Laying Slate Tile On Walls

Installing slate over concrete is a project anyone can complete but preparation is important.

Laying slate tile on walls.

It is usually a good idea to have 20 percent extra so you will have enough tile on hand in the future to fix and replace any tiles that break. Then use a damp sponge to wet each tile before you lay it on the mortar. Slate tiles differ slightly from other stone tile installations in that they require a wet mortar bed made of a mixture of portland cement and sand rather than standard thinset mortars. Make sure you have at least 10 percent extra tile for cuts and waste.

A slate wall tile is a natural durable long lasting and affordable material which is able to add a stylish and distinctive appearance to your wall. Apply a layer of adhesive on the underside of each tile and place the first tile below your horizontal reference line to the side of the vertical reference line. Start by tiling the bottom half of the bathroom walls. Measure the tile to account for a one eighth inch 0 3 cm grout space along the wall.

Figure a and figure b are typical examples of exterior wall tiling. Installing slate wall tiles is not a daunting task but definitely requires some effort and diligence. Cut tiles to fit around the edges of the room. You can cut slate tile with a diamond blade wet saw grinder or hacksaw with an abrasive blade.

Do not mix more than you are likely to use in 30 minutes. In addition your layout could use a variety of different sizes. On a vertical surface you generally won t want to go larger than 12 x 12 inch tiles. Figure a represents tile installed over a mortar bed fastened to masonry or concrete while figure b is tile bonded directly over masonry or concrete.

Tile can be laid out straight or set on a diagonal. Maintain a 45 degree angle on the trowel when spreading the adhesive to produce a smooth even and consistent coat. Mix the slate adhesive according to the packing instructions. To help illustrate how to install wall tile outdoors we ve included the diagram below.

Be careful if you re spreading enough mortar for more than one tile because you don t want the mortar to dry out. Installing tile on exterior walls. Slate tiles are available in a variety of different sizes including 2 inch 4 inch 6 inch 12 inch 16 inch and 24 inch squares.