A Ceramic Tile Countertop and Backsplash

Countertop Installation

t i l e s h o p. c o m

Coutnertop Installation

Be sure the vanity or cabinets you are installing tile onto are clean from debris or other agents.

1. Remove & Clean

4. backerboard Place your measured and cut cement board onto the troweled adhesive. Firmly push down the cement board. Depending on the tile edging of your countertop you will use either 1/4” or 1/2” cement board.

Trim the tape so it is the same length as all of the seams.

7. TRIM

2. plywood Measure and cut a piece of 3/4” plywood to the size of your countertop. Use construction screws to adhere the plywood to your cabinets or vanity.

3. thinset

Don’t forget to cut out sink or other counter openings.

SEE THE HOW TO MIX ADHESIVE GUIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION

5. backer screws

Screw the cement board down to the plywood using Backerboard screws. Screws should be 8” apart throughout the entire board and along the edges.

6. Fiber TaPE Use fiber tape on all of the cement board joints. Firmly press the tape down with your hands.

Using the flat end of the notched trowel, skim over the fiber tape. The thinset should be smooth and just thick enough to cover the tape.

9. plan Measure and draw out your countertops tile design. After you have planned your layout, make all of the tile cuts and dry lay the entire counter so you are sure the layout is perfect.

8. SKIM

ALLOW THE COUNTER SUBSURFACE TO DRY FOR 24 HOURS

Use a 1/4”notched trowel to apply mixed adhesive to the plywood.

SEE THE HOW TO CUT TILE GUIDE FOR MORE CUTTING INFORMATION.

G e t i n spi r e d at t i l e s h o p. c o m

10. thinset Use the proper notched trowel to apply mixed adhesive to the cement board. Work in 10 minute sections. Spread enough thinset for 10 minutes of tile installation.

11. Back Butter Using the flat side of your trowel, apply a layer of thinset to the back of your tile.

SEE THE HOW TO MIX ADHESIVE GUIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Temporarily screw a guide board to underside of your counter lip. Be sure the guide is level and the tiles are flush with the edge of the cement board and plywood.

13. profile guide

Continue the tiling steps on the entire countertop.

Using a caulk gun, apply a liberal amount of construction adhesive to the backside of your tile counter edge.

14. adhesive

OTHER HELPFUL HINTS : -- To minimize tile lippage and uneven tile joints be sure to check the tiles often with your level. All tiles should be level horizontally and vertically.

If the edging needs to be moved up or out a bit use wedges to create perfect alignment.

16.top edges

ALLOW THE TILE TO DRY FOR 24 HOURS. NEXT : GROUT, see the how to grout guide for more information.

Lay the tile into the troweled thinset. Start snug to the last tile, then slide the tile away and push firmly into the thinset. Use spacers to keep the tiles evenly spaced.

12. Set tile

-- If you find that your tiles are not level use suction cups to remove then from the thinset, then add or remove thinset from the high or low areas.

15.SET Starting with the bottom side of the edging, adhere the edging onto the counters raw exposed edge using the guide board as a ledge so that the edge does not slip.

Countertop Installation Checklist

348317 Pro caulk gun

343207 giant sponge

348230 scrub pad

spacers - multiple sizes

347992 steel 48” level

348315 chalk line

348513 nippers

348310 rubber gloves

066880 backer board screws

348309 sucton cup

347969 mixer bar

348312 cement board cutter

348202 rub stone

347990 Triangle square

pro notch trowl - various sizes

347811 6 gallon pails

342845 pro line fiber tape

347995 pro notch margin trowel

347996 pro margin trowel

347953 pro float

347998 pro margin float

utility knife

ceramic tile cutter - rental

026025 construction adhesive