Is ceramic tile good for shower walls?

Is ceramic tile good for shower walls?

Is ceramic tile good for shower walls?

Ceramic tiles are ultimately popular for shower walls because they are long-lasting and durable. If you have chosen light fixtures, such as a vanity mirror or a bathtub then the more you need to consider using ceramic tiles. Today on the blog, let’s look at some reasons why it may or may not be good for your shower walls.

The Benefits of Using Ceramic Tiles for Your Shower Walls

Wondering whether using ceramic tiles for your shower walls is in any way better than other materials/ We’ve got the best list of the benefits of using these materials for your shower walls.

It is durable.

Ceramic tiles are very durable. When it comes to the composition and material quality, there is no surprise that ceramic tiles are on the top lists. This is why it also makes a great material for your shower walls.

Ceramic tiles are also easy to clean and maintain. They can last for years with very little care. Since they are durable, they also make great material for the underfoot, shower surrounds, backsplashes, and countertops.

Grade 1-2 is enough strength of ceramic tiles that you can use for your bathroom. However, if you have kids or higher levels of traffic, we recommend that you choose a higher grade to accommodate extra wear and tear.

It is waterproof.

Of course, when you choose materials for your bathroom walls, you would want something that is waterproof. The bathroom is the one in your home that is most exposed to water. Moisture can easily build upon the ceilings and walls as you use your hot shower, wash clothes, or bathe in the tub.
Ceramic tiles offer waterproof capability that stops water from absorbing through the walls. Moreover, you can easily wipe excess water and moisture on its surface.

It is Environmentally Friendly.

Many people presume using ceramic tiles to be harmful to the environment. This is why many homeowners turn to cork or bamboo floors to reduce their carbon footprint. But you don’t realize is that ceramic tiles are actually environmentally friendly.

If you buy post-industrial ceramic tiles, you can help the environment without sacrificing the aesthetics of your bathroom. Moreover, since ceramic tiles are more durable, you can save time and manpower doing repairs from time to time.

Sometimes, it is the repair that causes harm to the environment. It brings noise pollution and air pollution brought by the debris in the repair process.

It doesn’t trap pollutants.

Since ceramic tiles are glossy, any particulate matter would just slide through the surface. This makes the material a great option if anyone in your family suffers from asthma or allergies. The sturdy, durable surfaces don’t trap irritants, everyone in the family can breathe easier.

It is easier to clean and maintain.

Since ceramic tiles don’t absorb stains and scratches, they are very easy to maintain. You can just splash water on your tiles after you bathe. Or you can use a steam vacuum cleaner to clean and disinfect.

Since ceramic tiles are non-porous, they do not develop molds. Unless you soak them in water for a long period of time, they may grow some molds.

The design options are endless.

Ceramic tiles come in a variety of colors and designs, which gives you the freedom to smartly choose the best for your bathroom. Specific styles include wood-look, glossy white, metro brick, and encaustic-effect. You may go for classic colors like white, black, or beige. Or you may also go for bold ones to create a statement in your bathroom.

Ceramic tiles also come in various sizes. You can choose between 10cm x 10cm or 60cm x 120cm. Depending on the size of your bathroom, you need to ensure that the size of your tiles is proportional.

What are the Cons of Using Ceramic Tiles for Shower Walls?

It has a low heat retention capacity.

If you install ceramic tile flooring in your bathroom, you should note that it has a low heat retention capability. That means it won’t be able to give you enough protection against the cold during the cold winter month.

To remedy this situation, you can add rugs and carpets to your bathroom. If you live in areas where snow is typical, expect to feel the chill when you step on the ceramic tiles. In any case, you may consider installing an underfloor heating system underneath the tiles. This will add thermal comfort to your new floor.
It is not the most affordable option in the market.

While ceramic tiles can last longer than other options, they don’t come cheap. Installing ceramic tiles for your bathroom walls and floors can cost more than installing linoleum. Nevertheless, this expensive price is compensated with longer durability.

On the other hand, ceramic tiles cost less than granite, marble, and other high-end tiles. If you want your bathroom to look elegant and shiny, you should consider using ceramic tiles.

It requires a professional for installation.

While installing ceramic tiles, it is best that you hire a professional to do it. Measuring and cutting tiles to fit corners and conspicuous spaces can be difficult for rookies. Hence, you need to spare some extra budget for the installation.

Vinyl and linoleum floors require less effort. But while you can DIY its installation, it is not the best option for bathrooms.

The Bottomline

Ceramic tiles are great for bathroom walls and floors. Although they are not the most affordable option, they provide the durability you need for them to last for years. They are also very easy to clean and maintain, helping you save time and money for maintenance.

