How to Install Granite Tiles
If you’re looking for a tasteful way to improve your kitchen or bathroom walls, one tactic you can try is installing granite tiles. These are not only eye pleasing and lovely, but are also very durable. It’s easy to install granite tiles as long as you know the right procedure.
What You’ll Need:
Granite tiles
Measuring tape
Screws
Screwdriver
Stud finder
1 /4 inch cement backerboard
Two inch backerboard tape
Drywall-joint-knife
Trowel
Marble and granite thinset
Non-sanded groat
Tile spacers
Sponge
Grout float
Grout and tile sealer
Disposable gloves
Old newspapers
Procedure:
Prepare the wall where you’re installing the granite tile. Remove all the wall installations, decorations and existing hardware. Get all your materials, and cover the flooring with old newspapers. This can turn out messy.
granite tiles
Get a 1/4 inch backerboard and install it over the existing drywall. This will add strength to the wall, especially if the drywall is in good condition. Screw the backerboard in the wall studs, positioning the screw six feet away from each other, going along the stud. If you can see the studs on the wall, though, opt for a 1/2 inch backerboard to cover them. Screw in in place.
Get the thinset and create a small batch that has a thick and sticky peanut butter-like consistency. With your joint knife, spread just a small amount of it along the backerboard joints. Do this one joint at a time. Afterwards, unroll a long piece of the two inch backerboard tape and put it in the thinset. Run the knife over the tape, embedding it in the thinset. Wait for the thinset to dry.
Again, mix some more thinset, the same consistency as before. Use it to cover the wall you’re going to tile. With a margin trowel, load the thinset on the 1/4 x 1/4 x 3/8 inch tiling trowel. Start at the wall’s center, at floor level, and spread the thinset on the backerboard with upward strokes. This prevents the thinset from falling on the floor.
Put two pieces of 1/6 inch tile spacers on the floor, just under each tile. Afterwards, put the granite tiles in the thinset, working in an upwards motion, and going away from the center line in each direction, and in the corners. To make sure that you have a consistent grout spacing in between every tile, use tile spacers.
Measure, then cut the final tile to fit into the last position of every row at the corners. You can use a wet tile saw for this.
Let the thinset dry for a day.
Get the non-sanded grout mix and add water to it, mixing it in a bucket. Just like the thinset, it should have a thick and sticky consistency. Load it onto the grout float using a margin trowel, then spread it over the granite tiles, in upward strokes. Work it in the grout joints properly, so the tile will be supported and the joints will be tightly sealed. Let the grout set for 15 to 20 minutes.
Put warm water into the bucket, then dip a sponge in it. Wring excess water from the sponge, so it’s damp, but not dripping. With this, remove the grout from the surfaces of the tile. You can use one of the sponge’s corner to form the grout lines to their supposed finished quality.
Let the grout stand for 3 days.
Wear disposable gloves and put a high quality grout and tiles sealer over the grout and tile, using another sponge. This gives you superior results, even if they’re expensive. Two to four coats will suffice. Let the sealer dry completely.
Granite tiles will be marvelous when installed on your walls. Keep these steps in mind, and you’ll get to enjoy beautiful granite walls soon.