NEED HELP WITH TILE PROBLEM!!

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Experienced tilers and DIYers: Please help!

i cut and installed a new bathtub surround using porcelain tile. As I cut the tile, I saw that a thin white line layer of the under-print was showing through. I assumed my grout would cover it up. I was wrong. I just finished grouting yesterday (Laticrete Permacolor Select, I am very pleased with the grout itself). There is still a white line along the edges of every tile I cut. What do I do? Grout again and leave the grout to cover the white so I have extra thick joints? Do I get a sharpie and color in the white? What do you suggest?

Featured Answer

PRO

Creative Tile Eastern CT

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

The white is due to the fact that you purchased a porcelain glazed tile not a through body porcelain. All cuts would be stoned smooth whether they came off a wet saw, snap cutter, angle grinder etc. The cuts in your photos are so jagged something was clearly wrong. No/insufficient water on the blade. Forced the tile through the saw to quickly. Blade mounted backwards. Yes they have a proper rotation direction. Simply just a cheap blade. Finger nail polish may work temporarily. A snap cutter would have produced a much better cut than what you have. It's a shame because the grout job looks good.

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Comments (12)

Ryan Dewey
Original Author
4 years ago
Another photo:
PRO
PPF.
4 years ago
What are we looking at, and what did you cut the tile with?
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Ryan Dewey
Original Author
4 years ago
Cut with a normal tile saw. Brand new. Sorry that was a close up of a beveled cut. Here is more. See the white line edges? I want to get rid of the white
Ryan Dewey
Original Author
4 years ago

I used a ryobi tile saw, brand new. I’ve cut tile a lot before and never had this issue. It’s the white edges of the tile showing that is the problem. Should I just add another layer of grout?
User
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
No, you don’t add more grout. That never disguises a seriously bad cut. There’s too many things wrong here. Multiple things. From tile choice, to layout, to edging choice, to the cutting itself. It’s not horrible for an amateur’s first job. IF there is correct waterproofing under it. What waterproofing system did you use?

You either accept it as is, or you start over. If there’s no waterproofing? It’s an automatic do over with a Pro.
PRO
Debbi Washburn
4 years ago
Was there no bullnose edge for this tile?? Is it an outside corner??? It should have been mitered at that edge... at this point if you pull it out you would have to pull it all out since it would compromise the waterproofing... before doing that you could try the marker... it might make it ok...

I've just never seen such a jagged cut... plus I think that would need to be caulked not grouted since it is a change of plane??

Oh I'm just not sure - lets see what the tile pros say...
PRO
Creative Ceramic & Marble/ Bill Vincent
4 years ago
At this point, as gumped up as it sounds, the sharpie option is looking real good.
SusanInMaryland
4 years ago
GreenDesigns, your obsession with waterproofing is consistent. Have you ever looked at a picture of a shower and declared the waterproofing is sufficient?
User
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
What is your obsession with not calling out improper waterproofing in a wet area? It IS required. Tile and grout are not waterproof. Neither is cement board. Have you ever seen the results of no waterproofing? If something wasn’t done properly, would you rather just sit in ignorance why water rots out your house? Have you not seen enough posts where it wasn’t done correctly to see that if there’s one problem, there are others?

When something so potentially expensively destructive isn’t done? Why would you NOT call it out? It’s the same with window flashing or roof flashing. Water and rot are your enemy. If you want to lay down and roll over while shoddy craftsmanship ruins your house, go ahead. Most people to care that their most expensive lifetime purchase isn’t ruined.
Ryan Dewey
Original Author
4 years ago
The tub surround is properly waterproofed and I have plenty of extra Redgard if I decide to do it again, so y'all don't need to worry about that.

I bought a much more expensive, fancier "premium diamond tile saw blade" and made some cuts with leftover tile nice and slow. The results are a little better; not as much white line, but still a tiny itty bit of white showing. Surprisingly, with the new blade the miter cuts left no white and the straight cuts left a little white line.

Clearly, this is a "cheap tile" issue more so than anything.

I'll probably try a few ideas like a sharpie or grout paint or nail polish to see if it looks OK on the tile that's installed. But if that fails, I'll tear it out and try over with the new saw blade. And I'll layout the tiles so that the cut edges are at caulked joints instead of grouted joints so that I can use the caulk to cover up any white. Hopefully I'll be able to get the mitered cuts to continue to be white-free.

Do any of y'all think the saw itself could be the culprit? Like, maybe it's not fast enough so it tears the top-layer of my cheap tile? I looked into other tiles and decided I really like the tile we got ... if it wasn't so dang difficult with these white lines. So I'm willing to try anything to get rid of the white lines.
PRO
Debbi Washburn
4 years ago
Are the white lines and chipped edges on all the tiles you cut or just the ones for this corner?? If its on all of them then it probably is the tile... but I feel like the chips are more to do with the blade... I hope you figure it out....