Last weekend I made a hearth pad for the basement stove to sit on. I used piece of a shipping container, that I had salvaged from work for the base of the pad. I don't know why I had grabbed that piece last year, I had no plan for it, but it came in handy so I didn't have to build the base from scratch. Since I was using materials on hand, it has odd dimensions so the tiling came out a bit funky, but it will work just fine and I now have some experience for next time I want to tackle tile.
First step was to place backer board on the form and screw it in place. You can also see the edging for the tile as I was fitting it up.
Tile was laid with thin set - this has no grout and shows all uneveness.
Here the tile has been grouted and it looks a ton better. You can still see imperfections but they aren't so in-your-face. Not only was this the first time I have ever tiled, but I had to cut tiles too. Sometimes it worked great, other times, not so much.
This shows the metal egding (top layer), and I used J-channel to encase the edges of the backer board (white)
I didn't feel the need to formally edgen the entire form as the wood you can see below the white is actually inset from the edge about 1" so you can only see it if you are on your hands and knees.
Before I started tiling, I had a moment of brilliance and put large felt pads (made for teh bottom of furniture) so it would be fairly easy to move around. Best forward thinking I've done in a while!
Wednesday the grout had dried long enough, and I had some ambition when I got home from work, so I decided to see if I could move the stove by myself. I did have a backup plan, calling the guy that helped me move the P43 a couple of years ago, but I really thought I could do it myself. It was more a matter if I could keep from damaging the floor, the stove or myself :D. BUT, you will have to wait for that story.
Brilliant, indeed, thinking ahead as you did. Well done! (I'm betting you figured out how to move the stove by yourself. I would never bet against your being able to do something.)
Posted by: Cop Car | September 16, 2018 at 11:12 AM
P.S. The tile looks great!
P.P.S. Did you get to use any of your glass-working tools on the tile?
Posted by: Cop Car | September 16, 2018 at 11:15 AM
I didn't use any of the tools for this. They are still buried in boxes and such that I have stacked along another wall. I have uncovered the suitcase though since I had to get to the breaker panel (where bulk storage is. Hmm, I may need to snip some tiles for later - I'll have to keep that out since I'll have to move that suitcase when I install steel furring for sheet rock.
Thanks for reminding me about that - I knew what the suitcase held when I uncovered it, I just never thought it most likely has tile snips in it.
Posted by: bogie | September 23, 2018 at 06:42 AM
As I recall, you have at least one "glass cutter" to use in scoring the surface of glass (I don't know if it works on tile) and at least one pair of "running pliers" to use in actually breaking the glass on score lines (again, tile?) I don't know if the tools are sturdy enough to deal with the tile you are working with. Chisel, hammer, and 2x4 may be more useful to you.
Good luck!
Posted by: Cop Car | September 23, 2018 at 12:45 PM
I was mistaken, the glass cutting implements were in a tool box in my work shop. You are correct, they are not sturdy enough to work with tile. But before I remembered where they really were, I got motivated and emptied the suitcases and all the patterns/books/molds are now ensconced in the craft room. Yay, moore stuff out of the basement!
Posted by: bogie | September 30, 2018 at 06:14 AM
Better yours than mine. *laughing*
Posted by: Cop Car | September 30, 2018 at 08:32 AM
I recall that the tools were in a tiny toolbox; but, I don't recall whether the toolbox was rusty maroon colored or putty colored. Either way, it would have come from your grandparents. Rusty maroon box was used for their important papers, as I recall. The putty colored box was an old toolbox that dad had repainted and given me (with basic hand tools in it) when I started college - so I wouldn't be completely helpless in my college apartment.
Posted by: Cop Car | September 30, 2018 at 08:35 AM
Good memory - it was the small maroon tool box. Have the tan one too.
Posted by: bogie | October 07, 2018 at 06:15 AM