How to Install a Tile Backsplash 04

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Install a Tile Backsplash 04

When the tiles are in place, make sure they are flat and firmly embedded by laying a beating block against the
tile and rapping it lightly with a mallet. Remove the spacers. Allow the mastic to dry for at least 24 hours, or as directed by the manufacturer.

Mix the grout and apply it with a rubber grout float. Spread it over the tiles, keeping the float at a low 30° angle, pressing the grout deep into the joints. Note: For grout joints 1⁄8” and smaller, be sure to use a non-sanded grout.

Wipe off excess grout, holding the float at a right angle to the tile, working diagonally so as not to remove grout from the joints. Clean any remaining grout from the tiles with a damp sponge, working in a circular motion. Rinse the sponge thoroughly and often.

Clean excess grout with a damp sponge. When the grout has dried to a haze, buff the tile clean with a soft cloth. Apply a bead of caulk between the countertop and the tiles.

How to Install a Tile Backsplash 03

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Install a Tile Backsplash 03

Apply mastic adhesive evenly to the area beneath the horizontal reference line using a notched trowel. Comb the adhesive horizontally with the notched edge.

Press tiles into the adhesive with a slight twisting motion. If the tiles are not self-spacing, use plastic spacers to maintain even grout lines. If the tiles do not hang in place, use masking tape to hold them in place until the adhesive sets.

Install a whole row along the reference line, checking occasionally to make sure the tiles are level. Continue installing tiles below the first row, trimming tiles that butt against the countertop as needed.

Install an edge border if it is needed in your layout. Mosaic sheets normally do not have bullnose tiles on the edges, so if you don’t wish to see the cut edges of the outer tiles, install a vertical column of edge tiles at the end of the backsplash area.

How to Install a Tile Backsplash 02

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Install a Tile Backsplash 02


THE PROJECT

Make a story stick by marking a board at least half as long as the backsplash area to match the tile spacing.

Starting at the midpoint of the installation area, use the story stick to make layout marks along the wall. If an end piece is too small (less than half a tile), adjust the midpoint to give you larger, more attractive end pieces. Use a level to mark this point with a vertical reference line.

While it may appear straight, your countertop may not be level and therefore is not a reliable reference line. Run a level along the counter to find the lowest point on the countertop. Mark a point two tiles up from the low point and extend a level line across the entire work area.

Variation: Diagonal Layout. Mark vertical and horizontal reference lines, making sure the angle is 90°. To establish diagonal layout lines, measure out equal distances from the crosspoint, and then connect the points with a line. Additional layout lines can be extended from these as needed.

How to Install a Tile Backsplash 01

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Install a Tile Backsplash 01

There are few spaces in your home with as much potential for creativity and visual impact as the space between your kitchen countertop and your cupboards. A well-designed backsplash can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Tiles for the backsplash can be attached directly to wallboard or plaster and do not require backerboard. When purchasing the tile, order 10 percent extra to cover breakage and cutting. Remove the switch and receptacle coverplates and install the box extenders to make up for the extra thickness of the tile. Protect the countertop from scratches by covering it with a drop cloth.

Contemporary glass mosaic sheets create a counter-to-cabinet backsplash for a waterproof, splash-proof wall with very high visual impact.

TIP

Break tiles into fragments and make a mosaic backsplash. Always use a sanded grout for joints wider than 1⁄8”.

Tools & Materials


Level
Tape measure
Pencil
Tile cutter
Rod saw
Notched trowel
Rubber grout float
Beating block
Rubber mallet
Sponge
Bucket
Story stick
Straight 1 × 2
Wall tile
Tile spacers (if needed)
Mastic adhesive
Masking tape
Grout
Caulk
Drop cloth
Sanded grout

How to Install Granite Tile Countertops 04

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Install Granite Tile Countertops 04

Round the inside corner cuts. Even though the flange of the sink shown here will cover the inside corners in the sink cutout, take care to make a gentle rounded corner cut by drilling at the corner with a 1⁄2" masonry bit. Perpendicular corner cuts can lead to cracking. Finish the straight legs of the cutout with a tile saw or a jigsaw with a masonry blade.

Start laying tiles. Use modified thinset and a 1⁄4" trowel. If you have an inside corner in your countertop, begin there. Apply thin set at the inside corner, enough to place four or five tiles. Set the left and right inside corner pieces and the first 12 × 12 field tile.

Continue setting tiles. Apply the thin set mortar to an area big enough for two to four tiles and place the tiles. Use a 2 × 4 covered with carpeting to set the tiles. Push down on tiles to set, and also across the edges to ensure an even face.

Apply grout and seal. After the thin set has dried for at least 24 hours, grout with an unsanded grout. When the grout has dried, seal with natural stone sealer.

