When a ceramic tile installation
fails, it's rarely because of a
problem with the tile itself. More than
likely it's because the installer used the
wrong setting materials for the job or
didn't follow correct installation procedures.
This article focuses on setting
beds for ceramic tile installations in
wood-frame houses.
In the past, when most tile jobs were
installed over mortar setting beds, the
tile subs used the thick mortar beds to
correct substrates that were out of
plumb or level. But in today's fast-track
thin-bed market, an attractive outcome
depends more on the skill of the
framing carpenter than the tile
installer. You can't expect even the
most highly skilled tile installer to
straighten out a poor substrate