Installing Tile On Concrete Walls

Installing tile directly on concrete.

Installing tile on concrete walls.

Spread a smooth layer of thinset on the back of the first tile and press it firmly into the notched layer on the wall. Seal the wall surface with a tile mastic compatible. Check the tile for plumb and level then proceed to the next tile. Laying down tiles on a concrete wall is not much different than laying tiles on drywall.

Yet this application does make sense since concrete is heavy solid and is typically thought of as an unbending uncompromising material. Whenever you re laying tile on a wood subfloor you need to first install cement backerboard to prevent leaks and water damage. Clean the wall surface thoroughly removing all loose and granular materials to give a sound surface. Spread the adhesive on small surfaces to avoid getting it dried use a level to check the quality of your work rent a wet saw to cut the tiles accurately.

Let the cleaned wall dry. Installation tips the standard thickness of floor grade cement tiles is usually 5 8 16mm up to 3 4 18mm for larger format tiles. Apply even pressure to force the air out of the thinset and to make firm contact between the layer of thinset on the tile and the layer on the wall. Generally ceramic porcelain or stone tile can be installed in exterior locations over suitable substrates such as masonry concrete mortar beds and in some cases certain types of backer board units.

Remember to add in the thickness of the thinset mortar you use to lay the tile. Ceramic and porcelain tile are so frequently installed at or above grade level on a cement board underlayment or directly on plywood that it almost seems novel to install tile directly on concrete. Never install new tiles over existing tiles or onto an unprotected wood or plywood floor. These substrates must be structurally sound meet deflection requirements and meet on plane requirements.

The ceramic tile installation procedure illustrated in the photographs that follow involved the following steps. Unlike wood or drywall sub surfaces cement backerboard will not rot warp or grow mold and mildew when exposed to water. You may install the tiles on the surface directly without the need for cement boards. There is no need to install backer board on a concrete substrate ceramic tile can be applied right over concrete provided the surface is flat smooth and free of significant cracks.

For highly wet areas such as showers and bathtub surrounds cement board typically is attached directly over the wall studs and the studs may be.