How to Install Granite Tile Countertops 03

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Install Granite Tile Countertops 03

Attach the cementboard underlayment to the subbase. First, apply a 1⁄8"-thick layer of modified thinset to the top of the plywood using a 1⁄4" notched trowel. Screw the cementboard to the plywood with cementboard screws. Space the screws 4" to 5" apart across the entire surface.

Cut ( as needed) and lay out the tiles, beginning with an inside corner if you have one. Arrange tiles for the best color match. Tiles abut directly, with no space for grout. Cut the tiles as necessary to fit. Cut self-edged tiles edge side first. Cut the tiles with the polished side up. Use a fine honing stone to relieve the cut edge to match the manufactured edges.

Variations for Corners & Angles

Mitered inside corners are a bit tricky to cut because the mitered point needs to align with the starting point of the bullnose edge. This has the effect of making the corner set back roughly an inch.

Kitchen islands often have corners that do not form a right angle. In such cases, you can avoid a sharp angle on the countertop by cutting a triangular bullnose piece to fill in.

How to Install Granite Tile Countertops 02

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Install Granite Tile Countertops 02

Remove the countertops. From inside the base cabinets, unscrew the screws holding the countertops to the cabinets. Unscrew take-up bolts on mitered sections of the countertop. Use a utility knife to cut through the caulk, if present. Countertops should lift off easily, but if they don’t, you can use a prybar to carefully pry them away from the base cabinets. Note: In some cases you can install these tiles over old laminate countertops.

Prepare and install the subbase. Measure the cabinet bank from outside edges to outside edges on all sides and cut a piece of 5⁄8"-thick exterior grade plywood to fit. The edges of the plywood should be flush with the outside edges of the cabinet tops. Screw the plywood to the cabinet braces from underneath.

Make the sink cutout. To create cutting lines, place the sink upside down in the desired location. Trace the edges of the sink and remove it. To create support for the drop-in sink flange, use a compass to trace new cutting lines inside the traced lines (usually 5⁄8"). See the manufacturer’s instructions to confirm dimensions (some sinks come with a template for making the cutout. Use a jigsaw to cut out the sink opening.

Install the tile underlayment. Granite tile, like ceramic tile, requires a cementboard or denseboard underlayment layer. Cut the material to the same dimension as the plywood subbase and lay the cementboard over the plywood with the edges flush. From inside the sink base, trace around the sink cutout with a marker. Remove the underlayment and make the cutout with a jigsaw.

How to Install Granite Tile Countertops 01

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Install Granite Tile Countertops 01

Solid granite countertops are hugely popular in kitchen fashion today, and for good reason: they are beautiful and sturdy and natural. However, they are also expensive and virtually impossible for a do-it your selfer to install. There is a way for an enterprising DIYer to achieve the look and feel of natural granite, but at a fraction of the price: granite tile countertops.

You have two basic product options with granite tile. You can use the standard granite tiles, which consist of field tiles and edge tiles with square edges that are installed just like normal ceramic or porcelain tiles and finished with thin edge tiles to create the nosing; or you can use granite tiles that are installed with front tiles that feature an integral bullnose that better imitates the look of solid granite. Typically, granite tiles fit together more snugly than ceramic tiles to give you the option of grouting with grout that’s the same color as the tiles for a near-seamless finished appearance.

Layout is the most important step on any tile project. If tiles need to be cut to fit, it is best to cut the tiles at the center of the installation or the sets of tiles at both ends. This creates a more uniform look. Granite tile can be installed over laminate countertop (not post-form) if you remove the nosing and backsplash first. The laminate substrate must be in good condition with no peeling or water damage.

Granite tiles are installed in much the same way as ceramic tiles, but the ultranarrow gaps and matching grout mimic the appearance of solid polished granite.

Tools & Materials

5⁄8" exterior grade plywood
1⁄4" tile backer or cementboard
Cementboard screws
Tiles
Tile wet saw with diamond blade
Honing stone
Cordless drill
Circular saw
Jigsaw
Compass
Utility knife
Straightedge
1⁄4" notched trowel
Modified thinset
Unsanded grout
Grout sealer
Stone sealer
Sponge
Bucket
Rubber gloves
Prybar
Carpeted mallet

How to Build a Tile Countertop 10

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Build a Tile Countertop 10

Mix a batch of grout to complement the tile ( keeping in mind that darker grout won’t look dirty as soon as lighter grout). Apply the grout to the grout line areas with a grout float.

Let the grout dry until a light film is created on the countertop surface, then wipe the excess grout off with a
sponge and warm, clean water. See grout manufacturer's instructions on drying tiles and polishing.

Run a bead of clear silicone caulk along the joint between the backsplash and the wall. Install your sink and faucet after the grout has dried ( and before you use the sink, if possible).

Wait at least one week and then seal the grout lines with a penetrating grout sealer. This is important to do. Sealing the tiles themselves is not a good idea unless you are using unglazed tiles ( a poor choice for countertops, however).

