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c/diy-home-projectsray210ray2102mo agoProlific Poster

PSA: My bathroom tile job taught me to double-check measurements before mixing mortar

I thought laying the floor would be quick, so I mixed a whole bag of mortar right away. Then I saw my tile cuts were off, and I had to stop everything. Waiting for more tiles to ship added three extra days to my schedule. Now I know to test fit all pieces dry before committing to adhesive.
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3 Comments
jake_wright49
How many times have I rushed into mixing mortar without checking everything first? Your post hits home. I did almost the same thing with a bathroom wall, measured the space, cut all the tiles, and mixed a big batch of thin-set. Then I saw the pattern was off by half an inch because I forgot about the outlet. Had to scrape it all off while it was still wet, what a mess. Now I test fit every piece and double-check my marks with a second tape measure. It feels slow but it beats redoing the work.
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chen.emery
chen.emery2mo ago
Forget the outlet? That would wreck my whole day too.
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dixon.anthony
My uncle was a mason and he always said mixing mortar is like making a promise, you better be sure you can keep it. @chen.emery is right about that wrecking your whole day, I've seen guys lose half a Saturday on a simple measuring mistake. The second tape measure trick is solid, I do that with tree jobs too when we're checking clearance from a house. What's the worst redo you've ever had to scrap?
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