SteelBunz Posted December 7, 2010 Author Share Posted December 7, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 Now I'm really disappointed that I'll have to do this..and do it right. I can't have Puddy out-tile me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylive5 Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 So you never came back and I am assuming that you got the vehicle to go. How things this AM...since I see you are up early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelBunz Posted December 8, 2010 Author Share Posted December 8, 2010 (continuing saga.....As the Cars Won't Turn) Got the work van jumped this morning (at 6:30am) with the Versa......drove it down to AutoZone for a battery test. Battery was fully charged, starter seems fine. But the alternator was drawing from the battery badly. Think I need a new alternator. Called Cory and Nick at my service station....they can squeeze me in tomorrow, so I have to take it in this afternoon and have Mr. Bunz pick me up on his way home. What a PITA....lol. As far as the Bonne goes, they think it sounds like the fuel pump, since it cranks with the new battery but won't turn over. Not bad gas....just...."no gas." Ugh. This is turning out to be an expensive week......should have charged more for that backsplash. Hmmmmm.......gotta win in Late Bloomers and the Yahoo league to pay for all this! It's now 8:30.....I'm taking Sky's advice and going BACK to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted December 8, 2010 Share Posted December 8, 2010 I've always said "Tits or Tires, yer gonna have trouble" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 (edited) Okay here are a few pocs taken with my phone so not the best quality. Probably took me twice as long to complete this frickin' backsplash as someone who knows what they are doing would. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Edited December 10, 2010 by Puddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Hang in there love! The worm will turn..........I think! You know soooo much about soooo much.....I think that's hindering you. If you knew nothing...nothing would happen..RIGHT? Luv ya Hun! Can I help? (Negative to positive....wait no....Negative to negative, and vicy vercy Right?) I'm mechanical! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Okay here are a few pocs taken with my phone so not the best quality. Probably took me twice as long to complete this frickin' backsplash as someone who knows what they are doing would. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 That looks really f'n good. I hate you so much. I like how you put the patterned tiles in there. That's about what I want to do. Would you like to leave Michigan for a few days and come down to Virginny to help? The sweet smell of freedom and wealth may appeal to you. Just getting away from the fear and desperation in the air may be good for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelBunz Posted December 10, 2010 Author Share Posted December 10, 2010 LOL @ RR. Well......all's well. It wasn't the alternator. Yeah! They confirmed my suspicion....never trust AutoZone......lol. The battery needed charged, but other than that...it's a mystery. There may be a weird connection somewhere buried in the electrical that draws off the battery so slightly, they cannot detect it. So.....as long as I start it up and run it every day, I should be just fine! I left it at the airport for 5 days, but it was warmer. Started up just fine. A mystery......lol. As for the Bonne....we've all concluded it sounds like the fuel pump needs replaced. I was having such fun driving it again too. Bummer. Hey Puddy! That backsplash looks good! You were smart to use 4X4's in a straight lay pattern...less cutting! The only real question I have for you is did you use clear caulk at the counter? Sort of gives the impression that the backsplash is...floating off the counter. I don't know who's grout you used, but both Custom and Laticrete now have a color matched 100% silicone caulk out.....FINALLY. (Though it's still a special order item) Or you could also use latex silicone on a backsplash too. And some of the grout colors in both lines come in silicone latex at the store. HD carries Custom products....Lowe's carries some Laticrete products. I try to steer clear of Mapai ..never liked any of it. Looks like you may have used Antique White grout. Should be easy to find a latex match at the store. They even have one that is "sanded" to look like grout. Just never use this in a bathtub/shower area. It isn't designed for wet areas....go figure. Use painter's blue tape....tape off top and bottom lines where the caulk will go inbetween. Use your finger as a "tool" . Keep it wet (water with latex, mineral spirits or rubbing alcohol with 100%silicone) and smooth the caulk line. The trick in caulking tile is to go one way first, then smooth the opposite way as a final. That way the caulk settles evenly over the vertical grout lines. Pull up the tape (watch getting the excess caulk on the tape everywhere ) and lightly smooth it one last time to seal the edges to the surfaces. Caulking takes some patience. Only do as long a line as you can carefully tool in about 2 minutes. Once it skims over, you'll just create a wrinkly mess trying to work it. Anyway...the tiling looks terrific! It's just my opinion that the backsplash wall needs to look more "grounded" to the beautiful countertop with a grout colored caulk. Caulk though.....is a must. Not only will it complete the water resistance, but it also protects and seals those vertical grout lines from becoming loose and crumbling away. If your tile was thick and you find you have a fairly deep space to caulk, you can use backerrod to fill up the space first before caulking. They've taken to calling it "caulk saver" in the stores now. It's a foam tube in the insulation aisle. Use a width small enough so it doesn't show after caulking. From cars to caulking. Hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 I was hesitant to post pics because of the caulk 'issue'. I really should have consulted you first. I started to use black caulk (say that real fast without conjuring up Mandingo images (man I miss Spain) ) thinking it would match the counter okay and hated it (you can actually see where I left off in the pic 3 on the left side). It was messy and I didn't like that it was 'shiny'. I still haven't completed it obviously but will do what you said regarding the custom coloring. My grout color is actually 'chamois'. The project was challenging for a newb like me and I even think the grout may have not been 'wet' enough and it is slightly chalky. Overall I'm happy with the results and more importantly Mrs. Puddy is. Oh and what a wake up call on pricing of decorative tiles. Each of those plain looking tiles only cost 34 cents each at retail. The decorative tiles are exactly the same damn tile by the same manufacturer but because they have been stamped with this design they are $4.97 each. I was more than a little surprised at the cost difference. Thanks for the advice on the caulk! Oh and good luck on the car stuff. I'm quite the expert there as well if you need any return advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelBunz Posted December 10, 2010 Author Share Posted December 10, 2010 Oh man.....I know what you mean about the price difference! Same with edge and bullnose pieces. Seems totally ridiculous! That's where it pays to get really creative. I'm really into taking the mats of the tiny mosaic tiles and cutting them into strips for decorative listellos (instead of buying 3X12 listellos for $13.00.....lol) That way you can get 3 or 4 linear feet out of one $10.00 sheet. At Rajn's, we took the 3X12 pinwheel patterned travertine listellos and I cut each pinwheel into it's own decorative square. Of course......I had to cut the 12X12's to accept the decorative 3X3's....lots of cutting, but worth it in the end I think. But if you aren't willing to get that detailed, you have to bite the bullet and pay for the accent tile......lol. I hear you on the caulk.....I had wondered if you tried to match the granite. That midnight caulk can be nasty to work with. It will just look smeary on your light tiles. And it would still look like your wall was floating.....lol. Chamois is a gorgeous color grout. I'm not sure they carry it in the caulk, but you'll be able to find one very close. A lot closer than going over to the caulk section. "Almond" over there would be OK....but every company has a different idea of what color almond is....lol. If you really don't want the shine, find the sanded caulk to match. If they don't carry it in the store in Chamois, have them special order it. They will. Try not to get it in the smaller squeeze tube.....get the regular size unit you can use in your caulk gun. More control, less goopyness......lol. I just checked, Lowe's should carry the Chamois in the sanded or unsanded. Good luck Puddy! Don't forget to do the ends where the tile meets the the wall.....and the top where it meets the cabinets. A nice finished look! Great job! And LMAO @ "black caulk"....same thing for me when my clients call me the "caulk queen". Holy cow......DON'T say that fast either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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