How To Get Floor Tile to Stick to Walls

LESLIE: Freddy in New York is calling in with help on a flooring – actually, a tiling project. You’re using floor tiles on the walls. How can we help you with this, Freddy?

FREDDY: Oh yeah. My son is installing some tiles on a wall for me. They’re actually floor tiles, so they’re a little bit heavier than wall tiles. But we’re using normal thinset – it’s like the cement that you attach the tile to the wall with – but the tiles seem to be slipping; they’re apparently a bit too heavy. So I was wondering if there’s something you can mix with the thinset or maybe there’s another product …

TOM: Yeah, I think you’re using the wrong product. Thinset usually goes on the floor; tile adhesive is what would go on a vertical surface.

Right, Leslie?

LESLIE: Yeah, which is like a mastic.

TOM: Yeah. There’s actually another option. Now, where are these tile walls? Is this in a bathroom or …?

FREDDY: No, no. It’s in the living room.

TOM: OK.

FREDDY: As a matter of fact, it’s just the sides and on the face of a fireplace.

TOM: Alright. I have a better suggestion for you. There’s a new product out called Bondera – B-o-n-d-e-r-a – and it’s a tile mastic; it’s a tile adhesive but it comes in a sheet, like a roll. And basically, you peel off one side, you apply it to the wall, in your case, and then you peel off the other side and you stick the tiles right on this. It’s like a two-sided adhesive sheet.

LESLIE: And then you can immediately grout, once you get all the tiles on.

TOM: Exactly. No fuss, no muss.

FREDDY: It sounds very easy. Bondera.

LESLIE: Mm-hmm. And I think that’s a Lowe’s product, right? You can get it at Lowe’s?

TOM: Bondera TileMatSet and yes, it’s available at Lowe’s.

FREDDY: Fantastic. Thank you.

TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.