How to Tile a Bathroom Countertop

The process of tiling a bathroom countertop uses many of the same principles used to tile over a wood floor or over drywall. And tiling a countertop is much less expensive than having a custom countertop made of stone or solid surface materials. The types of tile that can be used are ceramic, porcelain, granite, marble, travertine and more. Use your imagination to come up with a really cool design for your countertop and enjoy the beauty of it for years to come.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/4 inch Cement Backerboard CustomBlend Thinset 1/4 x 1/4 x 1/4 Thinset Trowel 2 inch Backerboard Tape Latex Modified thinset 1 1/4 inch Backerboard Screws Tile Spacers Grout Grout Float High-Quality Penetrating Grout and Tile Sealer

1. Ensure that the countertop is made out of exterior-grade plywood, or its equivalent, and that the cabinets are secure and level.

2. Cut backerboard to size. Do not allow backerboard joints to meet up with plywood joints. Backerboard must span over plywood joints. Leave a 1/8-inch gap between backerboard joints. Make the necessary cutouts for sinks, etc.

3. Mix a batch of modified thinset and spread over the plywood with a 1/4 x 1/4 x 1/4 square notched trowel. This will provide greater support for the backerboard and tile.

4. Fasten the backerboard to the plywood through the thinset layer with 1 1/4 inch backerboard screws every 6 to 8 inches.

5. Apply thinset and fiberglass mesh backerboard tape to each backerboard joint. Use the same method required to tape drywall. Allow the taped thinset to dry.

6. Spread latex modified thinset over the backerboard and apply tile and spacers in the desired pattern. Allow the thinset to dry for 24 hours. Then spread the appropriate grout over the tiles and work the grout into the grout lines. Allow the grout to dry for 15 to 20 minutes, and then begin to clean the grout residue from the tile faces. Allow the grout to cure for 272 hours before sealing.

7. Apply two to three coats of a high-quality penetrating grout and tile sealer. Allow the sealer to dry completely in between coats.

Tips & Warnings

• Applying a sealer to the grout before the grout is fully cured could cause permanent damage to the grout.