Sheetrock is a perfectly acceptable backing for wall tiles, provided a few conditions are met. You shouldn't hang tiles on sheetrock in a bathroom. (Moisture issues in a bathroom make it necessary to use cementboard in the shower and bath area, and water-resistant "greenrock'' everywhere else.) In rooms that won't get a lot of moisture, the sheetrock should be smooth, solid and free of grime, dirt or high spots. A layer of flat sealing primer over the surface will ensure that you're starting with an unobstructed, no-gloss surface.
Instructions
1. Apply a thin layer of flat sealing primer over the sheetrock, using your brushes for the edges and your roller for the main wall. Cover it completely. Let it dry overnight.
2. Use your tape measure, level and pencil the draw a vertical line at the center of the sheetrock wall.
3. Spread tile adhesive over a few square feet at the bottom of the wall, in the middle, so it's on both sides of the line.
4. Press your first tiles into place on either side of the line, allowing the spacing nubs between them to provide the proper space. Build out and up from there, spreading more tile adhesive as needed. Do the whole wall, cutting the end tiles as necessary.
5. Let the tiles set overnight.
6. Grout the wall starting at the top, applying the grout with a grout float and spreading it across a roughly 4 to 6-square-foot area, pressing it into the lines between the tiles and squeezing it off the tile face.
7. Let the grout sit in the lines for 10 minutes, then wipe it down with a damp sponge. Let it cure for two days before resuming use of the area.
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