Learning the Ropes.
The original inside of the van was gutted. I tried to justify keeping all those noisy metal shelves, but I just couldn't. As I started the outside of the van, I realized early on that I had to make many accommodations for different heights of tumbled tiles, differences in adhesives, heat, humidity and location of tiles. The tiles had to stay on during rain, during cold, during heat (including the heat of the engine on the hood) and vertically. I needed a perfect adhesive, and really didn't want to have to prepare the metal surface by sanding or roughing the paint. Vibration was an issue, as the van IS being driven and used at least once a month, and usually for at least 100 miles at a stretch. The tiles I had used as sacrificial lambs on my metal mailbox didn't fare well, and began popping off within two weeks, and after a random vandalism, indicated to me that Loctite Construction Adhesive was certainly not going to work.
I also wasn't happy with the grout. It was dull and powdery and not flexible at all. I needed to research my materials and find the right solution. I certainly didn't want tiles and grout rocks flying off into the cars behind me on the interstate, and didn't want to have to resin them into place.
I also wasn't happy with the grout. It was dull and powdery and not flexible at all. I needed to research my materials and find the right solution. I certainly didn't want tiles and grout rocks flying off into the cars behind me on the interstate, and didn't want to have to resin them into place.