Bob and Chris Vila continue the walk-through of the Manhattan Brownstone with a look at the new bathroom. The former bathroom was completely gutted, but the footprint remains the same. The new look is very clean and sleek with elegant, solid fixtures in the shower and sink. The Toto pedestal sink and toilet are contemporary with very clean lines. An oil-filled, electric wall radiator from Runtle will warm the space as needed and also serve as a towel warmer. The tile on the walls, floor, and shower are all from Porcelanosa. The wall tile is a white, large-format tile called Subway that is designed to replicate the feel of an urban subway station. The stone green tile on the floor is Durango Stone, which is an outdoor tile that was used on the patio as well. The glass shower tile flows like water across the walls and is called Glacier Glass.

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Bathrooms are, like it or not, wet areas. Even if the rest of your house has gleaming hardwood floors, they re not the best choice for your bathroom. While some wood-look laminates can be glued and sealed to resist moisture, if water does get beneath the surface, the affected panels have to be replaced, which isn t simple or cheap. Cork flooring, properly installed and treated, can be a good alternative if you want that warm wood feeling. Cork is sustainably harvested, naturally anti-microbial and mildew-resistant. All it needs is a coat or two of eco-friendly acrylic binder to seal the joints and make it suitable for bathroom installation. Polished stone or glossy tile are slippery when wet, so if you re going with tile, look for a sandblasted or textured finish. Any stone or tile can be very cold underfoot, so consider installing a radiant heat mat beneath it. Stone and porcelain tile can be very expensive, but there s a huge variety of ceramic and glass tile available from $3 to $20 per square foot, installed. Tile installation is an advanced do-it-yourself job that can be physically demanding and time-consuming. But even if you hire a pro, it s a good investment. Some Realtors estimate that every dollar you spend on tile installation adds $1.50 to your home s value. For budget installations, vinyl tiles are the cheapest and easiest to work with. They don t last as long as sheet vinyl, though, and the gaps between them can be hard to seal. While it s a myth that sheet vinyl is an easy do-it-yourself project, there are lots of great new patterns and colors to choose from, costing between $2 and $7 a square foot. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Bob discusses the bluestone floor being installed in the floor of the greenhouse. A landscape cloth set below the stone dust to prevent water from seeping through causing the stones to wobble. The stones are being installed in a diagonal pattern and with enough space for drainage.

Bob watches tile setter, Tim Galvin build up a shower pan and tile. The pan helps protect the surrounding area from moisture. Tim applies a mortar on top of the pan and then sets the tile in place.

Bob and the mason discuss the chimney. Pointing out that we have two flues, one for the boiler in the basement and one for the wood stove. By code, the ceramic flue liners need to be surround by at least four inches of solid masonry (the chimney). The mason tells Bob how they are going to attach the pipe from the wood stove to the flue. Then the mason shows how easy it is to cut a four-inch cement block with a hydraulic jack. The mason and Bob then discuss the supports for the hearth, including a concrete table and a blue stone finishing floor.

Bob talks to Ken Lanoie of Owens Corning about adding sound attenuating insulation to the nursery. Lanoie describes the QuietZone Solserene Ceiling Fabric System used in the project. A Solserene ceiling is made up of three components, with high-density fiberglass boards to absorb sound installed in a track system that holds them in place. The boards are then covered with fabric. Lanoie reviews the installation process of the boards, followed by the fabric covering. After the boards are put in place, fabric is stretched over it and tucked behind the track, which has teeth to grab the fabric and secure it. QuietZone Solserene comes with a tacking knife to assist in the process. The system helps reduce the echo effect of noise in rooms with hardwood or stone floors, plaster walls, and other hard surfaces. The fabric is pulled so tight it looks like a normal plaster ceiling and can follow and architectural configuration, including angles, dormers, and rounded edges. It costs about six dollars per square foot.

Kevin Corcoran from Englert Roofing systems explains to Bob benefits of the company�s environmentally friendly (56 percent recycled material), maintenance free, metal roofing product. The product applied to the project house is made of carbonized steel and carries a 50-year warranty. The exterior is bonded with aluminum and zinc then coated with a layer of acrylic. The cost is generally less than stone or tile roofs, but higher than standard shingles. Mike Worsky and Jeff Smith from Al Smith Gutters demonstrate the metal cutting and crimping machinery brought to the job site. The portable roll former transforms a flat roll of steel to the standing seam panel in the proportion on the job site. Metal roofing is now being widely distributed across the US especially in areas where wildfires are an issue as metal roofs are much harder to light and may protect your home.

Anthony Lopez from Porcelanosa is at the Punta Gorda house for the installation of their Ferroker series oxidized-look tiles and Antic Colonial glass tile border. Porcelanosa is porcelain tile that is fired and glazed for maximum durability and unique stone and marble-look finishes. This tile is designed for interior, exterior, residential, and commercial applications. Bob remarks that the metallic look is uncommon in a traditional Florida home and gives the house a very contemporary look. The 17 by 26 inch tiles cost about the same as natural stone at $8 per square foot and come in a wide array of stone-look textures, colors, and shades. The glass inset tiles are from Porcelanosa�s Listello series and have shades of metal and stone throughout. The tile setter is applying a layer of thinset to the slab and then working it with a notched trowel before laying the first course of tile. The glass tile surround must be built up underneath to lay flush with the large format tiles. The tile setter uses tile spacers to maintain even grout lines as the tiles set. Once they are squared and checked, these tiles serve as the set line for the next course of tile. The overall design will be a staggered, offset pattern across the field. Lopez explains that maintenance for these tiles is as simple as mopping with a natural stone soap or detergent.

The existing basement floor was a cold concrete slab that will now have ceramic tile floor installed over radiant heat mats. Bob talks with Kevin Murray from NuHeat Inc. about the electrical radiant heating pads. The pads go underneath the tile and can reach a temperature of about 92 degrees. Using the pads to heat a room uses about the same amount of electricity lighting the room. The pads plug into a programmable thermostat so the heating can be set to come on at regular times during the day. Murray then demostrates how the pad is installed. First, it is dry-fitted to the floor and set to fit the general area. The pad is then affixed to the floor using an adhesive mud. After the mud has been put on the concrete and the pad set in place, a float is used to press it down. The pad is made of a porous polycarbon fabric. After all the pads are put in place, the tile setter can put in the mastic and tile. Mike Blangiardi from Portsmouth Quality Flooring set and grouted the tile after letting the thinset sit for 24 hours. The homeowners selected a DalTile ceramic tile for the laundry and bathroom area. The homeowners should wait another 24 hours once the grout is complete before using the room.