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Back buttering recommend on 4x12 ceramic tiles
- Thread starter branimal
- Start date
Notgrownup
Well-known member
I would. But some smarter *** than me will come along...
Shiftless
Well-known member
I’m not a pro but I’ve done a few shower surrounds and bathroom floors on my own home and with relatives.
I always back butter but I’m concerned with your statement that you spent so long setting the tiles. 4 1/2 minutes per tile? You used spacers, right?
It’s OK to be careful and methodical ‘cause you only get one chance to get them in the right place. But your thinset will only stay useable for a relatively short time. How many batches did you have to mix during the time you were setting those tiles?
One time I was working with a relative who was overly fussy with placement which meant he worked too slowly and let the thinset skin over on the wall before getting the next tile up and in place. The result was that the next day several tiles had fallen off on their own and several more could be pulled off the wall with your fingers.
That whole section had to be completely redone. That guy didn’t set any more tile with me.
I always back butter but I’m concerned with your statement that you spent so long setting the tiles. 4 1/2 minutes per tile? You used spacers, right?
It’s OK to be careful and methodical ‘cause you only get one chance to get them in the right place. But your thinset will only stay useable for a relatively short time. How many batches did you have to mix during the time you were setting those tiles?
One time I was working with a relative who was overly fussy with placement which meant he worked too slowly and let the thinset skin over on the wall before getting the next tile up and in place. The result was that the next day several tiles had fallen off on their own and several more could be pulled off the wall with your fingers.
That whole section had to be completely redone. That guy didn’t set any more tile with me.
Last edited:
Shiftless; said:I’m not a pro but I’ve done a few shower surrounds and bathroom floors on my own home and with relatives.
I always back butter but I’m concerned with your statement that you spent so long setting the tiles. 4 1/2 minutes per tile?
It’s OK to be careful and methodical ‘cause you only get one chance to get them in the right place. But your quickset will only stay useable for a relatively short time. How many batches did you have to mix during the time you were setting those tiles?
One time I was working with a relative who was overly fussy with placement which meant he worked too slowly and let the thin set skin over in the wall before getting the next tile up and in place. The result was that the next day several tiles had fallen off on their own and several more could be pulled off the wall with your fingers.
That whole section had to be completely redone. That guy didn’t set any more tile with me.
I took me three batches of about 8-10lbs of thinset each. I’m including mixing and tool cleanup time in my calc. The mapei thinset has a working time of 2 hours FWIR.
I’m being methodical using a laser to make sure the tiles are horizontally level and the 1/3 offset pattern is maintained vertically.
I spread out only enough thinset for one row at a time.
I’m in the camp of only getting one crack to get it right.
Just trying to figure out how to move a little quicker.
Shiftless
Well-known member
If you use spacers, you don’t have to use a laser for each row. Once you get the bottom row in to your satisfaction, just use spacers to build upward.
Are the tiles solid color or veined or ??? If they are not all identical, it helps to lay them out on a floor ahead of time so that when the mud is fresh you can go-go-go.
Remember...
“Spread only as much mortar as can be tiled before the product skins over. Open time can vary with jobsite conditions.“
Are the tiles solid color or veined or ??? If they are not all identical, it helps to lay them out on a floor ahead of time so that when the mud is fresh you can go-go-go.
Remember...
“Spread only as much mortar as can be tiled before the product skins over. Open time can vary with jobsite conditions.“
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
Are you using a 2x4 or something similar to tap on to help set your tile? Make sure to scrape out excess thinset in grout lines to allow for grout.
rsanter
Well-known member
Have an assistant back butter for you....
madison069
Well-known member
Have an assistant back butter for you....
That's a big time saver, also spacers that also levels the tiles are a time saver tool. I did 440 sqft of 6x36 tiles and one half I didn't use the leveling spacers and damn if there was lippage regardless of how much time I spent on making sure it was level. The other half I used the levelers spacers and it went really quicker and no lippage when done!
dutchgray
Well-known member
If you are back buttering, you can mark the vertical joints with a level and permanent marker once you do the first course of each stagger in the pattern, then you can quickly line the tiles up as you go without stopping to check or move lasers around.
strutaeng
Well-known member
I'm no expert. I did 10x20 or something like that on my shower and didn't back butter. It's been about 5 years and no cracks or problems. Just make sure you are using the cementitious thinset. Not the premixed white one.
I did use 4x12 on my kitchen backsplash with the premixed white thinset, but didn't back butter either.
Actually, I'm in the middle of installing a ton of 12x24 floor tile on an addition, but using that trowel with the huge notches. It yields something like 35 sq ft per bag of mortar! I'm not back buttering. Only back buttering if I need extra material to level one tile to the next. I watched a few videos on this guy on YT. Sal something. He has all kinds of useful information on tile.
I did back butter on floor tile on the restroom, but that was slate and that stuff is so uneven in thickness.
I did use 4x12 on my kitchen backsplash with the premixed white thinset, but didn't back butter either.
Actually, I'm in the middle of installing a ton of 12x24 floor tile on an addition, but using that trowel with the huge notches. It yields something like 35 sq ft per bag of mortar! I'm not back buttering. Only back buttering if I need extra material to level one tile to the next. I watched a few videos on this guy on YT. Sal something. He has all kinds of useful information on tile.
I did back butter on floor tile on the restroom, but that was slate and that stuff is so uneven in thickness.