Jim O'Dell
Member
- Messages
- 2,783
- Location
- Between Aledo and Fort Worth, TX
I'm ready to grout!! But sooo not looking forward to it. I have decided to mix the grout a little wetter this time to see if that helps.
Same 2 angles for the pictures.
I finished the last tiles yesterday morning. Late in the afternoon, I started cleaning off the stray thinset from the tiles I laid last weekend, making sure I didn't touch the tiles from the morning session. I went back and did those this morning.
If you don't have a good way of doing this, I have a routine that works pretty good. I used to keep a wet sponge and wipe tiles as I set them. But that takes time, moves the tiles around, and the thinset goes bad in the bucket before it's all used. I found these sponges at Wally World last fall and they work great! Funny how the sponge can be so out of focus, but it's a great shot of the tile! Shows what the tile really looks like, instead of the solid charcoal the other shots make it look like. Anyway, this is the mild abrasive scotch pad on a sponge. I'm sure straight scotch-brites would work fine also. "Sands" the dried thinset off, but doesn't harm the tile. Gets down in the tile's texture to get it off good, as well as the edges of the tile. Came off after sitting for a week as easily as it did the stuff that was just on a day.
After cleaning the thinset off the tiles and vacuuming, I came back this afternoon and used a damp microfiber towel to wipe down the tiles. I'll vacuum and wipe again just before starting to grout next Sat. I used the microfiber towels last fall instead of sponges to clean the grout lines and grout off the tiles as I went. Works much easier than sponges. Not near as many water washings to make sure to keep the haze down to a minimum.
This was a much easier weekend than last week. Not near as much time on my knees!! Next week will be a bear though. Have a good week everyone! Jim.
Same 2 angles for the pictures.
I finished the last tiles yesterday morning. Late in the afternoon, I started cleaning off the stray thinset from the tiles I laid last weekend, making sure I didn't touch the tiles from the morning session. I went back and did those this morning.
If you don't have a good way of doing this, I have a routine that works pretty good. I used to keep a wet sponge and wipe tiles as I set them. But that takes time, moves the tiles around, and the thinset goes bad in the bucket before it's all used. I found these sponges at Wally World last fall and they work great! Funny how the sponge can be so out of focus, but it's a great shot of the tile! Shows what the tile really looks like, instead of the solid charcoal the other shots make it look like. Anyway, this is the mild abrasive scotch pad on a sponge. I'm sure straight scotch-brites would work fine also. "Sands" the dried thinset off, but doesn't harm the tile. Gets down in the tile's texture to get it off good, as well as the edges of the tile. Came off after sitting for a week as easily as it did the stuff that was just on a day.
After cleaning the thinset off the tiles and vacuuming, I came back this afternoon and used a damp microfiber towel to wipe down the tiles. I'll vacuum and wipe again just before starting to grout next Sat. I used the microfiber towels last fall instead of sponges to clean the grout lines and grout off the tiles as I went. Works much easier than sponges. Not near as many water washings to make sure to keep the haze down to a minimum.
This was a much easier weekend than last week. Not near as much time on my knees!! Next week will be a bear though. Have a good week everyone! Jim.