tiling over worktops with gaps

[CraigP]

I've recently fitted my worktops and in some places i have a gap arounnd 8-9mm between the wall and the edge of the worktop. I was going to fill the gap with silicone sealant and level it off to prevent any water going behind back of worktops, is this right ?

secondly tiling above the worktop. which are pretty level. do you put a line of tile adhesive actually on the back of the worktop then put your spacers flat down in then lay the first row of tiles which are 8mm thick or is there a better way, esepcially as in places the tiles will only be about i mm overlapping the worktop due to the gaps mentioned previously ?

 

[denso13]

see //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=79617

 

[Trazor]

Because you have such a large gap, which you should now fill with silicone, I would do the following.

1) Fit your first row of tiles 3 to 4 m/m above your worktop using spacers.
2) Remove as much adhesive as you can from this gap.
3) When you grout do the same again, remove as much grout as you can from the bottom gap.
4) Once the grout has dried, force white silicone into this gap, then smooth to a nice bead.

This will give you very good protection against water getting behind your worktop, much better than grout for this job. And it cleans easier as well.

 

[gcol]

Because you have such a large gap, which you should now fill with silicone, I would do the following.

1) Fit your first row of tiles 3 to 4 m/m above your worktop using spacers.
2) Remove as much adhesive as you can from this gap.
3) When you grout do the same again, remove as much grout as you can from the bottom gap.
4) Once the grout has dried, force white silicone into this gap, then smooth to a nice bead.

This will give you very good protection against water getting behind your worktop, much better than grout for this job. And it cleans easier as well.

I don't want to start this discussion off again, but the spacing of tiles off the worktops has been covered in the thread posted by denso. My view on this is that it's unnecessary for a kitchen and gives you a bigger seal than required.

 

[nellyb]

If the gap between wall and worktop is only 8-9mm and your tile is 8mm, you shouldn't have a problem. Your adhesive should bed the tile out by 2-3mm and as GCOL said, just fit the tile down to level with the worktop, then silicone between what will be a very small gap.