Working with a business friend John Giangrieco from Floor Coverings International to complete a 5 room floor renovation in Crestview Heights. The project got underway with prep work in the sunroom, with rigid foam underlayment to flush height with kitchen floor, and Schluter Bekotec modular screed system panels.

rigid foam panels installed to meet existing floor elevations

Installing the Schluter Bekotec modular screed panels with required perimeter expansion seal

Panels all installed, heating contractor will insert radiant heat tubes, then we can screed mortar over top, allow to dry then install our tile assembly

OK, so the heating contractor has installed his heat tubing, pressure tested the system and turned it back over to us.

Picked up the Laticrete 209 Floor Mud from the warehouse

Started by dropping in screeds in the 16 x 11 Sunroom addition

And just when a rhythm was developed, we ran out of material about 70% of the way through. Had to grab 6 more bags.

We allowed some time for the cabinets to be installed and the rooms painted, Installed a lot of Schluter Ditra uncoupling membrane.

Installing the 20″ rectified porcelain tile with a lippage elimination system

Sunroom is completed

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A business and Facebook friend asked if we could update his Grandmother’s bathroom. Everyone is happy with how this project turned out.

We got underway with removal of all of the existing blue 4″ ceramic wall tile and leaking cement board installation

 This bathroom had a lead pan without slope, a cast iron drain with non functioning weep holes, cement board without a waterproof membrane.

After demo we had to dig deep to get the new drain connections made, then installed the Wedi shower pan and waterproof wallboard system.

Creating the Wedi bench

Knowing we had to work with a shower curtain and not a glass door, waterproofing the bath floor and wall connections was important

Once the prep work and shower floor were done, there was a lot of wall tile to be installed

Solid Blocking behind all the grab bars

Custom recessed soap dish with matching marble shelves and Schluter Quadec trim.

upper and lower shelves will easily store plenty of bath products

marble and glass mixed linear mosaic to break up the 12 x 12 and 6 x 6 wall tile

TEC Power Grout installed for cleanliness

Custom bullnosing

Accentuated positive pitch for water run-off of the Wedi bench

Installed the new vanity, granite countertop, faucet, medicine cabinet and light fixture

Thanks for a great project Mike and Gloria !

I’m sure Irene will enjoy her new bathroom !

All materials from our friends at Vestal Tile

We were asked back into the Crestview Heights home for a second project, another bath remodel. We overhauled the master bathroom in the spring of 2011, it’s time for the main bath to be updated and now it’s for ‘ family ‘ !

We began with removal of all of the original tile and fixtures

We had the new tub’s plumbing roughed in

And set the fiberglass soaking tub in a bed of concrete as required by the manufacturer. We also added insulation for sound and water heat retention

After removing the old mosaic floor tile and thick mortar bed, we installed a second layer of tongue and groove plywood, then primed the plywood for self leveling cement installation with Mapei products

And poured the Self Leveling Cement

We applied 2 coats of Mapei’s AquaDefense waterproofing and crack isolation membrane and began installing the custom floor tile pattern designed by the homeowners and selected at Vestal Tile

Then waterproofed the tub surround using Wedi products, and installed the 13″ porcelain tile with matching glass mosaic band on the tub and bath walls

Finished the project up with the brushed nickel plumbing trim, a high end frameless glass sliding door, matching soap niche shelves, safety grab bar and epoxy based grout

We had Steve from K & S Electric in to rework the bath fan and lighting. We also installed a new vanity cabinet with a granite top, a mirror, towel bars and several other fixtures

Thanks for a great project Richard and Suzi !! Thanks to Steve and Randy. Thanks also to Rich at Vestal Tile for helping make it come out so well !!

We were called on by our friends at Kitchen Concepts to install a strand woven bamboo floor in an upscale home in Vestal.

After removing the old floorcovering we found a rough subfloor with a few ‘ high joists ‘.

To install the Bamboo within recommended spec’s we primed and patched the existing subfloor with Mapei products.

After drying, we installed the vapor barrier underlayment and began with layout of the 3 3/4″ wide tongue and groove Uniclic® Bamboo

This install continued on into the powder room and pantry.

We finished by replacing the colonial style baseboard and shoe moldings and a fresh cleaning using the Bona® system.

Thanks for a great project Clem, Randy, Jim, Jesse and MaryAnn !!

We have finally begun work on a large remodel project that was out for bidding around Christmas time. We received a 3D rendering of the Master Bath from Robert Kaner, the designer.

We roughed in the Infinity stainless steel linear drain according to updated architectural drawings.

Then set the drain body in a mortar bed, started the Warm Tiles electric floor warming system

After installing the heat cable system throughout the bathroom, we primed the floor,

And poured Self Levelling Cement

Once this dried, we double coat with AquaDefense waterproofing and crack isolation membrane available from our friends at Vestal Tile.

Opened up the first crate of 12 x 24 Walker Zanger marble tile

Managed to get about half of the bath floor installed using a mechanical floor leveling system

About a week has passed since posting on this project, we have finished and covered the bath floor and began working on shower prep and wall tile installation.

We glued in a 2″ Wedi panel for the back of the shower niche

We made up some grout sample boards for color selection by the designer.

Finished up the rest of the cement board, taped the seams and corners with thin-set mortar, and applied HydroBan waterproofing membrane

First of 2 coats of waterproofing on the shower pan sets the pan fabric in place

Managed to get some wall tile installed

We have been working on this Marble Master Bath, taking time to make all the details work together.

