Tiling is my favorite!

It is not rare that my husband will come home from work and find something torn apart, or torn down.  Our home now was built in 1972 so lots of orange and painted bricks when we moved in.  My  first project was to cover the  fireplace in our living room with travertine tiles.  I'm all for sticking to architectural integrity but really wood paneling in the middle of white faux brick really just needed to go.
So without hesitation I grabbed a sledge hammer ( a useful tool for breaking things) and a masonry saw blade for my circular saw and tore it apart the ugly old brick.  I really think tiling is my favorite.  I might tile everything if I could floors, walls, counters, pugs.  I love it because its like a puzzle you get to create.  It's easy and requires time and a bit of patients.  You can transform a 70"s Brady fire place into an updated cozy focal point of the room.  Oh did I mention there was another funky fire place downstairs too.  I covered this one the same way only with ceramic tiles.

As with any tile project I will say "use a saw"  really scoring and scoring then snapping tile is like trying to cut down a fir tree with a bread knife.  My husband would say use the big chain saw for sure. 
You will save time either renting or buying a saw.  You can get a small tile saw with a 4" blade at
Home Depot or Lowes for around $50.00.  If I'm tiling a lot of larger piece's I rent a big wet saw, this seriously cuts down on time and missed cuts.

To tile over brick you first have to cover the brick with metal mesh.  This is easily done with masonry screws  and you just wrap the brick and screw it on.  I have a great pair of heavy tin snips that cuts the mesh very easily.

You will need:
-Mortar- buy the pre-mixed and save you hand held blender for cake.  Besides it's the right consistency.
-Tile of you choice- These are 12x12 travertine.  The other fire place tiles are large ceramic.
-Grout-  you can mix this if you like.  Use you blender to mix this for sure,  or you could get the mixing attachment for your power drill.  I really just think is funny to use a mixer, so I do.
-Notched trowel- to spread the mortar
-Grout float-  this spread the grout between the joints

-Spacers- these are important to make certain you lines are straight and you have perfect 90 degree joints.  I am a fan of small grout lines but its a personal preference.
-Sponge- to wipe the grout
-Level-super important for the first row
-Tape measure
-Sharpie
-Eye protection....always when you are cutting stuff


1.  After you mesh is on spread a scratch coat of mortar over the mesh with the flat side of your trowel.  This is the surface the tile will adhere to.
2.  This has to dry  about 24 hours
3.  Use your level  to mark your first row
4.  Measure the height and width  to find the layout with the easiest cuts
5.  Spread a layer mortar to cover about a quarter of the project area.  You have to let it set up just a bit, then take the notched side of the trowel and scrape it along the mortar.  This gives the tile something to hold on to.
6.  Start laying the tiles.  If you are doing a vertical surface start at the bottom.  Then the other tiles have a place to rest.  Put spacers in between.  I always us a few to make certain they stay level.
7.  And repeat....use your measure tape and the sharpie to mark your cuts.
8.  After you are done.  Allow it to dry for 24 hours.
9.  Next you grout.  Mix up your grout in a bucket.  Seriously its supposed to be like peanut butter.
this also has to set up a bit around 10 min or so.
10. Spread it in the joints to create your grout line.  You use the rubber/spongy grout float for this.  Hold it at a 45 degree angle it spreads in more evenly.
11.  Let it set a bit (look at the directions on the box for set up time,  they vary)
12.  Wipe with a wet sponge.  Removing all excess grout.
13.  Let this set 24 hours then seal the grout with grout sealer.


 Congratulations you have just tiled a vertical surface.   Now you can do a back splash or a shower:)
Tiling is fun and easy.  It takes a few days for it to finish but  what a difference.


What's next?  Tile flooring.

Starting at the beginning a great set of tools...more than a butter knife

Why the name Handy Ma'am?  Simple,  I am handy and I am a woman.   Affectionately my husband calls me his general contractor.  I proudly accept that title.
My interests are many, but the one thing I love is to repair and remodel.  My home mostly.  My friends' homes too.  My husband and I have a few investment properties  all of which need repairs.
I often have paint in my hair or plaster in my hands when I pick my kids up from school.
Many people ask me so what project are you working on now?  Some are for fun,  some are for repairs. But my house is done (mostly), and I'm in between projects, so what better project then to tell all women, and men that home improvement is not only easy but can be really fun.  Most of all remodel projects are rewarding when you can stand back and say "I did that".   Some projects don't need a costly contractor...some do.  So before you hire someone to repair a faucet, rewire a light switch, change out a door.  Know that you too can  put down new flooring,  tile  a bathroom or repair drywall.

Starting at the beginning  to me is making sure you have the right tools for the project.  Really, how many of you have used a butter knife to tighten a screw?  I'm not saying don't be resourceful, frankly I've used a knife, a paperclip or anything else that would work when I needed to. I've used a shoe and a coffee mug for a hammer in a pinch.  I am saying there are basics you need for home improvement to go smoothly and so much faster.  So let's start there.

Here is a list of tools that will help.  They are all available at any home improvement store really.  I have my favorites but these stores are in my town  and I go where I can get the most help and where the improvement experts will give the best advice.  I like Home Depot,  they have it all and I'm in there enough that they know me by name.  I like Lowes and I think they just have a different selection...they also know me by name.  Fred Meyer (Koger),  Target, Ace Hardware,  all have small areas you can pick up the basics.  I do like to go where people know my name and I know theirs.  I sometimes even help people in the stores, and have been offered a job more than once!  So now I can help people with projects for real.
You will acquire new tools with each  project.  I will say my favorite is my air compressor with many different attachments,  it has made decking and molding a very easy,  but not necessary to start your tool box.
With every project I will list the tools to use...and maybe a butter knife for fun.

Tools you will need to start with:

-Hammer
-Screwdriver flat and philips heads
-Pliers
-Vice Grip pliers; these hold the object very tight,  like when you need to pull a staple out of the floor
-Pipe wrench;  for a leaky pipe
-Wire cutters and strippers
-A set of wrenches,  helpful to tighten nuts,  like at the base of a toilet.  Also for replacing hoses under            your sink.
-Socket wrenches, also tighten nuts but do a lot of the work for you.
-A cordless drill with a set of drill bits.  Not only can you make holes but you can use it as a power screwdriver too.

Supplies to have on hand:

-Duct tape- I use it more for holding things tight.  Like my dryer hose or a new shower door rail.  This is a multi us tape though that my daughter will testify too.  She makes wallets, bags and flip flops out of it.
-Painters tape-  so useful, low residue and worth the time for use to save your floor or carpet.  It makes painting stripes perfect and straight.
-Pipe tape-  used when replacing faucet hoses, sinks and shower heads.  Really it give the seal you need to stop leaks.  Make sure you wrap it clockwise.  Then it won't unwrap as you put you pipes together.
-Wire nuts-  these screw two wires together,  like when you switch out a light or a light switch.
-Dry wall screws- to hold heavier objects in drywall when a stud is not available.  Splurge on the ones that screw into the wall seriously one of the better inventions in products, no drilling, no mess.
-Simple set of nuts, bolts, screw, nails etc.  These are on the "nail" isle at most stores but really will save time and a ton of money when you have an assortment.

Not a long list but a solid set will make projects go smoother,  happy shopping.