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If you have ceramic or stone tile installed directly to your concrete floor, you may have noticed cracked or damaged tile. There can be a number of reasons for this, including inadequate bonding, lack of expansion joints, use of poor quality thinset, or cracking of the substrate. For purposes of this article, I’ll address only this last factor: cracking of the substrate.

Many concrete professionals will tell you that it is not a matter of if the concrete will crack, but when it will crack. While there are a number of reasons for the concrete to crack, it’s almost impossible to determine when and where it will crack. Cracking sometimes occurs at the weakest point of the slab, for instance, if there is an inset porch in the floor plan, there may be one or two weak points in the slab. The slab is narrower in this area, hence the weak point. However, it’s possible for concrete to crack at any place or time, even several years after (Read more…)

If you look at many tile installations in progress, you may see the installer comb wet thinset on the floor in a defined area, usually marked off with chalk lines. The installer will then embed the tile into the thinset, give it twist, adjust for spacing, and call it good. In many cases, that’s all it takes to achieve a good bond.

However, with so many porcelain tiles on the market today, I’m finding that it’s increasingly important to apply thinset to the floor and to the back of each tile. This is referred to as “back-buttering.” (Read more…)

Complete shower remodel in Springdale, Arkansas

This project began as a little trim carpentry and evolved into a new tile shower. The original shower is failing due to cracking grout and improper construction. These kinds of problems cannot be fixed with caulk or replacement of a few tile – lipstick and mascara repairs. Total replacement is in order.

Proper materials and use of water proofing procedures is absolutely necessary. The liner must be sloped and should always (Read more…)

Tile Shower With Cracking Grout in Springdale, Arkansas

A home owner in Springdale, AR had recurring problems with the grout cracking on the curb, on the bench, and at the wall-floor junction. The tile installation is only 2 months old.

The original installer used a traditional liner on the floor and standard sheetrock on the walls. No matter what type of waterproofing is used, this method will not work. (Read more…)

This is a project that started with a conventional shower in a home in Northwest Arkansas. The shower was built improperly with sub-standard methods. The result was that the shower leaked from the first day it was used, and continued to leak for the next four years until water began dripping through the basement ceiling. The worst thing about a leaking shower is that it is almost impossible to repair and requires extensive demolition.

Let’s start with the shower as I found it (Read more…)

Part 1 of a 2-part series on installing tile for a tub or shower surround. Skip to part 2 here. This article deals with the preparations to tile a tub or shower surround in wood frame structures. It follows the actual work performed on a tub surround project in an Arkansas home. (Read more…)

This is the second in a two-part series on the preparation and installation of porcelain tile for a shower or tub surround. This project was performed in a bathroom somewhere in Arkansas. The structure is wood frame construction. Start from the beginning with the wall preparation article here, or follow along as this project is completed with beautiful tile and accessories. (Read more…)

Here are pictures of a wood floor that was recently refinished. The living room originally had wood in a width of two feet around the perimeter of the room. The remaining floor (approximately 260 sq. ft.) was carpet. The carpet and underlayment was removed and replaced with unfinished wood flooring. The new wood was sanded, stained, and finished with polyurethane. The existing wood floor in the living room, kitchen, and dining room was (Read more…)

Trevathan Floors can design and install any size shower and tub enclosure to fit your needs. We can install handicap-accessible showers that feature safety bars, detachable shower heads, and a curbless design to accomodate a wheelchair.

Trevathan’s currently employs the Kerdi System for shower (Read more…)

A backsplash can change the entire look of your kitchen. Backsplashes can also be used in bathrooms, around countertops and tubs and anywhere you have a counter and (Read more…)