Ceramic tile can add a distinctive touch to interior walls.
"Gypsum wallboard" is another term for drywall, which is the most common material used for interior walls today. If you're installing wall tiles in a shower or bath area, you should have cement board installed in place of, or over, the gypsum, but in "dry'' areas of the house, gypsum is fine as a backing, as long as it's smooth, solid and clean. A light sanding beforehand will ensure there's no gloss or grime to interfere with the adhesion of the tile.
Instructions
1. Go over the gypsum wall with your vibrating sander, lightly, to take off any gloss or grime. Brush off the dust with a broom.
2. Measure from the floor up the wall by the height of a tile plus ¼ inch. Make a horizontal line over the base of the wall at that height, with your level and pencil.
3. Measure and mark the middle of that line. Make a vertical line from top to bottom of the wall.
4. Use your trowel to apply tile adhesive over the bottom of the wall, from the floor up to the horizontal line.
5. Press ceramic wall tiles under the horizontal line, starting at the middle vertical line. Work your way out from the middle toward the sides, keeping the tiles lined up under the horizontal line. Put spacers between the tiles as you hang them. There will be a ¼-inch space between the tiles and the floor.
6. Use a tile cutter to cut the tiles at the two ends of the rows, as needed.
7. Apply more adhesive on the wall above the bottom course, and press in the next course above it, again starting at the middle and working to the sides. Repeat, building up the wall course by course until it's covered.
8. Let the adhesive dry for 12 hours. Remove the spacers.
9. Grout the wall, spreading grout from the top down with a grout float. Press it into the spaces between the tiles. Wipe up the excess grout with a damp sponge.
Related posts
Tile Over GreenboardGreenboard is the generic name given to a form of drywall that’s manufactured to be moisture-resistant. Although it does stand up to moisture in the air better than regular dry...
In terms of suitability for hanging tiles, drywall isn't perfect, but is often workable. It's smoother and flatter than plaster, which is good. But it's not waterproof like wetrock or cement board...
Replacing old tile with new can be a do-it-yourself project.Putting ceramic tile around a bathtub is one of the easiest tile installation jobs a homeowner can tackle. The surface around the tub sh...
Drywall isn't generally recommended as a backing for tile. This is mostly because the drywall can flex somewhat and put stress on the tiled area. However, if you're planning to install ceramic til...
Ceramic tiled floorCeramic tile, due to its ability to conduct and retain heat, is an excellent choice for installation on a radiant-heated floor. It is wonderful to step out of bed on a cold fros...
