We've added a small half bath to an addition, and we're planning to tile the floor ourselves even though we have never done it. The room is about 20 square feet and I'm planning 12" x 24" tiles, so 10 tiles total--how hard can that be? I know, probably much harder than I realize. Some questions:
1) Transition: The subfloor is OSB. We are planning to put down 1/8 inch Ditra (orange) underlayment, then 3/8 inch tiles. The tile will end up being between 1/16 and 1/8 inch higher than the adjoining bamboo floor depending on the thinset thickness. I would like to avoid a heavy marble or wood T threshold if possible for such a small gap. Could I use one of those Schluter metal vertical strips? If I do this, how can I be sure what height to get when the thinset thickness is hard to predict?
2) Leveling: I have read that I should get some sort of leveling system to make sure the large tiles lie flat, but they are awfully expensive--$80 or more for various components that I will use once for this small room. Any advice about how best to level the tiles?
3) Grout: Is stain-free grout best for floor tile? I have read that it can be much harder to work with and to clean off the tile as you're grouting.