After all the penalty for poorly installed wall tile is a lifetime of having to look at the stuff.
How do you lay tile on a wall.
So let s look at the basics of wall tile installation that will make everything go a lot smoother less frustrating and less costly.
A straight edge or level can help you keep the tile even.
If existing tiles are beyond repair remove the tile and.
Your starting point depends on the most viewable area of the wall.
Be sure to put spacers between each tile as you go.
However wall tile installation has its own set of rules that you dare break at your own risk.
To do so make sure all of the tiles are intact and secure.
If you re working with an existing tile wall you have two choices.
Repair any loose or cracked tiles.
Wipe them clean if needed.
Work your way outward and upward from there.
Use long sweeping motions to apply mortar to the wall and start placing your tiles in the marked locations.
Do not allow the thin set to skim over or start drying as you go.
Dry fit the first row of tiles starting at the center and working your way to the ends of the wall.
Or fill the gap with grout.
Remove the tile and prepare the wall according to the corresponding instructions above or tile over the existing tile.
You may need to cut tiles to properly fill your backsplash area.
You want the tiles at both row ends to be approximately the same size so you may have to.
Use a chisel and hammer if you need to remove existing tiles.
Use a small thin trowel to remove a small amount around the edges of your tiles as you go.
To finish the tile installation project you can lay the final row of tile at the bottom of the wall.
If it does remove it and apply a new layer of thin set.
To install ceramic wall tile use a level and measuring tape to mark the tile locations on the wall with chalk.
Put on a pair of safety goggles before you start removing the tile then place the chisel at a 45 degree angle between the tiles and hit the end of the chisel with the hammer to separate the tiles from the wall.
Once you have finished installing the wall tile you can install the floor tiles all the way to the wall and underneath the space savers.
As you lay each tile check them for dirt or dust.
And after installing the floor tile you can install that final or first row of wall tile.
Deciding whether to tile shower floor or walls first in your bathroom.
Some like to use a ledger or other space saver to indicate where your missing row should be.
Find the center of your wall and use a carpenter s level to mark intersecting plumb vertical and level horizontal lines.