Since they come in various colors and designs, you can freely choose the color that best suits your shower walls. Got a small space? No problem.

Ceramic tiles come in various sizes to fit every bathroom’s needs. You can choose smaller tiles to be in proportion for your smaller bathroom or opt for the bigger ones.

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How much does it cost to replace a toilet wax ring?

How much does it cost to replace a toilet wax ring?

How much does it cost to replace a toilet wax ring?

On average, homeowners pay around $243 to fix a broken toilet. The cost can usually range from $148 and $349. In some cases, a professional plumber will charge a flat rate for a project. This rate may be affected depending on the location and the complexity of the project.

Some plumbers charge an hourly rate of $45 to $200 per hour for their services. In rural areas, the cost of hiring a plumber is usually around $45 to $75. However, take note that this is a finicky job and you may need to give a tip to your plumber depending on what you have agreed.

But first what is a toilet wax ring? Behind every good toiler is a good wax ring, which is exactly what it sounds like. It is a ring made of sticky wax located beneath your toilet. IT helps form a watertight seal between the sewer pipe and the bottom of your toilet.

It doesn’t need a lot of maintenance – not until 30 years later or more. But sometimes, wax rings can dry out and crumble. When that happens, you need to replace them as soon as possible.

Can I DIY Toilet Wax Ring Replacement?

A toilet wax ring replacement is not at all a time-consuming task. However, since it is a finicky job, it is better left to a professional who can do it better. It is one of those plumbing repairs that homeowners complain about as the seal often leaks after the installation.

Unfortunately, not everyone has success in ascertaining what the real problem is. You usually must use another fresh wax ring once you have botched the job. You have to center and lower the heavy toiler correctly on the bolts where most installers fail.

So when would you need to replace the toilet wax ring? Well, if you notice any leaking around the base of your toiler, the seal may be broken. Assuming you are introducing another bathroom floor, you will probably need to eliminate the latrine to tile up to the base. This requires a wax ring substitution. Another case, if your sewer upholds, as this regularly breaks the seal. You will know whether it’s messed up by leaking liquid around the base.

Replacing toilet rings gets especially tricky. And if there are dips or bulges in the area of the floor that houses the toilet, you need to watch out for it too. Sometimes, you might even need to stack two rings to compensate for the gap.
Broken seals are not usually a big issue unless you have no spare bathroom to use. If your encounter this problem, we suggest that you call a professional right away just to ensure that the job is done right.

How to Replace Your Toilet Wax Ring

Wax rings are available at most hardware stores for just $10 or less. If you can buy and do it yourself, the following tools are what you need.

  • Adjustable wrench
  • Putty knife
  • Bucket
  • Towels or paper towels
  • Drain, Dry & Disconnect

Turn off the water supply line that leads from the wall to your toilet.

Just run your hand on the valve but if you haven’t moved it for several years, it might be hard to turn. You need to flush the toilet to bail as much water as possible from the bowl and tank.

Otherwise, you may have to utilize a combination of plunging and bailing. In this case, you can use a manual vacuum. You can also bail by hand or sop up with towels to get the bow fully dry. Next, disconnect the water supply from your water tank to the bowl. When you notice a little water coming out of the line, prepare your bucket to catch it.

Remove the Toilet

As we have said, fixing the ring wax cannot be done by a single person. If you want to do it yourself, you need someone to assist you because at this point you will be removing the toilet. Also, remove the protective caps that cover the bolts at the base of the toilet using an adjustable wrench. Once all caps and bolts are removed, just twist the toilet a bit and you should be able to loosen it up.

When you are ready, get a good grip and pull the bowl. Lift with the knees, and pull it straight up. Then you can set it aside.

Scrape the crumbing wax away

This is actually where the real work starts. Use your putty knife to remove as much of the old wax ring as you can. Start from the bottom of the toilet to the pipe fitting on the floor.

Once you see the flange, you need to clean and dry it too. Assess whether there is any debris left on the position and once everything is ready, you can proceed.

Place New Wax Ring

Nowadays, you will find self-adhesive wax rings in the local hardware near you. You should also see a small design variation among brands. Hence, you need to take closely what brand you have previously used.

Most wax rings can either be affixed to the bottom of the toilet or the top of the flange. Simply choose whichever you are comfortable with. Once you have successfully installed the wax ring, you can install your toilet back in its position. Make sure that the bolt holes are aligned with the holes in the flange.

Take a Seat on your Toilet Bowl

Close your toilet bowl cover and sit on it. Use your weight to apply pressure and compress the wax ring into place. Shift your position as needed and feel the fixtures at the bottom.

