Hi, this is more of a tiling question I think, maybe someone can advise me. I'm putting a tile backplash up the wall at the back of our counters and the wall is uneven. Because of this, I've decided to mount the tiles with blobs of mortar on the back of the tile rather than comb the mortar out on the wall. I've never really known if this is acceptable, or if there are drawbacks to this approach to mounting tile.Can anyon tell me?
Thanks!
Dave
Dave,
The method you are describing is called 'dot setting'
Yes it can be done. Drawbacks - 1- it tougher to get the tiles plumb and flat with each other. A lot tougher. 2- You have to use cement thinset that comes in a bag and you mix with water. Pre-made mastic shrinks when it dries and will make the tiles uneven. 3- they are more likely to pop off the wall.
Do remember t leave a 1/8" gap between the tiles and the counter, tiles and cabinets, tiles and side walls, tiles and window trim. This gap gets caulked closed with flexible sealant.
Go here to find you answer.
http://www.johnbridge.com
Floating the tiles like you want to do is not the best way to do it, for the reasons listed above.
A better way is to remove the drywall to the framing and start from scratch: Moisture barrier, CBU and tiles.
Only this method will give you a great looking back splash.
Hi,
Thanks for the advice! All good reasons, #3 is the one I'm most concerned about. My unevenness in the wall begins with the studs, and fixing some of those introduces issues with a few electrical boxes... I figured the challenge of floating tiles and making them even could be prefereable to the work of straightening the wall...
Thanks again for the advice, I appreciate it!
Dave
Why not just put on a coat of thinset and then take a long straight edge and screed the wall flat. When the thinset dries, then another layer, notched and set the new tile in it.
Thinset has a maximum working total depth of 1/4" Hence the 'thin' part of thinset.
Get some unmodified thinset, the kind for setting stone, add masonry sand until it's a stiff mortar, and float the wall with that. Thinset is very portland-rich and can take extra sand. Use bonding agent on the wallboard.
You could as well use Structolite basecoat plaster for floating. A 3' or 4' Darby float is probably all you would need tool wise. It's a magnesium straightedge for rodding browncoat plasterwork.
Casey