Kitchen Wall Tile

The wall where you are placing your tile should be clean and free of debris. It also needs to be fairly straight. Beyond leveling the surface, the amount of surface preparation necessary will depend on the tile adhesive you use and the amount of abuse that the tiles will receive. The example in the photos for this project is simply drywall with a coat of latex primer. The tile adhesive we used was purchased from a local hardware store, nothing special. Check the mastic's label to make sure that it is compatible with your surface.

Another task you must accomplish is to locate the center of the wall you want to tile. Measure from end to end and make a mark in the center. Use a square to extend this line from the counter top up to where the tile will stop. Now, center a tile on this line and layout an entire course. This will help you make adjustments so that the cuts on the tiles at the end of the course are the same. When placing the tile on the wall, I normally work from the center out. If the area you are tiling is large you might want to use a chalk line to snap a straight line.

For most backsplashes, a wall-grade mastic is generally sufficient. Mastic is nice to work with as it has a longer open time than thinset. Normal wall tile will hold nicely with mastic but some stone tiles need special adhesives. Marble is a good example.

The adhesive goes onto the wall with the notched trowel. I used a trowel w/ 1/4" notches for the job so that the "Corn Rows" would show up. You should probably use one with smaller grooves for 4"x4" tile. When applying the adhesive, use the flat edge to apply a layer of adhesive first. Next, hold the trowel at a 45 degree angle to the wall and "comb" the mastic out. The result should be nice even "corn rows" of adhesive (picture at left). Don't get too far ahead of yourself, only put up as much adhesive on as you can cover in the next several minutes, especially if you have to cut the tile as you go.