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tile questions for Bill V or others

16 years ago

OK, my tile is ordered, and I'm hoping to get started on the backsplash this weekend. I have been reading all the stuff I can here about tiling, and I think I have a good grasp on how to proceed, but I'm left with a couple of questions. I'm using a tumbled stone- marble or limestone- not sure which.....hope that it doesn't matter.....and glass inserts (Sonoma Tantrum tiles)

So if I have this right.....

lay out my pattern

mount them with modified thinset

(seal first? or put on wall first?)

Seal with something like Stonetech impregnator pro (is this an enhancing seal?)

I think I need to use 1/8" grout lines since my little glass accent tiles are actually a bit bigger than 2" (so they'll have almost NO grout line around them. IS THIS OK??

Grout, being careful to clean it off the surface of the tiles before it dries. (How careful do I need to be on the glass tiles?)

Use siliconized latex at the tile/granite joint

And hopefully that is it......

One other issue is that one of the walls curves with a deflection of about 3/16" at the end. Meaning, laying a straightedge along the wall, there is about 1' of wall at the end that curves a bit and that creates a 3/16" gap at the end. Is this small enough that I can fill it with thinset, or do I need to build the wall up a bit with something else, or can the tiles curve that much and not me noticed? The granite is well scribed to the wall, so there is no more than 1/8" gap from the granite to the wall.

Thanks!!!!!!

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Comments (2)

bill_vincent
16 years ago
(seal first? or put on wall first?)

Either or. It'll go quicker if you seal once they're on the wall. You just have to make sure you put plastic down on the grante, especially if you want to use an enhancer.

Seal with something like Stonetech impregnator pro (is this an enhancing seal?)

Impregnator Pro is only a penetrating sealer. If you want to enhance the stone, use the Enhancer Pro.

I think I need to use 1/8" grout lines since my little glass accent tiles are actually a bit bigger than 2" (so they'll have almost NO grout line around them. IS THIS OK??

You're going to have a tough time with an 1/8" grout joint and tumbled marble. You might want to open that up just a bit to 3/16. That little extra will make a big difference with respect to the sizing of the tile.

Grout, being careful to clean it off the surface of the tiles before it dries. (How careful do I need to be on the glass tiles?)

It should be fine.

do I need to build the wall up a bit with something else,

If there's that much of a hook at the end of the wall, it wouldn't hurt to float the end of the wall with a little thinset before you begin the installation
muscat
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks Bill! So if I go with 3/16 grout lines, then use at least some sanded grout? I read somewhere to use 1 part unsanded to 2 parts sanded if the grout line was > 1/8", and use unsanded only if
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