LARGE-FORMAT TILE –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ceiling. While marking it, Davis checked the distance between points to ensure the pattern wasn’t drifting. Cuts were done with a Metabo grinder and a respirator, edges eased on a variable speed. “I cut the scribes in full tiles and then ripped them on the cutting board, and you’d better believe I held my breath while I made those scratch cuts,” he said. Trims were fabricated on a 10” chop saw with a non-ferrous metal cutting blade. Erick Hendricks han- dled all the trim work, including the niches.“The shelves in the niche are what we’ve taken to calling the ‘miter sandwich’ – three mitered pieces fabbed from one piece of field tile so the grain wraps,” he said. The right hand niche in the project is in an exterior wall, so Davis hung 2” polystyrene waterproof backer board walls on the sub-siding as a thermal break. “The exterior wall preclud- ed framing modification, so that niche’s placement dictated vertical layout,” Davis said. “Also, the tiles above and below the right niche are ripped so there would be no slivers or L-cuts. That focal niche was very important to the client, so we built the entire shower around it.” The entire installation took Davis and Hendricks five and a half crew days. “I love setting tile,” Davis said, “and I am truly blessed to have the opportunities tile is offering.” 90 TileLetter | April 2018