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Unlike ceramic tiles, polished stone tiles require that each and every tile be set even and level with the tiles around it to achieve a flat, smooth floor. Bathroom suppliers now stock a wide variety of tiles, so check out your local supplier for their best deals. The relatively wide joints between ceramic tiles allow you to ramp the grout, to smooth out transitions between slightly uneven tiles; however, stone tiles are typically set with very narrow grout joints that don’t allow ramping. Thus, it’s very important for a floor or substrate under stone tiles to be absolutely flat and even.
In preparation for setting, bathroom tiles should be selected and, if desired, laid out and numbered for vein or colour patterns. All types of stone tiles need sealing before they’re set. When you’re ready to lay the tiles, use a 4 in. by ½-in. half-moon trowel to spread a heavy layer of thinset over the floor. This thick layer will allow you to adjust each tile up or down relative to its neighbours. Use medium-bed thinset so that it will not sag from the weight of the heavy tile. After combing the thinset, set the first tile and then use a 6-in. torpedo level to check that it’s level, front to back and side to side. Now set a tile next to it, using a 1/16-in, spacer set upright between the tiles.
Tap in the tile, using a mallet and level to set its surface flush with the adjacent tiles. Rub your hands along the joint between the tiles as you set each new tile to feel that the surfaces are even. After all the whole field tiles have been set and cured, you’re ready to measure and set the cut tiles around the edges of the floor. Cover the previously set tiles with rosin paper to protect them as you work. Even though the tiles have been sealed, dried thinset is a bear to remove and can leave a mark on the surface of any highly polished stone. Mark and cut the tiles, then plaster each one and ease it into place, using a level and fingertips to check it for perfect placement.
Avoiding Bathroom Tile Problems
A floor set with 12-in.-sq. marble or granite tiles can lend elegance to any room. However, setting a smooth, flat floor of polished stone requires more time and effort than setting a ceramic tile floor. Since stone is a natural material it also requires more care than ceramic and terra-cotta tiles. Follw the below best practices when setting bathroom tiles and you should be able to carry this work out stress free:
Never mark the back of any light-coloured or translucent tile with an ink marker. The moisture from thinset when the tile is set can cause the ink to bleed through and show a reverse image on the surface of the tile.
You must protect black, red, and green marble tiles from moisture, which can (believe it or not) cause them to curl or warp when they’re laid with thinset.
Coating the back of each tile with clear epoxy prevents moisture penetration still allowing the thinset to bond. Use a brush to completely cover the back of the tile, then set it aside to let the epoxy to cure.
Although we’ve seen marble floors with tiles that were butt set (set flush to each other), we don’t recommend it.
Butt-set tiles have only narrow V-shaped joints between them that are so shallow the grout eventually crumbles out of them.
Grout manufacturers recommend leaving at least a 1/16-in.-wide joint so the grout will have enough body and depth to achieve a good cure.
Before starting any countertop job, install a backer board substrate that’s level and flat and prepare the surface. Be sure you have all the field tiles, trim and/or decorative tiles, plastic wedges, and spacers. You’ll also need thinset and Admix or water to blend it with, Now you are ready to set tile on your countertop. Each installation is a little different depending on the shape of the countertop whether it holds a sink or bath-top, and the kind of edge trim you’ve chosen. The following sections address each of these situations. Before you begin your project, read the instructions carefully so you end up with a job that looks clean and professional. Follow these three principles to achieve great results:
Before you spread any thinset decide on the best layout for your tile.
You can mix thinset by hand or with a drill and paddle wheel. The hand method is good for mixing the small batches you’ll likely need for counter and backsplash installations.
Make sure to break up any lumps and to thoroughly mix in any dry material that clings to the side or bottom of the bucket.
For all counter applications, apply and spread the thinset using the flat side of the notched trowel to key the thinset into the backer board.
Then comb the thinset with the notched side to gauge the correct amount of material. For the best bond with the tile, comb only in one direction.
Apply thinset only to an area you can cover in about 15 minutes,
Basic Kitchen Countertop with Bullnose Edge
Begin by marking the setback for the first row of tiles. In this case, the bullnose edge tile overhangs the tile beneath. Hold a level or straightedge in place against the layout line and comb the thinset for the bullnose edge onto the front edge of the countertop. Place the tiles onto the thinset, then twist in place. If the tile is mesh mounted, you can check the spacing of the bullnose tiles against a row of field tiles. If not, use the single field tiles and spacers, if appropriate, to make certain the bullnose will line up with the field tile.
Occasionally, the bullnose and field tile appear to be the same width but a closer measurement will show that one is slightly larger. On a long counter, the bullnose can lose its alignment with the field tile. To make up for this, either expand or shrink the grout joints between the bullnose to match the field tile. Once grouted, this slight difference will not show. You may also notice that trim and field tiles have a range of shade variations between them. If you find noticeable color differences between the tiles, mix up the arrangement of trim tiles so they blend in
After the edge row of bullnose tiles is set, spread and comb thinset over the rest of the countertop. If the area is larger than what you can cover in 10 minutes to 15 minutes, spread just part of the counter. Set the field tiles onto the thinset, lining them up with the bullnose tiles. Set the remaining tile, marking and making any cuts you need to fit tile where the counter meets the wall.
