I am getting ready to do a tile backsplash in my kitchen. The walls are sheetrock, primed and painted. The tiles are 4×4. What is the best material to adhere the tiles to the wall? I have heard of people using thinset and others using mastic. Each person claims their method is the best. I need some additional opinions on the best method, not necessarily the fastest or cheapest.
Gene
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Replies
Mastic / Epoxy , unsanded grout
As a tile guy, I will tell you that if the location is not wet, mastic is fine. It will never cure, e.g., get hard.
It the location is wet, use backerboard and thinset.
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
in a kitchen? i agree with jhole, done lots of them
and the grout? use unsanded, its a lot less messy
caulking is not a piece of trim
Unsanded in joints of more than about a sixteenth will shrink. Sanded grout is stronger, shrinks less, has more color selections, and will last longer and be more stain resistant. But I always use unsanded in joints less than a sixteenth, however.
Regards,
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934