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Q: I'm laying "penny" mosaic tile on top of a heating system. I had to use a light amount of thinset in some spots due to leveling issues. As a result I have some tiles that are coming up (I have not yet grouted). I am going to use spectralock... Read More

Q. How do I know if my 2nd floor bathroom floor is strong enough to handle the weight of tile? There is vinyl on the floor now, obviously tile will add a lot of weight and I don’t know how to check this out.   A. Thank you for sharing your... Read More

Q. I was reading your Stain Management Application about cleaning vinegar stains, and in the types of stains on the left, vinegar is not listed. I was hoping you could clarify what poultice and method to use. Vinegar diluted with water was... Read More

Q. I spilled some coffee in my tile and it won‘t come off. I tried floor cleaning solution, vinegar and water, vinegar and baking soda, watered bleach, hydrogen peroxide. Nothing seems to work. I am pretty sure it is porcelain tile. Once you... Read More

Q. I just bought a house with coquina tile that has not been cleaned in decades. We contracted a limestone expert (after interviewing 4 companies, 2 of which were not familiar with what coquina tile was) to clean them. They ground the floor and then... Read More

If you apply a silicone impregnator to the back of a tile before setting, this may cause a bonding problem. Since most setting mortars are water based they will want to repel the water. Use an epoxy-type setting material. TIP: Before setting any... Read More

Q. I cleaned soap scum off a stone tile shower with vinegar and it made white marks and streaks all over the shower walls. I can remove the sealer with cleaner but the white marks are still there. How do I fix it? A. If your shower is marble or... Read More

Q. We had travertine tile installed 1 1/2 years ago and I had a hole open up and it is gradually getting bigger and now a 2nd hole has opened up too. Don't know what has caused it? Need to know how to fix it? We had it sealed when it was done...... Read More

Q. How do I remove grout stains from ceramic tiles? Grey grout has penetrated and stained some of my ceramic wall tiles. Is it possible to draw this out? The stain is from grey grout. The tiles were sealed, but unfortunately one pack had not been... Read More

Q. How do we clean white spots from bird droppings on colored concrete? We have a church under construction with tiles on the floor. Windows hadn't been put in yet, and birds came in. The tiles are left stained white from the droppings.Â... Read More