How to Install Tile With a Metal Lathe
- 1). Clean the subsurface with a cleanser that's formulated for the surface type. Use a sponge for smaller areas or a rope mop for floors. Use a scrub brush if you encounter any difficult removing dirt or debris. Rinse the surface with clean water, and then wait about four hours to allow the surface to dry.
- 2). Cover the surface with roofing felt, overlapping about 4 four inches at the seams. Cut the felt to fit with a utility knife. Staple the felt into place, positioning a staple every five inches.
- 3). Cover the felt with 2-by-2-inch metal lathe. Use a pair of tin snips to cut the lathe to fit the surface, and overlap any seams by two inches. Staple the mesh in place as well using the five-inch separation used for the felt.
- 4). Create a mortar mix for a mortar bed to hold the tiles. Mix five parts sand, dampened in water, with one part Portland cement in a large bucket with an electric drill and mixing bit. Add water until the mix has a peanut butter-like consistency. Spread the mortar over the lathe, pressing firmly onto the surface to press the mortar through the holes in the lathe and onto the felt below. Use a trowel to create a smooth even layer, about 3/4-inch thick. Wait 24 hours for the mortar to dry.
- 5). Plan out the tile placement over the mortar bed. Mix a second batch of mortar and then spread it across the mortar bed in a layer about 1/4-inch thick with a notched trowel. Keep the depth even. Tilt the trowel onto its side, angled at about 45 degrees, and draw the notches through the mortar to leave lines in the material. Only spread as much mortar as you feel you can cover in 30 minutes to avoid having the material begin to cure before you've placed your tiles.
- 6). Place the tiles onto the mortar. Place tile spacers between tiles placed next to one another to keep a uniform look in spacing and rows. Work in small sections, placing about four or five square feet of tiles before moving onto the next section. Place a carpenter's level across adjacent tile rows to check that the tiles sit level on the surface. Press down high tile points and add mortar to the corners of those tiles riding low. Allow the mortar 24 hours drying time after tile placement.
- 7). Remove the tile spacers. Spread grout into the joints using a grout float. Use the float to brush the grout over the tops of the tiles and into the joints until you fill them with the grout material. Wipe off excess grout from the tile tops with a sponge within 15 minutes. Wait two hours and then wipe the tiles with a clean cloth to prevent the remaining grout from drying into grout haze. Wait seven days for the mortar to complete the curing process.
- 8). Cover the tile and grout with a tile and grout sealant. Use a brush to apply the sealant evenly over all of the tiled surface. Wait 48 hours and then use the tiled surface as desired.