How to Build a Tile Countertop 09

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Build a Tile Countertop 09

Variation: To mark border tiles for cutting, allow space for the backsplash tiles, grout, and mortar by placing a tile against the back wall. Set another tile (A) on top of the last full tile in the field, then place a third tile (B) over tile (A) and hold it against the upright tile. Mark and cut tile (A) and install it with the cut edge toward the wall. Finish filling in your field tiles.

To create a support ledge for the edge tiles, prop pieces of 2 × 4 underneath the front edge of the substrate
overhang using wood scraps to prop the ledge tightly up against the substrate.

Apply a thick layer of thin set to the backside of the edge tile with your trowel. This is called “buttering” and it is easier and neater than attempting to trowel adhesive onto the countertop edge. Press the tiles into position so they are flush with the leading edges of the field tiles.

Butter each backsplash tile and press it into place, doing your best to keep all of the grout lines aligned.

How to Build a Tile Countertop 08

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Build a Tile Countertop 08

Use a 3⁄8" square notched trowel to apply a layer of thin set adhesive to the cementboard. Apply enough for two or three tiles, starting at one end. Hold the trowel at roughly a 30° angle and try not to overwork the adhesive or remove too much.

Set the first tile into the adhesive. Hold a piece of the edge against the countertop edge as a guide to show you exactly how much the tile should overhang the edge.

Cut all the back tiles for the layout to fit ( you’ll need to remove about 1" of a 13 × 13" tile) before you begin the actual installation. Set the back tiles into the thin set, maintaining the gap for grout lines created by the small spacer nubs cast into the tiles. If your tiles have no spacer nubs, see the option.

Option: To maintain even grout lines, some beginning tilers insert plus-sign-shaped plastic spacers at the joints. This is less likely to be useful with large tiles like those shown here, but it is effective. Many tiles today feature built-in spacing lugs, so the spacers are of no use. Make sure to remove the spacers before the thin set sets. If you leave them in place they will corrupt your grout lines.

How to Build a Tile Countertop 07

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Build a Tile Countertop 07

Dry-fit tiles on the countertop to find the layout that works best. Once the layout is established, make marks along the vertical and horizontal rows. Draw reference lines through the marks and use a framing square to make sure the lines are perpendicular.

Variation: Small Floor Tiles & Bullnose Edging

Lay out tiles and spacers in a dry run. Adjust the starting lines, if necessary. If using battens, lay the field tile flush with the battens, then apply the edge tile. Otherwise, install the edging first. If the countertop has an inside corner, start there by installing a ready-made inside corner or by cutting a 45° miter in the edge tile to make your own inside corner.

Place the first row of field tile against the edge tile, separating the tile with spacers. Lay out the remaining rows of tile. Adjust the starting lines if necessary to create a layout using the smallest number of cut tiles.

How to Build a Tile Countertop 06

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Build a Tile Countertop 06

Fill all the gaps and cover all of the tape with a layer of thinset mortar. Feather out the mortar with a drywall knife to create a smooth, flat surface.

Determine the required width of the edge tiles. Lay a field tile onto the tile base so it overhangs the front edge by 1⁄2". Hold a metal rule up to the underside of the tile and measure the distance from it to the bottom of the subbase. The edge tiles should be cut to this width (the gap for the grout line causes the edge tile to extend the subbase that conceals it completely).

Cut your edge tiles to the determined width using a tile saw. It’s worth renting a quality wet saw for tile if you don’t own one. Floor tile is thick and difficult to cut with a hand cutter (especially porcelain tiles).

Cut tiles for the backsplash. The backsplash tiles (31⁄2" wide in our project) should be cut with a factory edge on each tile that will be oriented upward when they’re installed. You can make efficient use of your tiles by cutting edge tiles from the center area of the tiles you cut to make the backsplash.

How to Build a Tile Countertop 05

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : How to Build a Tile Countertop 05

Option: Cut cementboard using a straightedge and utility knife or a cementboard cutter with a carbide tip. Hold the straightedge along the cutting line, and score the board several times with the knife. Bend the piece backward to break it along the scored line. Back-cut to finish.

Lay the 4-mil plastic moisture barrier over the plywood substrate, draping it over the edges. Tack it in place with a few staples. Overlap seams in the plastic by 6", and seal them with packing tape.

Lay the cementboard pieces rough-side up on the plywood and attach them with cementboard screws driven every 6". Drill pilot holes using a masonry bit, and make sure all screw heads are flush with the surface. Wrap the countertop edges with 11⁄4"-wide cementboard strips, and attach them to the core with cementboard screws.

Tape all cementboard joints with fiberglass mesh tape. Apply three layers of tape along the front edge where the horizontal cementboard sheets meet the cementboard edging.