Tiling Countertops; Tiling Floors; Tiling Walls

Michael Byrne is the expert craftsman and amiable host for these three workshops on tiling. In the longest of the series, Tiling Walls, Byrne tiles the walls of a bathroom, including a pony wall. Beginning with an overview of the steps that will be covered in the program, Byrne proceeds to show viewers how to: use a jury stick for measuring and layout, install a waterproof tar paper membrane, mix wall mud, cut and set tiles, and grout over the finished tiles. Along the way, he addresses problems that most homeowners are likely to encounter, such as tiling around windows and bathroom fixtures. In addition to a thorough coverage of the basics, Byrne also tackles a badly placed pony wall, and shows viewers a creative solution to the problem: a beautiful looking cove with a contrasting pinstripe. Throughout, the program uses good close-ups and step-by-step oral instruction. Tiling Floors and Tiling Countertops, which are set in the same room, and also feature instructor Byrne, take the same professional hands-on approach to instructing the would-be home tiler on the overall philosophy and detailed steps of the craft. Each of the tapes stands alone, but page numbers are referenced in the corner of the screen which direct viewers to Byrne's book Setting Ceramic Tile (not included with the videos). Libraries may want to consider having the book on hand, since it's sure to be requested-though the video instruction is quite clear by itself. All three titles are highly recommended. (Available from: Taunton Press, 63 Main St., Box 355, Newton, CT 06470.)