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Five Common DIY Tiling Injuries: Gory, yet Preventable
By Youri Naimark of Denver Tile Installation
The risks of DIY tiling projects include unsatisfactory results, poor installation, and personal injury. Although freak accidents happen every day, when you bring heavy tile and sharp cutters into the mix, the odds raise. To do everything you can to prevent a tiling mishap, take every precaution and wear goggles, gloves, masks, hard-toed shoes, and other protective gear. Even so, accidents such as these five common mishaps plague the eager improver. 1. Falling wall and ceiling tiles lead to serious injury during the installation process and long afterwards, such as in this New Jersey Church. Moisture behind the wall, improper installation, and blunt force against the tiles can cause them to loosen and fall, and depending on the distance and force of impact, has been blamed for concussions, bruises, broken bones, and even death. The best way to prevent falling tile accidents is to replace them when they start chipping or cracking, before they start falling out on their own. During the installation process, make sure that every tile is securely glued to the wall or ceiling before moving on to another row. 2. If not properly secured or balanced, many people fall of ladders. If your tiling project requires some height, make sure to keep one hand on the ladder at all times and remember, the higher the ladder and harder the ground, the more serious the injury. Ladders cause the most DIY deaths and the number of ladder injuries rise each year. Thankfully, this man survived, but his mishap demonstrates the need for sturdy ladders and trustworthy spotters. 3. Sharp tools, such as tile cutters and power saws, are difficult to use without proper training. The sharp blades can cause lacerations, deep, open wounds, and even amputation of fingers. Also, when you cut tile, pieces can fly off and imbed in your skin, or worse, in your eye, if you don’t wear protective goggles. 4. Permanent damage to your arm, back, and rotator cuff is common after lifting heavy tile and bending over during an installation project. Use a cart or dolly to carry especially heavy pieces of tile made of stone, marble, or granite. Lift slowly and smoothly and ask for help if necessary. Sometimes years of rehab result from these injuries in which the victim never regains full range of motion. 5. Toxins in the home release during the tiling process if the room is not ventilated properly. Lead, asbestos, smoke, fumes, and adhesives can cause headaches, skin rashes, and nausea. More seriously, they can lead to asthma, cancer, nerve damage, and allergies. Before you start a tiling or any home renovation project, identify the hazards and seal off the ventilated workspace from the rest of the home. Practice safe work methods to minimize dust and fumes and effectively clean your workspace at the end of each day. Take heed of this British family’s warnings after their loved one died following exposure to tile asbestos. The good news is that these injuries are 100 percent preventable. Always wear protective gear and close-fitting clothing when working in your home. Make sure you know how to operate each tool correctly and be realistic about your skills. Professional consultations never hurt, and if you need to hire the pro, feel no shame. Learning to install tile is easy, if you go to our website at www.DenversTileInstallation.com and click through to the blog.
Born and raised in Ukraine, Youri Naimark was an construction engineer for 20 years (specializing in coal mine construction). In that time Youri oversaw major projects and won several State-level awards. After moving to US in 2002, Youri scaled down and started a Denver tile installation company. Since then Youri's company has become a boutique home improvement firm. Youri has been publishing articles related to home improvement for over 3 years and recently he started a blog dedicated to proper home improvement practices and some Do-It-Yourself tips, which can be found at denverstileinstallation.com/blog.
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http://www.denverstileinstallation.com/blog/
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Good intel Youri. I've done several rooms of tile in 2 homes over the last few years... And every time I do it I swear it will be the last time! I like the artistic aspect of it, but just laying down hundreds of sq.ft. of field tile takes FOREVER! And then waiting for it to set, grouting, wiping off the grout lines, waiting for the grout to set, sealing the grout... Glad there are pros out there I can call the next time!
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