against spills coming from the sink and counter. Almost all backsplashes are made of tile because of its natural water resistance. Some people prefer stone or marble, but since it’s more of an accessory, it’s not practical to splurge on expensive materials. You can use the same tile design as your countertop, or go for a contrasting color for a stronger effect.

Flooring: Tile is one of the cheapest flooring options, especially compared to popular materials such as hardwood and marble. Most tiles can withstand heavy use in living rooms and the heat and moisture of bathrooms. Best of all, it’s easy to install-you don’t need much prior experience to lay a floor tile on your own.

Wall accents: Small decorative tiles make great accents for walls, counters, and flooring. They usually come in stronger, deeper colors and feature interesting patterns, often to complement the color of bigger tiles. Use them to dress up large walls or to create designs on your tile floor.

Exterior: Some tiles can actually be used on the exterior walls of your home. These are usually decorative ones made to look like natural materials, such as wood and stone. They make great alternatives to exterior painting, since they don’t fade and can withstand most outdoor elements. Since you won’t be stepping on them, you can use larger, lighter tiles to make installation easier.

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January 26, 2012  Tags:   Posted in: Countertop Installation  Comments Closed

Concrete Countertop Training with The Concrete Countertop Institute gives you FREEDOM

Get the FREEDOM to choose your own mix, exercise your own creativity, and succeed on your own terms with concrete countertop training that gives you a solid technical foundation using from-scratch mixes.

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January 7, 2012  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Countertop Installation  Comments Closed

How Much Will My Granite Countertop Cost

There are many reasons why people are choosing granite countertops. Many of the reasons include the benefits, installation issues, and cost. You have made an excellent decision to use granite for your counters. The best decision with the installation of granite counters is to use a licensed contractor for the job.

Cost of Materials For Granite Countertops

Granite can vary in cost. It may depend on the type of granite that you choose and the type of finish you select. However, installing granite requires more than just the granite slab or tiles. There are many other materials that you need to purchase for the installation of your new countertops like a 25 lb. of thin set mortar ($10), a 5 lb. bag of unsanded grout ($5), a quart of polished sealer (25), a roll of fiberglass mesh tape ($5), a trowel ($5), a putty knife($5), a honing stone($7), a grout float ($5), caulk that matches the color if you are using tiles ($5), and plastic spacers ($5). All of these materials will be needed for installing granite countertops and you should consider the costs when you are budgeting for your new counter. You also might need a tile saw. You can purchase one for around $275 or you can rent a saw from many places for around $45 for each day. The cutting should be able to be done in one day. You also need to estimate the lumber materials that you will need to purchase also. The materials that you will need include a full sheet of ¾ inch plywood. Every 8ft. of countertop that you have you will need one sheet. You will need a sheet of Denshield to back the tile for every 5 ft. of counter that you have. Roofing nails and screws will be needed for securing purposes.

The cost of granite differs by the type of granite that you decide on. If you would like a solid surface granite countertop then you will pay around $125 per square foot. If you are thinking about tiles on your counter then the costs will run around $60 per square foot. Tiles can be very cheap or they can be expensive. It depends on the type and texture of the granite. The finish you would like for your counter will make a big difference also and will increase the price. Many people prefer the faux finish which can cost you approximately $80.

Installation Costs For Granite Countertops

There are many things that you need to think about when you hire a contractor to professionally install your granite countertops. Hiring the wrong person could be disastrous and cost you more money in the long run. You should find out how long the contractor has been in business so you can be sure that they have been in business for a while. This will also verify that they are well-established. You should also verify if they have any complaints against them through consumer protection officials. You want to verify how many projects the contractor has completed and ask to see a portfolio of the work they have done. Some contractors take pictures of their finished work and this will give you a good idea of what you have to look forward to when it is finished.

You should also ask for a list of references and you should verify all of them. Don’t just take their word for it. Call everyone. If the contractor is going to be using other sub-contractors to help them with the project, you should meet them and make sure that you feel comfortable with them in your home. Verify that everyone who will be working in your home is licensed and that they are all covered by insurance. You can protect yourself by asking to see a lien waiver to verify that the contractor doesn’t owe anyone any money. A contractor should have personal liability insurance that will cover damage to property and anything else that could happen.

