ceramic tile

Maintaining your outdoor ceramic tile can make the difference between having an eye-catching patio or an eye sore. Often, homeowners are confused about how to maintain their outdoor ceramic tile, but the process is similar to the process used to maintain indoor ceramic tile. The most important step to take is to keep the grout in good condition. By using some elbow grease and exercising a little patience, you can keep your outdoor ceramic tile in good condition so that your patio is always ready for entertaining and your walkway is always ready to welcome guests.

What You’ll Need

5-Gallon bucket
Broom
Dish detergent
Water hose
Grout sealer
Pressure washer (optional)

Step 1: Sweep Tile
Using the broom, sweep the tile. Make sure that you clear away any loose debris. The more debris you can clear away at this point, the easier it will be to clean the tile in the next step.

Step 2: Clean Tile
If you are certain that the grout is undamaged and that the tiles are secure, the quickest and easiest way to clean your outdoor ceramic tile is to use a pressure washer. Operate the pressure washer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you do not have a pressure washer, use a water hose to fill the 5-gallon bucket halfway with water. Add a few squirts of liquid dish detergent while filling the bucket to make a cleaning solution. Set the bucket aside. Use the water hose to wet the tile thoroughly. Then, get the bucket and dip the broom into the cleaning solution. Use the broom in a sweeping motion to clean the grout between each tile. Give extra attention to any compacted debris between the tiles. It may take some scrubbing to remove the compacted debris, but you must remove it completely. Continue to dip the broom into the cleaning solution and clean between the tiles until you have scrubbed the entire area. Use the broom to clean the surface of the tiles as well.

Step 3: Rinse Tile
After cleaning the tile and grout, use the water hose to rinse the ceramic tile. Rinse several times until all residue has been removed.

Step 4: Dry
Allow the tile to dry completely. On a hot day, drying may take only a few minutes. On cooler days, it may take a few hours.

Step 5: Seal Grout
Take the time to read carefully the manufacturer’s instructions for the grout sealer. Then, apply the sealer to the grout lines. Most grout sealers come in a bottle with a built-in application brush, so application should not be messy. Allow the first application to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and apply a second coat of the grout sealer. Allow it to dry.

By taking these steps at least once a year, you can maintain your outdoor ceramic tile so that it lasts for decades to come. Now that you have taken care of your outdoor ceramic tile, you can start planning your next home improvement project.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Removing Ceramic Tile: Concrete Slab Preservation

December 10, 2019

Ceramic Posts, ceramic tile, ceramic tiles

If you have a ceramic tile concrete floor and you need to remove the tiles, keep in mind that this is not an easy task, especially if you want to save the tiles to reuse in the future. Ceramic tiles tend to break in the process of the removal. You must be very patient when removing tiles from a concrete floor. You should also wear a pair of safety glasses and a dust mask for safety.

What You’ll Need

Chisel
Gloves
Hammer
Dust mask
Drill driver
Putty knives
Garden spade
Safety glasses

Step 1 – Starting to Remove the Tiles
Before you start removing the ceramic tiles from the concrete floor, cover all openings in the room with plastic sheeting or close all windows and doors. This will keep dust from accumulating in the room. Start removing the ceramic tiles from a doorway in case the tiles are directly installed on the concrete floor. Gently tap the grout lines with a chisel and hammer or a putty knife.

Step 2 – Uninstalling the Tiles
Use the putty knife to cut through the grout and remove as much grout as you can. Put a putty knife under the ceramic tile and drive it with a hammer. Pry in an upward direction until you can lift out the tile.

Make sure that the knife is parallel to the ground when you put it under the tile. Keep in mind that the tile may break or crack in your hands, so make sure that you are wearing appropriate clothing: a dust mask, a pair of safety glasses, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of gloves.
If you want, you can use a sledgehammer to break the tiles down into pieces and then remove them with a floor scraper. Make sure that the floor scraper has a long handle and get rid of any residue of mastic after peeling the tiles from the concrete floor.

Step 3 – Removing the Cement Board
If you have a cement board on the concrete floor and the tiles are installed on the cement board, you can remove the first few tiles with a putty knife. However, you can break the cement board with a hammer when you see that it is partially visible.

Insert a straight-edged garden spade beneath the cement and pry in an upward direction until you have removed the tiles and the cement board. Keep a trash can or bucket near you so that you can easily throw away large pieces of debris. On the other hand, as for the dust and small pieces of debris, you can use a shop vacuum to dispose of them.

However, if the cement board is attached with screws, you should remove the tiles first and then the screws. You should never try to try to remove the cement board in this case because it is not only difficult but you can damage the concrete floor and leave the holes of the screws on the surface.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com