Kitchen Confidential

Kerdi Niche Planning

Im a doing a basement bathroom and trying to methodically plan out my install for most OCD palatable design. I’m struggling on how and where to install my prefab 28x12 Kerdi niche. While I realize cutting and crafting one isn’t hard, it seems this size will be workable and save me many headaches. I will be using 3x12 blue subway tile with dark grout to help hide imperfections. I currently have the niche framed out, but holding off on installing the board to get the proper position. Floor pan isn’t done yet, since walls aren’t done yet, so I’m at a stand still.

A few basic questions

1. Niche grout lines should line up with the tile on the top or bottom of the box?

2. Does anyone start at the niche and work down/up to get proper alignment.

3. I plan to pad out the sides with Kerdi board to get full tiles best approach to this?

4. Any tips on 3x12 tiles placed vertically?

Should I be concerned with the trowel pattern in this picture?

I've seen and heard that trowel marks should be straight lines, and that when they are not straight or change direction as seen in the picture, air can and does get trapped beneath the tiles creating weak spots.

If there's anyone who knows ANSI standards here and can quote them, I would be much obliged.

TYIA

(I put the huge circle on it to point it out to my project manager and cannot remove it, so sorry for the huge blue circle)

If yall like this I have videos of unlevel tiles that they are claiming is my subfloor. I would also love an installer's opinion on those.

Bringing back to life, Hi all!

I’m finally seeing the deck in its true form on the house that I bought in the depths of winter. I’m sure it will need to be replaced at some point but what would you recommend more immediately to get this in a place where I can enjoy it for the late spring/summer? Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have!

The Stair Situation.

I'm remodeling a kitchen and bathroom for a client who is hiring other subs to do projects around the house. She hired a stair company to fully replace an existing staircase. Branded trucks, cards, brochures, all that.

Guy shows up to cut the stringers, I say "man stringers are complicated!" he says "no they are easy. I've been doing this for 18 years. Easy!"

Here is his work.

Conduit in post hole. What can I do?

Hey all, I started installing a fence post but ran into a conduit that’s interfering and preventing the post from being perfectly plumb. What are my options here?

Can the post be notched to go around the conduit? Is there an offset bracket that would allow mounting the 4x4? Would switching to a round steel post make more sense? Or should I pour a footing and use a bracket-mounted post instead?

Carpenter doing tile, I want to hear from the true tile people. Yes I know there is no tile trim. It was there but the home owner decided they no longer wanted it and had me rip it out so their brother in law will custom make it for them.

Is this tiling a good one? I am unsure about this pattern and small pieces but on...

Don’t make enemies on site, Somebody laid a trap.

Still dry fitting. Should I just make a relief cut here? Tile #11 rocks about 5/8” back and forth over the recess for the drain. It hinges about where the green line is marked. Do I just make a relief cut here?

Worried about my buddy's new deck.

A good friend of mine is having his deck replaced. It's a small deck, total cost for teardown/rebuild is 20k.

From the progress pictures he's shared with me, I'm a little worried. I have built one deck in my life like 20 years ago, so I'm far from knowledgeable and I don't know anything about current building techniques and/or codes.

Among other things, I don't like that the post supports appear to be surface-level concrete pads - I thought it was code to dig/pour supports at least 2 1/2 - 3 feet down to get them below the frost line. The platform is around 4-5 feet high.

Do any of you pros see anything that looks worrisome?