Customer Reviews

Ceramic Tile Setting

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I just finished tiling a bathroom floor using this book as my guide. Written clearly, concisely, and with humor, Bridge's book gave me the confidence to complete a beautiful job. Because I laid the tile in a diagonal layout, I would have liked more on how to cut tile at a weird angle but I got around that using cardboard templates. Also, some photos make it out as though you can start laying tile and cut on the fly (while the thinset is wet). Don't do this! Do a dry layout with every tile cut and in place (something Bridge actually recommends in the text). Heed his words on layout lines; don't count on spacers to determine where to lay tile (although they come in handy for holding tiles from gliding into one another). Also, be very careful about keeping tiles level with one another as you lay them. I found the look of the floor much more sensitive to relative elevation than careful gapping (at a distance the grout lines look much bigger or smaller when tiles are even 1/32 of an inch out of level). The author says to use mud instead of backerboard, and my use of that contributed to my battle to keep things on the level (and may have been almost as much work!). Because of his professional experience, I think Bridge makes tile setting sound a little *too* easy. It's very hard work, along with being quite unforgiving when your every mistake is literally set in concrete. A helper is a must, not only to speed things up, but also for moral support and someone to blame things on! I know it sounds as though I made a lot of mistakes, but really the floor looks beautiful. And it may sound as though my comments are criticisms, but I owe this likeable author a debt of gratitude. He gave me the confidence to start and keep going. Don't worry about the age of the book and materials being outdated-I found that a good tile supply store can tell you exactly which bags of thinset and grout to use. It's not rocket science, and even though the chemicals may have improved a little over the years, the technique is what really counts and Bridge is a master of both tile and writing. In fact, as I read and re-read the book, I found myself saying, "For being a professional tile contractor this guy is an amazing writer!"

There are really very few books on tile setting on the market. There are lots of table books, most of which I have, but few on how to do it. I gave John Bridge's book 5 stars because, while he doesn't have color drawings like the Micheal Byrne book, it was written by a skilled contractor who teaches the reader how to lay tile, step by step. As both an amateur tile setter and an inspector who watches professionals, I know from experience that everything he says is accurate and reasonable. From laying out the floor and mixing mortar to doing a countertop, the reader feels like Mr. Bridges is right by his side, guiding his/her steps. His anectdotes about his wife are funny. But don't restrict yourself to just one book. Buy two: this one and Micheal Byrne's. You won't go wrong.

I can't believe this book! I have learned more about tiling in the 3-4 hours it took me to read the book, than in the previous tile projects I have done. Mr. Bridge covers it all. I found the section on laying out a project worth the entire price of the book. By following his layout method, I have saved considerable time. Mr. Bridge uses humor, simple explanations, and a great knowledge of tiling to make a do-it-yourselfer feel comfortable about taking on a large project.

I am a Maintenance Superintendent for the largest publicly owned utility in the Nation. I have read way more manuals than I care to think about. Very seldom do I actually learn anything. This book covers not only the very basics, but also some of the more complex projects of tiling. It not only tells you what to do; it also explains why you want to do it. An excellent book I highly recommend to anyone. Just don't ask to borrow my book, BUY your own!

If you are just starting out, or are wanting to learn more about the tiling do's and don'ts, then this book is for you.

As a DIY person, I found the book covered all those little details that other books didn't. And when it comes to tiling, it is all about detail.

It is written in a fun informative manner, and is easy to read and follow. If you buy one book only on tiling, this is the one to get.

I am planning a mud-set ceramic tile project and it was suggested that I buy this book. I did and it is a GREAT book; sure wish I had known about it several years ago when I did my first tile project! I recommend it to anyone starting a tile project. It's written in a way that most anyone can understand and the small cost is worth the time and potential mistakes that will be saved.

I've never done any tile work and wanted to find out more about it. After reading this book, I feel like I can get started without a lot of confusion. For anyone wanting to learn more about tilework, even if your going to hire it done, this book is a must.

John Bridge is very knowledgeable and very funny too. This is an enjoyable book which sets forth a lot of practical knowledge. Mr. Bridge has written another updated book "Tile Your World" and he also has an online tile forum.

This book covers all of the tiling basics: floors, countertops, walls, etc. Written for the novice, this book was helpful at communicating all of the necessary steps for a successful tiling project in a layout that was easy to understand. The author has had many years experience doing tiling projects himself, so I felt comfortable with all of his suggestions and advice.

My only complaint is that some of the areas of the book might be a bit dated. I believe that there may be some newer materials and techniques that are not mentioned in the book. Nevertheless, it was a great introduction to tiling fundamentals.

I purchased this book hoping to get valueable information on the understanding of tile work.In addition to aquire ideas that would benefit me in achieving such goals.This book I found to be poorly written, the examples (pictures)provided were outdated and poorly presented to say the least.
Save your hard earned money, this to me was Not worth the price !!