This project marks the first time I have ever created extension jambs with any tile around windows. No trim is involved, we are called on by the designer to have mitered outside corners everywhere.

We have installed most of the Epoxy Based grout

This project is finally in the home stretch, most of the trades are done now

We began a new project today over on Acorn dr. Our client had all the demolition done before we started, so we installed our subfloor and Schluter Ditra© Tile underlayment today.

Using the Bosch Square Laser to set up the layout, our client chose a straight lay brick pattern.

We use and recommend TEC PowerGrout©

Crossville’s Cotto Americana Series available from our friends at Vestal Tile

Thanks for a great project Martin & Ellen !

We were called in for a fourth project on the Foster Valley Home. The Master Bath needed updating. We demo’d the shower, floor and tub splash tiles.

We poured the self levelling cement underlayment.

After installing the Wedi waterproof wallboard we began the tile installation. The chosen tile is Sand Cream from the harmony collection available from our friends at Vestal Tile.

We used 3 different sizes, 2 x 2, 3 x 6, 10 x 20 plus a coordinating glass / stone mosaic we cut into 2 row strips. Thanks for your help with the tile order Rich !

Part of the project was a rehab of the existing Jacuzzi Bath and splash.

Custom access panel for the tub faucet.

The bath floor is a 10 x 20 set with a diagonal herring bone pattern.

Created a custom recessed soap dish. This one had a center stud that had to be removed and a header installed.

 Thanks for a great project Steve and Janet !

We recently were asked to install a small tiled foyer for a local general contractor working on a Restore NY Program home.

We have worked on plenty of foyer projects, this one is simple and clean.

Straight lay 12 x 12 porcelain tile with a contrasting earth tone stain resistant grout

We were called in after the carpet was installed, also the carpenter left some wood baseboard trim off until we finished.

a quick, simple install.

Thanks for a nice project Chris !

We have begun working on a fancy new tile bathroom on Binghamton’s West Side.

This project called for us to work with a preffered carpenter who had already deomlished the old, leaking bath. He had also sub-contracted the plumbing and electrical rough in work, built a new subfloor, installed cement board and sheetrock walls.

We started with taping the wallboard seams with fiberglass mesh tape and thin-set mortar, installing a custom mortar based shower pan with a Schluter Kerdi© drain.

Custom mortar based shower pan with Schluter Kerdi© drain.

After letting this dry overnight, we installed the first of two coats of the liquid waterproof membrane over the cement board installation.

Mapei’s AquaDefense© liquid waterproof membrane

We also installed the shower curb and Schluter Kerdi© waterproof membrane on the shower floor in combination with the shower curb.

levelling the shower curb

Schluter Kerdi© waterproof membrane

The next thing to install was the shower floor tile, on this project our client chose a 2 x 2 porcelain mosaic tile.

2 x 2 Keraben Auguta Bone shower floor mosaics

We finished our day with the Schluter Ditra XL© installation and skim coating.

Schluter Kerdi Band©

Now that the Ditra is installed and skim coat dry, we were able to install the 13 x 13 porcelain floor tile.

13×13 Keraben Augusta Bone porcelain floor tile

13×13 Keraben Augusta Bone porcelain floor tile

Now having the shower floor and bathroom floor all installed, we can focus on the bulk of our work here, the wall tile. Crossville’s Color By Numbers series was chosen, with two sizes of a color called ‘ 3 hour tour ‘, and decorative listello and chair rail from Keraben.

8×8 Crossville Color by Numbers ‘ 3 hour tour ‘

Our client wanted to mix the 8×8 with a traditional ‘ subway ‘ style 4×8 size. The change from pattern to pattern is made directly at the shower door frame location.

The day was finished with a recessed soap dish cut and waterproofing, the 3 x 9 decorative liner was installed and allowed to dry overnight.

waterproofed soap dish

our client wanted the soap dish just above the decorative listello

Finishing off the rest of the shower and bath wall tile. We used the two sizes of tile, and matching bulnose trim in combination with the decorative listello and chair rail.

8×8 Crossville Color by Numbers ‘ 3 Hour Tour ‘

We needed to finish up the soap dish with our own custom cut marble shelves and site fabrication.

cutting the 6″ marble soap shelves.

Custom Recessed Soap Dish

Our tile work was now finished, and focus turned to grouting, the day ended with the shower floor and bathroom floor being grouted with epoxy based grout.

Mapei’s Opticolor© epoxy based grout

finished grouting and rinsing the shower walls

decorative listello Keraben Augusta 3×9
TEC PowerGrout© Pearl

Finished soap dish

finished shower floor and curb

100% silicone caulk at floor to wall connection

Crossville’s Colorr By Numbers series 4×8 ‘ 3 hour tour ‘

Finished shower with Crossville’s Color By Numbers series 8×8 color is ‘ 3 hour tour ‘, accenting listello and chair rail trims are Keraben Augusta series

Thanks for a great project Ron & Sosie, and for your hard work with the demolition and rough-ins Dave.

All materials and designs are from our friends at Vestal Tile.

Tioga Terrace Master Bath Remodel

We have worked 3 days on tearout and rough-ins on this project. Now set to install custom shower mortar bed over the electric floor warming system.

Opened the floor for the plumber to install a new drain layout

Installation of the Wedi shower wallboard.

Installed the Easy Heat electric radiant floor heating system. A 240V kit was selected to run across the entire bath floor and shower area.

Keeping watch over the cable integrity with the Loud Mouth © cable alarm.