I’ve done some tiling so I know enough to be dangerous, and I read Michael Byrne’s book cover to cover, but I got a couple of specific questions.
Customer has selected a tile for the kitchen island, and it’s 18″ x 24″ pieces. Theory is that it will fit front to back with no joints, and only every 18″ sideways. Any special techniques for tile this large?
The tile for the edge of the counter is not radius bullnose or sink trim or whatever. The back is almost flat, and it applies kinda like chair rail, so nothing rests on the top for support. And it’s a little heavy…a good 2″ high and an inch deep. Obviously it needs temporary support, but other than using a good thinset, is there any other trick?
Do it right, or do it twice.
Replies
I have two suggestions. First, when you trowel the thinset, run all the grooves in one direction, don't swirl them all over like was done in the old days. The reason for this is that, especially with larger tile, the air between the grooves has to go somewhere. If the grooves all run in the same direction the air comes out the two ends. If there are swirls, you can trap a big air bubble under the tile and you won't get it down in complete coverage in the mortar no matter how hard you push.
As for securing border tile, if I understand you right, you are applying it to the vertical face of counter edge? You can successfully hold them in place with masking tape. If you are unsure of your skills and speed, it may be less stressful on you if you set the top tile first then come back later after it has set up and do the trim tile at a more liesurely pace. The top tile won't move around when you apply the masking tape to it to hold up the trim tile if you let it set most of a day or overnight.
Good point on the linear grooves. Don't know if you're right, but it makes sense.
Temporarily holding the edge tiles is not really the question. They actually have a concave back that will hold a good amount of mastic (generic term), but there are ridges at each end that create the cavity and keep them in a flat plane. They are rather heavy and since they don't lip over the top, I wonder if anything special should be done for the long term adhesion. Should I just butter the back and fill the cavity and stick them to the edge? I think the answer is yes, but the tiles I have used before have been much thinner and lighter.
And any suggesstions as to a brand and 'model' of thinset?
Do it right, or do it twice.
Tack a small ledge on the underside of the lip and remove after thinset has dried.
Just remember that most countertops are more like 24 1/2" to 25", to allow for an overhang past the cabinet doors. With the 24" tiles (assuming they're a true 24", and not undersized for grout spacing), you'll have no lip at the front, other than the thickness of the trim. You may want to hold the tiles off the back wall a little to let the backsplash slip behind, which will pull the tiles forward. Also, make sure you build the substrate up high enough to allow the 2" trim to clear the drawers.
Bob
My personal preferance not that that counts to your customer although I've done scores of counter tops in tile is........
A single tile from front to back looks like ones cheaping out rather than a solid surface top like granite.
To me a single tile looks tacky.
What I've always done in this instance which by the way is a whole lot more work but IMHO looks a whole lot better and is still a whole lot less expensive (if thats the motive) than granite or whatever solid surface they might pick if money wasn't an object is to......
Take 18" tile....lay it ina diamond patern and fill in, fronts and rears in half diamond...that almost brings you out 24".
I use a home made bullnose of the same material as the cabs to bring it out to just past my base cab doors..
IMO it looks a whole lot more custom and interesting....but thats just me.
Be well
andy
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I'm not too thrilled about the look that I percieve these tiles will give, because of the lack of sideways joints. Gonna look like they couldn't afford real stone.Do it right, or do it twice.