Building a Tile Countertop
Building a tile countertop is a great way to enjoy beautiful counters that are built to last and save a lot of money by doing it yourself. The beginning may feel like a rocky road with many pitfalls and detours to watch out for. If you follow these instructions, you will be on the right path to building a tile countertop for your kitchen or bath that will stand the tests of time. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Plywood
- Cement backer board
- Thinset adhesive
- Grout
- Grout float
- damp cloth or sponge
- Tiles
- Wet saw
- Level
- Shims
- Pencil
- Measuring tape
Instructions
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1
Create a base for the countertop of 3/4-inch thick plywood. The base should be equal to the base cabinet upon which you are building a tile countertop. Top the plywood with 1/2-inch thick cement backer board.
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2
Attach the plywood base to the base cabinets below after testing that the countertop base is level. Use shims, if needed, to level the countertop and attach to 3 inch wide strips of plywood that can also be used to support the weight of the countertop.
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3
Arrange tiles on the dry surface of the countertop to work out where you will place them and which tiles need to be cut. Use spacers to indicate space where the grout will be on the finished product and to help create an accurate representation. Make the location of tiles with a pencil, taking great care to make sure they are square, then remove the tiles.
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4
Spread thinset adhesive in small work area with a trowel. Use spacers and begin placing tiles in the positions that have been previously marked. It is important to place the whole tile pieces first and come back to take care of the cut tile pieces later.
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5
Cut tiles that need to be cut with wet saw. Make sure you use proper protection for your eyes and pay attention to safety at all time while operating the wet saw. Apply the half pieces until the countertop design is complete.
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6
Allow 2 hours for the adhesive to set before moving the excess adhesive and cleaning the tiles---including the spaces between the tiles. Wait 24 hours before moving on.
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7
Remove spacers and then apply grout with float designed for this task. Allow time for the grout to become firm. This generally takes an hour, then wipe with damp cloth to clean the tiles and remove excess grout.
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8
Allow to dry several days then apply sealant to protect the grout and enjoy the satisfaction of building a tile countertop of your very own.
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Tips & Warnings
Choose a darker grout that will not show coffee or tea stains as readily as lighter shades of grout.
