We bought the tile. Our wall has new drywall behind (unpainted and clean). We are putting the tile from above the backsplash to under the wall cabinets. Can you please answer my questions:1) Do you prep the walls with anything? We bought this tub of stuff called Thinset... Is this the actual adhesive or is there something else used to put on afterward?2) We are doing our longest wall with counter and sink/window then corner and over to counter and stove then counter. Where would the starting point be? Corner or one wall?3) The wall cabinet on the open end is about 1/2 inch in then the base cabinet right below. If we start the tile from the bottom, when you get to the top, the tile will hang out from the wall cabinet by the 1/2 in. Do we use a straight line from the wall cabinet or base cabinet and it be off either way? 4) The tile is not coated or shiny. Once they are applied to the wall and then grouted and wiped clean, do you apply any coating?
you need spacers...( couple $'s a bag, only 1 bag needed..)You need to grout the tile after applying to the wall, wait 24 hrs or as the mortor says....I would recommend a grout sealer- they can be brush on or spray on..the grout will collect dust, grease and be a nightmare to clean ... in bathrooms you normally put backerboard before tile( it is made of concrete and keeps the water from penetrating to the drywall...imagine having to rip out the dryway and re do it....If they are simple sq tiles, no pattern involved, then you can start at the edge/ end...if you want the corners to be 2 perfect sqs meeting- that is where you should start- then you won't have a cut piece butting up to an uncut or two cuts meeting (this is what sounds right for your project) ...you can use the backsplash as a base---to support the tile as it dries. Use painters blue tape to help hold it to the wall until then....do one row all along the backsplash using the backsplash as support and a small piece of tape securing it to the wall until the mortor takes hold..remove the tape to start on the next row up and secure with tape as before... ntinue until done. Use spacers 1/4 to keep things straight...use a level to get 1st row straight, snap chalk line/ draw line... PLEASE- double check your thinset to be sure it is recommended for your size tile and for wall use...the premixed stuff has a tendency to shrink up as it dries (and it stays wet for a VERY long time esp in high humidity/ moist areas)...causing your tile to come free from the surface it is attatched to... I would get a small bag of the real, mix it yourself mortor- it is concrete and dries as such... I have used the premixed stuff and had terrible results. Have fun!
This is a long question. First it is not good to lay tile on drywall your best bet is to get the rock board for tile it is not that expensive. Take out the drywall where the tile is to go and replace it with hardibacker board. Just pick a side but it is best to start at the bottom when you lay the tile. Make your corner is square or your tile is going to be off. I am not sure about question 3 but you will have to cut the tile to fit. Use a level and try to cut to fit as you go. There is a little room to that you can play with but try to keep things close. Unless your tile is rough or there are a lot of holes in it, there is no need to seal the tile. The grout needs to be sealed. In the kitchen bacteria will grow in the cracks so put a coat of sealer on. Take your time and it will work out
1 - Thinset is the adhesive. You do not need to prep drywall with anything. 2 - You should measure the entire length of where you are tiling. Then divide that in half. That is your starting point. You'll want to lay out the tiles before actually attaching them to make sure you have at least 1/2 tile on either end when you are finished. If you have less than 1/2 tile on either end, move your center point one way or the other. The final centerpoint will be the space between your first two tiles. 3 - Do a straight line from the cabinet that sticks out more. You'll then need to trim the tiles when it narrows but it won't be noticible with only 1/2 inch. 4 - If it's for your wall, you don't need any coating. If it was going to be your countertop you'd need a clear sealant.