Have all of your materials nearby for an efficient installation. If you had to repair the wall to prep it for tile, spread the thinset carefully to avoid stripping off the fiberglass mesh tape. Take care to comb the thinset thoroughly in one direction for better tile adhesion. Press the first row of tile in place, aligning the grout joints with the countertop tiles, if necessary. Level the row, adjusting individual tile height with wedges. If your design includes decorative border tiles, set them in place carefully using wedges to adjust the tiles for even spacing and to create a properly sized grout joint between the border and the row of tiles below it. Continue setting the remaining rows of field tiles above the border, pressing them firmly into the thinset. The thinset I recommend can be found at the home depot.
Cut and set tiles around electrical outlets and switches as necessary, leaving enough clearance for mounting screws and to allow for the metal ears of the switch or receptacle to rest on the tile. Cut the tiles for the backsplash’s top row as needed and set them in place. Because tumbled stone tiles like the ones used in this example often don’t have available edge trim, you need to make your own trim tiles for the finished edges of the splash. After cutting edge tiles to size, round over and rough up the outside edge of each, using a pair of tile nippers. The idea is to make the cut edge look similar to a bullnose edge. The decorative border adds an interesting focal point in the finished backsplash.
If you plan to use decorative electrical fixtures, cut about two and a half threads off each screw off with an electrician’s multi-crimp and strip tool. This leaves the screws long enough to grab the electrical fixture but not strike the tile surface.
Backsplash with Quarter Round Trim
If the edges and ends of a tile backsplash will be finished with a quarter-round (or other radius trim), the first step is to cut and install backer board on the wall. Spread thinset on the backer board and set the first row of field tiles, lining up their grout joints with the countertop tiles (if the tiles are the same size). Make sure this row is level and adjust the tiles with wedges or spacers as necessary. To measure for the cut tile at the finished end of the backsplash, hold a quarter-round where it will be set and mark its inside edge on the countertop tile. Now place a field tile where it’ll be set and transfer the pencil mark onto the tile. Cut the tile to size and set it in place.
To lay the quarter-round trim, start on an outside corner of the splash with a “beak” (a quarter-round outside corner). You can lay the beak horizontally on top of the field tile or stand it vertically. If the beak is set vertically, you might need to trim its length to suit the height of the splash. To mark for this cut, first set a regular quarter round atop the field tile, then hold a beak upside down and put a pencil mark even with the top of the quarter-round. You can also finish off the corner with a “mini-beak,” a trim piece available for some brands of tile. Set both the side and top quarter-round pieces first, then set the mini-beak flush and even with them. Once the corner is finished, lay the rest of the quarter-rounds along the top of the splash, using your finger tips to make sure their ends are flush and even with each other.
Installing a Bathroom Sink
After you’ve grouted the counter and let ¡t cure for 2 days to 3 days you (or your plumber) can set your sink on top of the tile. Always set the sink with caulk to form a water proof line around the sink that remains flexible. If you cannot get colour-matched caulk, use clear instead. For some great offer on bathroom sinks click here.
Run a small bead of caulk around the perimeter of the sink opening on the counter. Then lower the sink into the opening until it is seated. Use a damp, clean sponge to wipe off any excess caulk and shape the caulk against the sink rim.
Tiling an Undermount Sink Counter
Setting the countertop tiles when you have an undermount sink adds a few more steps to the work required for an over-mount sink. The main difference is that you will need additional trim tiles—bullnose or quarter-round—to finish around the sink. You’ll need to prepare the sink area in a particular manner. Please read the information on preparation for an undermount sink carefully.
Before you cut and set your countertop tiles, you must determine how much room you need for the trim tiles to be set around the sink. Hold the trim up to the sink, leaving about a 1/4-in reveal (gap) between the trim and the inside sink edge, and make a pencil mark on the sink. Also mark the outside edge of the trim onto the backer board to indicate where the rows of field tile will meet the trim. Do this on adjacent sides at all four corners of the sink. Now lay a level or straightedge on the backer board marks and outline the sink on all sides. This outline shows you where the field tiles that surround the sink will be set.
Cut the tiles that go around the sink, then use a rubbing stone on their edges to smooth them, as these edges will show. Spread thinset around the sink and set the cut tiles, taking care not to obscure your pencil marks with thinset. Make sure the tiles are set square at the front and back, and that the front tiles are parallel to the sink and cabinet. To lay out the quarter-round sink trim, mark the centre line of the sink and start laying trim beginning with either a full tile or a grout joint in the centre. When you reach the corner, hold a trim tile in place and mark it for the cut. Unless there are special corner trim pieces available, you’ll need to mitre the ends of two quarter-rounds for the corner. Cut the mitres on a water saw, then use a stone on the cut edges. Back-butter the tiles with thinset and then press the trim in place. Repeat for all four sink edges until complete. The completed sink installation, framed by tile is shown above.
Setting V-cap Trim
V -cap trim has a slightly raised edge that will prevent objects from rolling off the counter, Set V-cap edge trim after setting all the field tiles on the counter. Setting this shapely trim last saves you from having to lean over wet edge tiles and risk knocking them out of alignment. V-cap trim layout begins with the layout line for the edge tiles. Aligning the first row to this layout line, set all your field tiles. Apply thinset to the back of each V-cap tile and press it into place. Some V-caps have a flat back side that’s easy to back-butter, whereas others have a curved inside surface that should be filled with thinset before the tile is set in place O. If necessary, use a spacer to allow room for a grout joint. Use a piece of tape to hold each V-cap in place and keep it from slipping. The finish edge has a neat appearance.
