wrote in message
ups.com...
I will be installing a stone tile backsplash and am wondering if
someone can give me advice about appropriate backing for the tiles.
The tiles are 6"x 6" (limestone, I believe, though I could be wrong
about that), weigh approximately 5 pounds / square foot, and the walls
are drywall painted with latex paint. Would a thinset or mastic (or
something else) be the more appropriate bonding agent to the wall? If
thinset, is there any need to back it with wire lath and a scratch/bond
coat given the weight of the tile? Also, do people have
recommendations of particular brands of thinset or mastic?

Thanks!


Backsplashes are light duty areas (rarely touched and never walked on) so
Mastic on Drywall would likely work just fine. We're only talking what 2 or
3 rows of tile for 10-15 linear feet.

If you are tiling a larger wall say behind the range, upgrading the wall to
cement board might be a good idea or put the tile on a sheet of plywood and
hang that on the wall like a big heavy picture. If not, the grout lines may
be fragile.

Thinset is used on harder substrates like cement board or at least a decent
piece of plywood. You would need to rework the wall but then it would stand
up to a full on bar brawl.

Use a penetrating sealer on the limestone, Color enhancing sealer will bring
out the fossils (if it has them) better but will darken the overall stone.
Lots of tile shops have an open bottle to try on your sample.