When you pay the contractor for the work completed, verify that you are satisfied with the work done before you make a final payment. You should limit the down payment to as little as possible and if you are asked to be paid in full then you should go with someone else. You can work with the contractor and set milestones for payment. This means, as the contractor completes defined amounts of work, and then you pay them. You should also always avoid paying cash at all costs. You should also have a contract that clearly spells out all of the work that will be done for the countertops. Be sure that warranties are defined for the materials and the work done. Also be sure the contractor cleans their mess of excess materials and things before they leave.

When you hire a contractor to install granite countertops in your home, the price may vary by how experienced the contractor is and how large the counters are. The price can range from $700 to $1500 and higher. If you decide to install granite countertops on your own, then you can be looking at prices from $500 to approximately $700. It is usually not recommended to install granite counters yourself. This is because you should have skill when you are cutting granite and installing a counter. The cost of mistakes with granite might cost you more than what you can afford. It is always better to hire a professional contractor to install granite in your kitchen.

Choosing granite countertops for your kitchen is the best decision that you can make to beautify and increase the value of your home. We wish you the best of luck in finding the slab of granite that is right for you and your home. You are sure to find it.

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January 3, 2012  Tags: ,   Posted in: Countertop Installation  Comments Closed

How Much Will My Laminate Countertop Cost?

So you’ve decided to install a new laminate countertop in your kitchen. Whether your home improvement project is to increase the value of your home or to create the dream look you’ve always dreamed of, price is always a consideration. By choosing laminate for your countertop you’re choosing durability, ease of maintenance and customized look and feel at an affordable cost.

Laminate sheets can range in price from $3 to $100 per linear foot based upon color, texture, manufacturer, design and location. First you must determine what type of laminate sheet you will choose for your countertop. You can then determine the material costs associated with your countertop.

Next determine the area of your countertop you will cover, one key point to this is to understand the difference between linear foot and a square foot. Countertop manufacturers build sheets that are customized to a depth of 24 inches the average depth of countertops. The average countertop is between 28-30 feet which means 28-30 linear feet if you measured by square foot your countertop would cover a 56-60 square feet. So measure the linear square feet of your countertop.

Now that you have your price per linear foot and total linear feet to be covered you can now determine your material costs.

[Price per linear foot * Total linear feet = Material Costs]

With your materials costs now known you must now make a decision, will you install the laminate countertop yourself or will you contract out the installation.

Costs associated with Installing the laminate countertop yourself

Tools & Supply Costs

Contact Cement ($50)

Wooden Mallet ($15)

Paint Brush w/roller ($8)

Power Sander ($30)

Work Gloves ($8)

Router ($95)

Router Special Grooving Disc ($19)

Sanding Block ($15)

Straight Edge ($17)

Utility Knife ($10)

Fine Toothed Hand Saw ($20)

Fine Toothed Back Saw ($20)

Power Saw ($50)

Power Saw Fine Toothed Blade ($15)

File ($10)

Sandpaper ($5)

Total costs will be around ($387.00) for tools and supplies, please note prices may range based upon region, manufacturer or customized need. Prices listed are the median cost of five different items researched online.

2. Contracting out the installation

Common rates are $20-30 per linear square foot this may differ based upon the rate that you agree on with your contractor or any additional costs associated to supplies or tools needed for your installation. To get a budget range for the installation use the following to get a rough idea of costs associate with contracting out your laminate countertop project.

[$25 * Total linear feet = Labor Costs]

So now that we’ve determined your material costs, tools & supply costs and labor costs you can now get a better idea of the cost that will be associated with your countertop home improvement project.

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January 1, 2012  Tags: ,   Posted in: Countertop Installation  Comments Closed

How to Remove an Old Kitchen Sink That Won’t Sit Flat on Your Countertop

Watch more Building Skills videos at Finehomebuilding.com www.finehomebuilding.com Sometimes you have to completely remove a sink to put it back together right We’re here to eliminate the bow on the side of this kitchen sink. The bow creates a gap, leaving room for standing water and bacteria under the lip. We have to remove the sink so that we can get at the cabinet itself. When we have the sink out, we’ll also be replacing the faucet. Then we’ll put the sink back in, properly secure it, caulk it, and connect the water and waste lines, and we’ll be done. www.finehomebuilding.com

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April 30, 2011  Tags: , , , , ,   Posted in: Countertop Installation  Comments Closed