Keep Large Tile Flat On Wall

As with floors secure bonding is key to the success of a large format tile wall installation.

Keep large tile flat on wall.

Hang a batten board to prevent tile slippage. To keep grout joints uniform use small plastic spacers between the tiles. For large tiles exhibiting the maximum allowable warpage 50 offsets are guaranteed to exhibit lippage. Use tile spacers if necessary to keep the tile lines straight in the layout.

Substrate preparation for walls and floors that will be tiled with large format materials must be perfectly flat. If this tolerance isn t met lippage can occur. A batten board helps you start your bottom most course or row of tiles. Don t start it at the floor.

Ensure a flat surface. Again the maximum tolerance is 1â 8 inch in 10 feet. A batten board is nothing more than a 1 x4 or 1 x2 board screwed directly into the wall horizontally. Below are three tips to maximize the advantages of large format tile.

The weight of a large format stone tile can cause it to sag or slip during installation on the wall. To address this on a practical basis some manufacturers recommend against any patterns with offsets in excess of 33 if the tile being used has an edge larger than 18 inches. Next press the tiles into place. Having a flat or plumb substrate is also critical.

Spread thinset mortar on the bottom center of the wall. Spread the mortar with the flat edge of the trowel then groove. Press the tile firmly in place making sure it is flat and level. Wall installation lippage can be both a structural and an aesthetic concern.