The latest entry into the Home How-to Handbook series by esteemed do-it-yourself author Rick Peters covers one of the most versatile and useful materials for home remodeling: tile. With the practical advice provided here, anyone can begin laying tile like a pro in no time and produce a basic ceramic tile bathroom floor or a spectacular tiled countertop mosaic. There are instructions on laying backer board, cutting tiles with hand tools and power saws, shaping graceful curves, sealing fresh tile, and using various types of grout for maximum visual impact. Existing tile and grout replacement and repair are also featured, including smart ways to replace a damaged tile without replacing a whole wall and ideas for revitalizing stained grout.

A guide to assist in clarifying and standardizing installation specifications for tile. Each installation recommendation, or method, requires a properly designed, constructed, and prepared substructure using materials and construction techniques that meet nationally recognized material and construction standards. Included are: product selection guides for ceramic, glass, and stone tiles; guidelines for wet areas; ISO mortar and grout specifications; information on substrate flatness requirements; information on grout joint sizes and patterns, and workmanship standards excerpted from ANSI installation standards.

From Heath Ceramics, the beloved California designer, maker, and seller of home goods, comes a captivating and unprecedented look at beautifully designed interiors where tile is an important and integral part of the design. Tile Makes the Room, by Heath’s owners Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey, winners of the National Design Award from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, is about exceptional spaces and places—the kind you want to step into and examine each and every detail of—where tile is the main ingredient, though not the only star. From the dwellings of notable designers to everyday homeowners, grand installations and subtle designs all showcase tile’s role in the form and function of architecture and interiors. The book, for design professionals and aficionados alike, features inspiration on every page; a look at tile making; a unique perspective on color, pattern, and texture; and public installations around the world to visit and enjoy, Tile Makes the Room is essential reading on interiors and tile.