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Choosing Tile

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Choosing Tile

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Choosing your tile is not as easy as walking into a showroom and picking the right color or pattern. First, you have to consider how it will be used. For wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens, you need a vitreous or impermeable tile, not a porous one. Floors need tiles with more flexural strength than those that go on walls. Tile for countertops needs to resist impact and acids. And glazed or polished tiles are easier to clean for walls, but they re not suitable for wet floors because they lack traction. It s also important to know that price is not always a good indicator of tile quality. You should ask your dealer if the tile you re considering complies with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and if it s reliable for the type of project you re doing. Once you know what type you need, you can choose your tile s design and color. Be sure to order from the same lot number and shade number since tiles that weren t fired together can look very different. To determine the quantity of tile you need, multiply the area s width and length and then add 5 percent for waste. Round up to have extras for any repairs down the line. While you re specifying tile, don t forget to choose the grout carefully. There are so many colors and options available today, you don t have to default to that stark white that will have you forever scrubbing to keep it clean. You want one that s mildew-resistant in a color that complements your tile. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

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New Bathroom

Adding or remodeling a bathroom is one of the best ways you can increase the value of your home. Remove outdated fixtures and tilework; if necessary, replace the substrate with new waterproof materials, and install new tile. If you're adding on a bathroom, you can make room for features like a double sink or whirlpool tub. Extra bathrooms always make a house more marketable.

Choosing Bathroom Flooring

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

Boiler Pipes and a In-Floor Radiant Heat in Bathroom

Bob meets with the plumber to look at the air handler and then goes upstairs to check out a bathroom floor heated with radiant heat.

Ventilation Fan Basics

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. It s important to make your home energy-efficient by sealing all gaps and insulating thoroughly. But don t overlook ventilation. Vent fans in the kitchen and bathrooms are required by code in most states, and they re a good idea everywhere. They help protect indoor air quality and get rid of excess moisture from cooking and bathing that can lead to mold problems and structural damage. In the kitchen, range hoods now come in all shapes and sizes to go with your cooking surface and d cor. They can be ducted through a ceiling or exterior wall. This often requires tearing out plaster or drywall and it s best done during a remodel. If you don t want a large hood, consider a cooktop with a downdraft vent ducted through the floor. Either way, ventilation fans should always be ducted to the outside, never into an attic or crawlspace. Bathroom ventilation fans have come a long way, too. Energy Star-certified models with built-in ceiling lights can do double-duty and save you money, especially since these are so often accidentally left on. And they re much quieter, too. Some installers recommend the roof-mount type of fan. The fan and motor are installed on the roof and ducted to the interior space. In some homes, this can make installation and service easier since the unit s out in the open instead of built into the ceiling. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008