How to Tile a Ceramic Wall

To create a beautiful, long-lasting tiled wall in your kitchen, such as a backsplash or above a shower in a bathroom, the process is fun and simple. A double-sided tile-setting mat makes the project a snap: Clean the wall, stick on the mat, stick on the tiles, apply grout and sealer, and you're done!

Things You'll Need

• Ceramic wall tiles
• SimpleMat
• Tile spacers
• Premixed grout
• Rubber grout float
• Disposable gloves
• Cheesecloth
• Tile sealer
• Tile cutter if not using tiles with mesh backing (use scissors to cut mesh)

Instructions

Preparation

1. Measure the area to be tiled in square feet.

2. Buy enough SimpleMat to cover your work area. SimpleMat is a double-sided sticky pad for tile-setting. It can be purchased at home stores and contains 10 square feet per package. Buy wall tiles of your choice: ceramic, porcelain, glass or stone tile. Mosaic tile with an open mesh backing offers different shapes and sizes on one sheet. (Use scissors to cut mesh or tile cutter to cut larger tiles.)

3. Prepare the wall surface by wiping it clean with a mild detergent and a clean damp sponge. No dirt, dust, grease, or debris should remain on the wall. Allow the wall to dry. The wall surface can be existing tile, painted or wallpapered drywall, ceramic or plaster, but it must be even and stable (not flaky, peeling or pitted).

Apply SimpleMat and wall tile

1. Remove SimpleMat backing only and place it on a wall area to be tiled. (Before removing backing, use scissors to cut out around light switches, etc.) Press firmly into place with a grout float.

2. Clean the back of your tiles with a clean, damp sponge to remove dust. When the tile is dry, remove the protective film off the front of the SimpleMat. Lightly place the tiles into place using tile spacers (small white rubber space holders between tiles in shape of plus signs). If the tile is uneven, pull off and lightly re-apply.

3. When the tiles are evenly in place, press them down firmly with the grout float to permanently attach tiles to wall.

Apply grout

1. Have a clean sponge and water available for cleanup.

2. Apply premixed grout to the surface of the tiles with a grout float held at a 45-degree angle to the tiles. Force the grout mixture firmly in between the tiles and into the joints. Completely fill the tile joints with grout.

3. Immediately begin cleaning the grout off the tile faces, further shaping the grout into the tile joints. Lightly but thoroughly clean excess grout off tile surfaces with clean, damp sponge.

4. Wait three to four hours for grout to set and harden. Then clean the grout haze off the tile surface by hand-buffing with a clean, dry cheesecloth. Wait 72 hours for grout to dry and cure.

5. Apply tile and grout sealer to the surface of clean, dry tiles to protect the tile surface and grout from stains, mildew and mold. Apply sealer with a clean sponge. The sealer will dry within one to two hours.

Tips & Warnings

• Simplemat is a strong, epoxy-based adhesive that works best on smaller surface areas such as a kitchen backsplash or in a bathroom above a shower. To install ceramic tile over the entire surface of wall from ceiling to floor, traditional thinset mortar will provide a stronger bond because of the increased weight of tiles installed over a larger area.

• Do not use latex gloves if you are allergic to latex.

References

• How to use Simplemat to install wall tiles

Resources

• Install ceramic tile in bath
• Kitchen backsplash design
• Backsplashes and countertops