Tile Help......

[KDinTX]

Id do way way more reading before you do it. Mastic is not for showers and baths. Mastic is good for say a kitchen backsplash. You should be using thinset for the shower/bath. I always use a premium thinset like Versabond ($12/bag vs $5/bag). You need to worry more about waterproofing. Redguard the whole enclosure to make a membrane to keep the water out of the walls. Its not terribly expensive but great insurance.

Read up on the JohnBridge forum. Its a tile forum

I just finished my whole home remodel in November. I personally used Laticrete Hydroban for the showers (walls and floors) for a continuous membrane. I have used Kerdi before and honestly next time (if there is one) will go for Kerdi. Id recommend their Kerdiboard. Its not cheap but much faster.

Agreed. Thinset is the way to go on a Redguard waterproofed Durock. Redguard runs abour $40-45 a gallon and will cover about 120SqFt. You will need two coats (one vertically, one horizontally)

If you arent too comfy with the tile work, Id seriously consider hiring someone to do it. Thats what we did. I got the project up to the point where they took over and just installed tile. Turned out pretty cool looking and I know its built to last. Piece of mind.

Also remember that travertine you are going to have to seal.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...d.php?t=515827

[Bill]

I got into the situation I was in with the epoxy grout because my wife was involved.
At first it was "why don't you trust our son doing the job?"
Next when I asked for a drawing of what we were doing, "why are you always so darn difficult to live with?"
Then it was "why didn't you cover the new tub and cabinets better to prevent splash from the epoxy?"
After I spent 50 (yes, 50) hours on epoxy grout clean up (solvents, a razor blade and rag, a dental pick for all the goop in the trim pieces) it was "why didn't you watch the guy more closely when he was doing the grouting?".

Got to love it. I didn't realize what I promised in front of God "for better, or worse" 35 years ago

[sprayn2]

i was going to comment but there is just no way to express what i need to without sounding like an azz, my advise, hire someone who knows what they are doing. i have 17 years experiance, so trust me when i tell you, it will cost you more in the long run if you do not. if you decide to do this on your own, best advise i can give you is do alot of research. if you really need to talk with someone and get pro advise call the tile shop (903) 508-5445 in tyler, they can help you better then any lowes employee who has never installed a piece of tile (worst advise ever)

[pblaetz]

18" travertine tile is not easy. The larger the tile the more difficult.