# Tile on the Ceiling



## orson (Nov 23, 2007)

I'm doing a shower in my house and I'm tiling a small section of ceiling. 

Any special tips or tricks for tile on the ceiling?


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

How big are the tiles orson?


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## mhillc (Apr 5, 2009)

orson said:


> I'm doing a shower in my house and I'm tiling a small section of ceiling.
> 
> Any special tips or tricks for tile on the ceiling?


 TIP-use very,very,very,very good adhesive or you'll know it


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## orson (Nov 23, 2007)

The tiles are 18x18 travertine but there is a fan unit in the middle of the aprox 3x3 foot ceiling area, so they'll be cut down, probably 8x18 max but I can make them smaller if that is wise.


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## Gitrdone (Jan 17, 2009)

Wear a hard hat if you have one. Mapei Premium Lightweight Tile Mortar is a good product for walls/ceiling.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

orson said:


> The tiles are 18x18 travertine but there is a fan unit in the middle of the aprox 3x3 foot ceiling area, so they'll be cut down, probably 8x18 max but I can make them smaller if that is wise.


You'll likely want to build some temporary cross braces under the tiles until they set--given they're going to be fairly heavy.

A peanut butter consistency thinset (latex mod) will hold smaller tiles on the ceiling just fine but for heavier stuff like what you have, you need to provide some support until they set up.

Make sure your backer is screwed and glued really well. Usually if I'm tiling the ceiling, I'll go up the walls and leave the top row out and then transfer my grout lines up to do the ceiling.

If I have to brace, I cut it from thin stock to bridge wall to wall (a little fat so it springs and holds itself up.) For bigger/heavier tile I might use two strips of bracing for each row of tile. If I'm working alone, without an extra pair of hands--I'll hold the bracing down a tad so I can slide the tiles in, and then slip shims in there between the brace and the tile once I have it in place. Other wise, I'll try to set a whole row and the press the bracing up tight to the tile.

Once the ceiling sets up--then go back and set the top row of wall tile.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

Bracing is not at all necessary, and you don't need to cut the tile down.

Make sure the ceiling substrate is fastened very well, extra screws won't hurt. Mix your thinset on the stiff side, flat trowel the ceiling, spread the thinset onto the back of the tile with your notched trowel using at least a 1/4 x 3/8 x 1/4 square notched trowel. I like to use a 1/2 x 1/2 square notch. Push the tile onto the ceiling reeeeal good, it'll stay.

The biggest reason tile won't stay on a ceiling is thinset mixed too loose.

Since this is travertine, you want to make sure there is no manufacturing residue left on the backs of the tile (dust). It wouldn't be a bad idea to wipe the backs of the tile and allow them to dry.

Here's a recent ceiling I did using 18" porcelain tile, no bracing was used. 
I thought I had a better shot of the ceiling, but you get the idea.

*edit*
I didn't realize this thread was over a week old, your ceiling is probably already tiled Orson. How did it go?


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

HS345 said:


> Bracing is not at all necessary, and you don't need to cut the tile down.
> 
> Make sure the ceiling substrate is fastened very well, extra screws won't hurt. Mix your thinset on the stiff side, flat trowel the ceiling, spread the thinset onto the back of the tile with your notched trowel using at least a 1/4 x 3/8 x 1/4 square notched trowel. I like to use a 1/2 x 1/2 square notch. Push the tile onto the ceiling reeeeal good, it'll stay.
> 
> ...


Was there some other detail outside of this bottom picture that did'nt allow you to line up the tile lines in that inside corner? Looks to be a wall that will be most visable due to shower heads being right there....but i'm assuming there must be a more important detail in the corner we cant see??


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

The lines are lined up in the inside corner, it's just difficult to see in that pic. If you look closely you can see 'em.


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

:thumbsup:

After you pointed that out i could juuust make it out when i looked at original:thumbup::laughing:


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## Floordude (Aug 30, 2007)

If you don't feel safe doing it without support of some kind for piece of mind, buy a lot of 1x2's and make it look like a forest in there. Cut a little long, you can easily bow a 1x2 to make sure it is supporting the tiles.:thumbup:


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## gumba (Sep 8, 2007)

*Use the Proper Mortar*

I always used a white modified thinset with an accellerant in or add to the mortar. The better products will setup with 3 to 5 minutes. Normal hand held pressure every minute will insure the desired bond coverage to the ceiling:whistling before the accellerant has kicked in during this 5 minute period of time.


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## MattCoops (Apr 7, 2006)

I use a non-sag thinset with a splash of addmix and a touch of baking soda in it.


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## Repsol_AL (Apr 4, 2008)

Just in the process of tiling a bathroom and tiled the ceiling of tub area
yesterday, used versabond with 12 x 12 porcelain and they stuck well over kerdi , no bracing required


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## orson (Nov 23, 2007)

Thanks for all the responses guys.

Due to time constraints I ended up subbing the shower tile. I left it up to him how he wanted to do the ceiling(this was not a customer job, but in a house I moved out of when I got married and we are now selling). 

He chose to use 4x4's on the ceiling.

I'll be armed and dangerous with knowledge for the future.:thumbsup:

PS- one idea that occured to me: we use a lot of zipwall poles, I could have used them to brace the ceiling tiles off the floor with a little spring tension.


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## kevjob (Aug 14, 2006)

no need for bracing I have done 18x18 on kerdi with kerabond and water and had no problems.


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## 808tileguy (Jan 29, 2010)

MattCoops said:


> I use a non-sag thinset with a splash of addmix and a touch of baking soda in it.


The baking soda is so the thin set goes off faster ?


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

My method is to skimcoat the ceiling with thinset the day before I set. The skimcoat sucks some of the water out of the setting coat which causes greater adhesion.


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## Creter (Oct 13, 2009)

ARDEX X 7 Plus

:thumbsup:


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## rotarex (Mar 31, 2008)

Some of the most handyman advice given here lmao. 

You can do this method with any adhesive but easier with a better one 
I use Mapi ......forgot the name 

But put thinset on the ceiling but swirl the cement so it forms a circle 

Back butter tile 

Stick to top 

And done. 

Reason for the swirl is for suction.

I use rubi tile level kit and your nice and smooth


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