Hardi-Backer vs Wonderboard vs Durock

[KC]

Thanks for the clarification.  I've done a lot of tile work, but only one mud floor... and I didn't enjoy it.  

[bytestalker]

Durock has a foam shower base you can order custom.   You have to have exact measurements and they build to your specs.  I ordered and had it in a week delivered to site.  It was right on perfect.   I ordered through a local plumbing supply house that is a distributor of Durock.  You can't order through the borg's even though they carry the Durock shower kits.

[Snipe Hunter]

Thanks for the clarification.  I've done a lot of tile work, but only one mud floor... and I didn't enjoy it.  

I felt that way after the 1st one. I was more prepared for the 2nd one. I learned to mix more cement at one time and dump the whole bucket instead troweling it from the bucket. I made sure I had the right length levels and screeds before starting. Figuring it out as I went the first time was a lousy way to work. I used a topping compound, mixed a little dry.

[stevean]

Hi! How can i attach glass handmade mosaic tiles i bought from my friend. He got some remnants. I tried polyblend grout but turned out sanded one was a bad idea, i scratched and i wasted some of my supplies. What rules do i have to obey to install them properly? I guess, just like you install big tiles, right?

[Snipe Hunter]

Use thinset. You'll find it in the tile section of the hardware store. After it's set, use grout. It sounds like you are looking for non-sanded grout.

[MikeBob]

Thin set or tile mastic and then UNSANDED GROUT.

[Roly]

Suggest white thinset instead of gray if there is any chance of it showing through.  Unsanded.   Roly

[Snipe Hunter]

Thin set or tile mastic and then UNSANDED GROUT.

I don't do mastic. IMHO, it's sold home owners who are afraid of thinset. Vinyl floor, mastic. Tile, thinset.

Like mentioned above, if the class is clear, use white thinset.

[who]

I would say about 98% of the time, I use thinset.  Mastic does come in handy once in awhile though.  I like it for mosaic backsplashes.  So much easier to hang the sheets and not have to worry about a bazillion spacers, or thinset squeezing through the grout lines.

[Snipe Hunter]

I would say about 98% of the time, I use thinset.  Mastic does come in handy once in awhile though.  I like it for mosaic backsplashes.  So much easier to hang the sheets and not have to worry about a bazillion spacers, or thinset squeezing through the grout lines.

Can you get a white mastic for glass tile?

I feel your pain about a bazillion spacers.

When I do mosaic, I use a product called Sticky Mickeys, adhesive masking paper. It an adhesive sheet made for masking off cars for custom paint work. You lay it on the car and draw (flames for instance) on it and use a razor blade to cut out the pattern.

What I do is lay down the adhesive masking paper on the face of my mosaic tile and cut it all to size. Then glue down some cardboard over the adhesive paper. This basically makes a solid, flat tile out of the mosaic. I use a real fine toothed trowel on the backer board and set the tile in it. It's got to be fine so it doesn't ooze through the mosaic. I actually use a mastic trowel for vinyl flooring. Once set, I peel off the cardboard and adhesive paper. Just don't press it in too hard. The fabric backer will hold the mosaic to the thinly spread mastic. The grout will lock it all in tight.

I do understand why you use mastic for mosaic. I just don't trust the stuff. The guy who taught me how to lay tile told me that a lot of the rip-out and repairs he's done were because the tile-setter used mastic.