Day 66: Washing Tiles and enjoying the view

I now have 13.5 of the 15.5 boxes of tiles in my condo. The last two are still sitting in my car. I figure there is no huge rush to get them up here as I still have 4 unopened boxes yet to wash. That means I have washed approximately 9.5 boxes of tile, or for those who like err on the side of mind boggling -- a whopping 95 12" square tiles. The cleaned tiles are stacked against any vertical surface I can find. I’ve categorized them into a few groups: perfect tiles that are great for the open areas; really dark grey or black tiles that I’ll need to place as randomly as possible; broken, uneven, or otherwise odd tiles that I can use for half pieces/coaster sets you are all getting for Christmas; and the ugly pile for those I find unattractive and will use under the stove, dishwasher and washing machine where I don’t have to look at them. Once they are all washed, I will further categorize the perfect tiles into coloured groups: purple, green, grey, and rust.

I really want to make sure the layout is random which means that after I categorize them I’ll have to lay out a bunch on my living room floor until I am happy with the “random” pattern. If I don't do all this sorting and planning ahead, I just know it will be hard to be random on the spot while the mortar slowly hardens. Besides, I'll need the extra time to back butter some of the tiles which are not a uniform thickness.

Cleaning the tiles means taking a pile of 10 into the kitchen, inspecting each one and removing all loose pieces with a paring knife. Then I wash the tiles one at a time and put them in the dish rack to air dry. I admire each tile as they go from a dusty bland colour to a beautiful array of fall colours as the water hits the surface. Many of them have a metallic tinge such as copper or pewter. Some tiles are so full of colour that they remind me of a Monet painting. The sealer will bring out those colours so I can’t wait to see them all laid out throughout the kitchen.

The rack can confidently hold a meagre 5 tiles at a time, and they take several minutes to dry, so you can see why I have only washed 95 tiles! I’ve managed to injure my right wrist in the process so I haven’t washed nearly as many tiles as I had hoped this weekend.

My plan for the next week or two: Finish washing the tiles and paint the ceiling and walls with finish coats so that on Friday (the 26th, day 71, and a full moon) I can remove the sink, lower cabinets, and counter top. I’ll move the appliances into the living and dining rooms where I am quickly running out of room and finish removing the rest of the peel and stick tiles. With a lot of luck, I’ll lay the waterproof membrane (I call it orange waffly stuff) that night so I can get going on the tile laying Saturday. I don’t think I’ll get all the tiles laid that weekend, but I’ll sure try. If not, I’ll resume the next weekend. Once all done, I’ll apply the sealer after which I need to block off the area so a certain orange flea circus doesn't ruin the finish. I really want the floor to be completely cured/sealed before the cabinets arrive, so I have opted to get an early start.

Going with slate was a labour intensive choice but it is all stuff I can do which really kept the costs down. Unfortunately, it means being without a kitchen sink for a very long time. I think I’ll hook up a laundry sink temporarily if it looks like the tile sealed up long before the kitchen cabinets are due to arrive. Meals and laundry will be a fun challenge.