Q&A / 

Repair Cracked Backsplash Grout - Do It In the Winter QUESTION: Hello, Tim. I could use your help. The grout line between my kitchen granite countertop and the tile backsplash has cracked for the umpteenth time. Each winter the crack appears and each year I re-grout it hoping it will be the final time. Am […]

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"It's important to realize not all tile tents. Your tile tented because the wrong clay was used to make your tented tile." Tenting Tile Cause and Repair - Simple Physics Tenting tile is a very common problem. It happened to Kevin, one of the subscribers of my FREE newsletter. Here's what he sent to me, […]

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Install Tile Over Cracked Concrete Floor - Use a Membrane QUESTION: I’m about to install ceramic tile on a concrete floor of a 40-year-old house. The concrete floor has cracks in it. This is a DIY endeavor and I don’t have the extra money to install the expensive membrane that I should use. Are my […]

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Floor Grout Problems - The Wrong Color DEAR TIM: I made a mistake and discovered your detailed floor grouting video series a bit too late. I should have watched them before I started my job, but what’s done is done. Five hours ago, I grouted my bathroom and the color of the grout is not […]

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Pebble Stone Shower Floor - It's Dreamy and Comfortable DEAR TIM: What do you think about a pebble stone shower floor? I’ve seen these for a few years and wonder if I’d like it in my new shower? Are they durable? My smallish feet are sensitive when I walk on gravel and I wonder if […]

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Wood-Fired Kiln - Easy to Do in Hours This is the video I watched that gave me the inspiration to build our prototype wood-fired kiln. This is the kiln my youngest daughter requested. Read the back story in my May 3, 2020 Newsletter. Read an update in the February 14, 2021 AsktheBuilder Newsletter. I've captured […]

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DEAR TIM: I’m remodeling a large bathroom in my home. The large shower stall is going to be tile as well as the floors in the room. I cut out some pieces of scrap cardboard to resemble large-format tile and it’s going to look perfect. I’ve never done a job like this. I’ve done my […]

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Fill out the form below and upload a great photo of the thing you want to clean using Stain Solver. The top twenty photos I receive will get a sample size of Stain Solver. This challenge begins on January 10, 2020 and ends on January 17, 2020. My decisions as to which photos meet the […]

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Foam Insulation Above Windows QUESTION #1: Tim, I need your expert opinion. I’m building a new home with 2x6 exterior walls. Beams have to be installed over the top of all windows and doors. What’s a great way to insulate these as the solid wood creating the beam doesn’t have a very high R-value. What […]

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Restore Patio Tile Grout QUESTION #1: Tim, my outdoor deck is a concrete slab with gorgeous tile on it. The grout is a mess and I believe I have to replace it. The quotes to do this work took my breath away. How does one make the determination if the grout needs to be replaced? […]

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