Tiling a Shower

Progress on Renovating a Shower Continues

By Mark J. Donovan

I spent most of yesterday tiling my shower. This is after spending a couple of weekends removing the old ceramic tile, backer board and fiberglass shower pan, and installing new backerboard, and a mortar shower pan.

Suffice it to say renovating the shower has been a major project. One significant contributor to the work, particularly as it relates to tiling the shower, is cutting the tiles in my garage. Though this has helped to prevent a colossal mess in the bathroom and given me room to work, it has meant lots of running up and down stairs, 1.5 flights. I feel like I have been on a stair stepper for 2 hours and completed about a 1,000 squats.

I expect to wrap up tiling the shower walls today, however not until I first go out and purchase a new tile saw. My existing tile saw has seen its last days. It was a cheap tile saw that I bought for $75 at HQ (yes HQ) many years ago, and I have probably completed 20 tile projects with it. The motor has about had it, even with a sharp blade. So I guess it is time to bite the bullet.

After wrapping up the tiling on the shower walls, I will then move onto the shower floor. This will be a little tricky due mainly to the curb. The size and shape of the curb is creating some extra challenges.

Hopefully by next weekend I will be able to grout the tiles and be ready for the final plumbing.

Once complete look for a couple of more videos on learning how to tile shower walls, and apply grout.

How to Test a Zone Valve

How can You Check to See if a Zone Valve is Working

By Mark J. Donovan

Question: My hot water heating system does not seem to be operating properly. One of the zones does not seem to produce any heat. How can I test a zone valve to see if it is working properly?

Answer: To test your hot water zone valve, turn the thermostat up that is associated with the particular zone valve. Make sure to turn it up high enough so that it is warmer than the current temperature in the room.

You should immediately begin to hear and feel hot water flowing through the heating elements. If you do not, then you have a problem with the zone valve, circulator pump or thermostat.

If there is a lever on the zone valve, you can also push it to the on position to see if hot water will begin to flow through the heating elements. Once you push this lever to the on position, you should begin to feel or hear hot water flowing through the heating elements. Note, however, that when this lever is turned to the on position, the thermostat cannot control it. Hot water will continue to flow through the heating elements until you push the lever back to the closed position. If this test works, then chances are the circulator pump is working.

Installed Shower Pan over Weekend

Installing a Mortar Shower Pan for a Ceramic Tile Shower

By Mark J. Donovan

Well I pretty much spent the entire weekend installing a shower pan for a ceramic tile shower. Though I have a few sore muscles today, I am pleased to say that it is all done and looks great. And I am positive it won’t leak!

A few weeks back I removed all of the old ceramic tile and cement backer board from my 3’x3’ master bath shower. So this weekend, I installed a new mortar shower pan and cement backer board in preparation for new ceramic tile.

I also filmed the entire shower pan installation process and took tons of still pictures. I have already incorporated the new pictures into my latest revision of the “Shower Pan Membrane Liner Installation Ebook”.

Installing a mortar shower pan and membrane liner is a fairly complicated project, however my Ebook provides step-by-step instructions and pictures to enable you to install your own mortar shower pan and membrane liner. You can immediately download a copy of my Ebook at “Shower Pan Membrane Liner Installation Ebook”.

Later this week I will release a new “How to Install a Mortar Shower Pan” video. Look for it on HomeAdditionPlus.com, as well as on various video webhosting sites.

Building a Mortar Shower Pan This Weekend

By Mark J. Donovan

I am building a mortar shower pan this weekend and will be filming it. Stay tuned for a series of new videos on building a mortar shower pan using a shower pan membrane liner. I will also show how to install backer board, tile a shower, and even how to cut backer board.

Review of Rockwell’s RK4245K Random Orbital Sander

By Mark J. Donovan

In the below video, I review Rockwell’s latest random orbital sander. This is a high powered sander that offers some fantastic features in terms of vibration reduction, noise attenuation, and dust control.

I found the Rk4245K random orbital sander to perform extremely well. With its 2.7 amp motor and 5 inch head, it was able to quickly sand surfaces smooth, and remove old stains quickly. I also did not experience any type of tingling in my hands after using it for an extended period. Rockwell’s new VibraFree Active Canceling Technology does a fantastic job of reducing vibration in the random orbital sander.

If you are in the market for a new random orbital sander, check out the Rockwell RK4245K random orbital sander. It offers state of the art features at an affordable price.

Rocwell Random Orbital Sander Review