Rough-In Plumbing Diagram
DEAR TIM: My city allows homeowners to install their own plumbing. But to get the permit I need to supply them with a rough-in plumbing diagram. What is a plumbing diagram? Can I just do a bathroom plumbing diagram since all I am doing is adding ... [... more]
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Shower Soap Dish
DEAR TIM: You helped me a week ago when I decided to replace my shower head. Believe it or not, the shower head slipped from my hand and broke the shower soap dish. This small weekend project has turned into a nightmare. How do I replace the ... [... more]
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Ceramic Tile Cutter
Ceramic Tile Cutter By DEAR TIM: I have never used a ceramic-tile cutter. Is cutting tile really possible with such a simple tool? How can such a tool make straight cuts without shattering the tile? What tile-cutting tips can you offer when ... [... more]
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How To Paint Ceramic Tile
DEAR TIM: Can you instruct me how to paint ceramic tile? Money is very tight now, and applying paint to my ceramic tile is the only thing I can afford. Can you paint old ceramic tile, so it will not peel? Is there a special ceramic-tile paint? ... [... more]
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Ceramic Floor Tile
Once the grout is removed, you can try to pop the cut tile from the floor using a wide stiff putty knife that is driven at a low angle under the tile. Start the knife under the cut edge that was against the old wall. Tap the putty knife with a ... [... more]
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Grouting Tile
DEAR TIM: Grouting tile is a job I need to tackle before my relatives come over for a holiday party. I don't know how to grout tile, but feel it is easy. What type of tile grout should I use for my ceramic floor tile? Is mixing grout difficult? ... [... more]
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Ceramic Tile Patterns
DEAR TIM: Regular ceramic tile patterns are uninspiring. My visits to home centers put me in a ho-hum mood. I want a distinctive bathroom ceramic tile that will add value to my home setting it apart from all others when I go to sell. What are ... [... more]
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Drilling Ceramic Tile
DEAR TIM: Drilling into ceramic tile just became a priority. My wife wants me to install several new towel bars and other accessories in an older bathroom. I also need to install anchors for a new shower door. I tried drilling into the tile, but ... [... more]
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Installing Cement Backer Board
DEAR TIM: I have a ceramic-tile job coming up and want to use cement backer board. I have never installed this product before, and wonder if it is really worth it. It seems hard to work with and I am tempted to just use a water-resistant drywall. ... [... more]
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Shower Head
DEAR TIM: I need to fix a leaking shower head. Is it difficult to replace shower heads? At first I was just going to fix the leak, but my wife wants a new shower head. Are there some secret tips you can share that will make it appear as if a ... [... more]
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Steam Room
DEAR TIM: I have wanted a steam room in my house for a long time. Are there certain things you must do to ensure a home steam room will work well? Can you tell me exactly how to build a steam room so that I do not have any water or water-vapor ... [... more]
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Tankless Water Heater
DEAR TIM: I wonder if a tankless water heater is the best thing for a new vacation home I am building in Michigan. Does a tankless hot water heater makes sense since the house will be vacant from November 1 to April 1 and occupied on a random ... [... more]
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