Patio Work

Yesterday I worked on the patio just a bit.

The concrete has been curing for a total of 9 days (since last Saturday). Kevin, the concrete guy, recommended putting a layer of roofing paper between the slab and the tiles. Some of the internet sites I visited concurred, others didn't mention it. When I explained what I was doing to the guy at the tile shop he said it couldn't hurt and certainly wouldn't be a bad idea, so I did it.

The bare slab after curing for 9 days.

I got a roll of roofing paper and indoor/outdoor carpet glue and went to work.

The first two rows are done.

It took a little longer than I thought it would to get all the paper glued down; about an hour and a half total. It didn't cost much--about $35 which included the paper, two tubs of glue, and a disposable spreader for the glue. It means just a little extra peace of mind in case the concrete cracks. The idea is that the tile will be less likely to follow suit. Also it provides a moisture barrier from the ground up, meaning it will be less likely to crack the tile.

The paper is all glued down.

Today I can trim the excess paper off the edges and it will be ready to start tiling. I may wait for that until possibly Sunday or Monday because I'll be bringing Clyde to his trainer this weekend. Also we have a forecast of possible rain (likely not much though) for Thursday or Friday.

Yesterday I also bought a little drill bit for my Dremel tool that's supposed to cut tile. I was hoping I could use it to help shape the mosaic lizard I want to put in the patio. It turns out it's "not for floor tile". They were right. Oh well.

I found another accessory I could use with my Dremel though. Today I will try to find the diamond "cut off" tool. The website says it's recommended for hard materials like marble, brick, stone, etc. That sounds like what I'm looking for.

I'm sure you'll be the first to know!

Here's a bit of trivia: cement is one of the ingredients in making concrete. You learn something every day!