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How to bullnose already laid out porcelain tile on step

13K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Bud Cline 
#1 ·
Hi,
I am a new home owner and learning all the stuff about houses. The tile guy I had kind of cheated me. he put tiles on the step in the living room with sharp edges. At the edge when tiles transition from horizontal to vertical plane (90 degree) there is not smooth/curvy transition! The store suggested quarter rounder and put new tiles removing the older ones. I asked couple of tile guys if they have any workaround. What they can do is put new tiles over the vertical plane with the quarter rounder on the top. The problem is at some part the tile wont be on the same plane as wall! I was wondering can I do the bullnosing the existing tiles? How can I do it? Will it look bad with black spots? I can post some pics.
Thanks for reading.
 
#2 ·
You can't bullnose most porcelain tiles as the body color is different than the glaze.

Forming a bull nose is done with a diamond bladed router cooled with running water.

Not something you can do inside a house.

Post that picture--someone will offer you a good solution.----Mike---
 
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#3 · (Edited)
You can't bullnose most porcelain tiles as the body color is different than the glaze.

Forming a bull nose is done with a diamond bladed router cooled with running water.

Not something you can do inside a house.

Post that picture--someone will offer you a good solution.----Mike---
Hey Mike,
Thanks for the reply. Here is the pic of the floor. Is there a way to put quarter rounder without removing any tile?
 

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#4 ·
Not sure if the tile experts would agree with this resolution, but I would be looking at removing the vertical tile, add layer of cement board (set in thinset) this would build you out far enough to reinstall the vertical tile cut shorter to allow for a 1/4 round at the transition from Horizontal to Vertical.

Mark
 
#5 ·
I can't believe a tile installer would go to the trouble to match the grout lines going around a corner but think the raw tile edges would be okay. What has been done there is just nuts.

You could extend the riser outward as suggested by Jackofall1 but personally I wouldn't want to do that.

Porcelain tile is easy enough to tool if you have the right tools. A person could soften those edges and make a bullnose type look with the tiles in place but it would take some doing. I would use a right angle grinder and a sanding disc using 80 grit silicone carbide paper. But I have all of that on hand.

You could DIY it yourself with a less expensive palm sander (maybe) but using the right sandpaper would be critical. Silicone carbide sandpaper isn't readily available to the general public but you can get it from any proper supplier. The first place that comes to mind is the Braxton-Bragg Company in Knoxville Tennessee and that's where I buy mine.

You could also use diamond sandpaper but it gets really pricey.:)
 
#6 ·
Thanks a lot Bud Cline!
I was wondering, given the situation, will it make lots of dust while using the grinder? I doubt I can do wet grinding over. I guess I can get silicon carbide paper online from amazon. I would not mind buying diamong sandpaper. What grit sould I use?
 
#7 ·
Yes there will be some dust. In this case the use of water would only be problematic.

Why Amazon for the sandpaper? I already told you where you can buy it, they have an online ordering process.

Eighty grit will do the job without having to buy several different grits to complete the process. If you use a right-angle grinder you can also buy the discs and the disc-backer from "Tile Tools dot com" also.:)
 
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