Installing Ceramic Tile

[Byron Trantham]

I installed some ceramic tile at the base of a walk in shower. The tile are installed over ceramic tile to act as a finish edge. I used mastic to glue them on. Well they came off! To install them I caulked the top and bottom edge and grouted the vertical seams. Apparently water got behind the outer tiles and softened the mastic. I'm really not sure how except that I must have used the wrong product to attach the tiles. What should I use to attach tile to tile and be water proof?

[Todd Burch]

Yep, wrong mastic. Try Versabond. Available @ Home Depot.

[Byron Trantham]

Yep, wrong mastic. Try Versabond. Available @ Home Depot.

Hi stranger. Thanks. This shower has been a source on going aggravation for the last 3-4 years. I thought I finally got it together and then I noticed a small split in the caulk at the top of the tile. I thought, well heck I'll just re-caulk it. I started to apply the caulk and the darned tile fell off the wall! The whole string of tiles along the bottom came off. The good news is was easy to clean up! Well I'm off to see the Wizard, er go to HD.

[Loy Hawes]

If its not too late make sure you get a modified thinset. Modified means it has acrylic added to it which will help the bond. You can also add acrylic to an un- modified thinset yourself.

Make sure the existing tiles you are bonding too are clean.