In the end, your goal is for your toilet to flush properly. With the done, simply replace the mounting bolts and bolt covers. Then reattach the water supply line to the tank. Once everything has completely dried and realigned, reopen the supply line valve.

Flush your toilet to test. Make sure that no water goes to the floor. If there is no leak, then it means you have done the job right.

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How long does it take to retile a bathroom?

How long does it take to retile a bathroom?

How long does it take to retile a bathroom?

Retiling your bathroom? There are several different factors to consider when planning your bathroom renovation. If you ask how long it takes to replace your old tiles and install new ones, you should be sure not to miss any details out as this could cost you some time and money later.

We have listed below the key factors alongside useful information to help you assess the time and money needed to retile your bathroom.

More Bathroom Fittings Means Longer Time For Retiling

When retiling your bathroom, you also have to think about your bathroom fittings. While this may seem like common sense, the cost and time for bathroom retiling may vary depending on what is being fitted in your bathroom.

Typically, when you have installed more fittings the more time it will take to retile your bathroom because you will need to remove these fittings first. Moreover, there can be expected delays in retiling the bathroom.

Hence, it always makes sense to have a compilation of what needs to be fitted into the room if you are replacing your old tiles. By doing this, you get a clearer idea of how long it will take for retiling to complete.

  • Baths
  • Showers
  • Basins
  • Tiles
  • Radiator
  • Extractor fan
  • Flooring
  • Lighting

The most time-consuming task is to include a new bath or shower. When you retile your bathroom, you may need to remove the fixtures and reinstall them back once the tiles have been glued completely on the wall. Moreover, you may need to wait for the grout to dry as well.

Once you have a full list of your fittings, you can estimate the time within which your bathroom retiling project may be done.

Who is Constructing Your New Bathroom Suite?

Are you doing it yourself? Are you hiring a professional handyman to install bathroom tiles for you?

While on average it takes around a week or two to retile your bathroom, the duration may vary depending on who is going to retile your bathroom tiles. If you are hiring two or more professionals, the retiling may go faster.

Bathroom fitters can certainly work fast. Moreover, having more people to work on various tasks during the installation can make the project simpler. For example, some individuals may be assigned to do a particular task such as framing, cabinets, and countertops. Another group of professionals will take care of toilet installation and plumbing.

Take note that hiring more people to work on your bathroom may also require an extra budget. You need to strike a balance between your time and your cash. If you are busy DIY and you need to retile your bathroom, you have no choice but to hire professionals.

But if you are confident, you can carry out a project like this, you may do so. While it may sound ambitious to retile your bathroom, it won’t matter as long as your bathroom is not too big and you have the necessary tools for the project.

Position of Your New Bathroom

Another factor that affects the time required to finish retiling your bathroom is whether or not you would want to positive your new bathroom suite. If the answer is yes, then it would take around a month for the project to finish.
Repositioning your existing suite may require additional plumbing work and a full tiling job. The different bathroom layouts and the number of fittings can also add to the total time of the project.

The bigger your project, the longer it will take to finish retiling your bathroom. It is wise to keep a list of bathroom refurbishments needed to complete the project. With a clear list of everything you need to, you can map out the room properly.

If your bathroom has a new layout and position than the previous one, you are inevitably going to take more time. At least, you have your list handy because either you or the handyman will have to follow the same list.

The Bottomline: All you Need to Know About a Bathroom Retiling Project

A full retiling project can take up to a day. However, this typical timeframe may be affected by a lot of factors such as who is doing the project, how many fittings you have, and whether or not you have people skilled to carry out the task.

Moreover, you also need to take into consideration the size of your bathroom. Bigger bathrooms need more time to finish because it requires more tiles to be installed. If you have a smaller bathroom, you can finish retiling it in just one day. As long as you also have the right tools and materials, doing it yourself will not give you so much to worry about.

If you have no understanding of tiling, you need someone to carry out the job for you. Tiling walls can be a quick job with the right person. Even so, you also need to think about how the job is carried out.

Since the bathroom is one of the most essential parts of your home, we suggest that you should compromise the quality with time. If it takes a month to install tiles of the highest quality, we advise that it is already a good deal.

If you are looking to achieve a flawless tiled bathroom, choose someone experienced and skilled to do it for you. The end finish will be worth it. It is also something that you can be proud of in your bathroom as a homeowner.

Moreover, while bathroom renovation costs can be on the higher side, it is always worth the investment in the long run. Homes with retiled and refurbished bathrooms can also increase in value. So for a quality finish across all of the different elements, do not hesitate to call an expert.

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