Fixing tiles flush with the wall

[DJM]

I am updating the downstairs toilet and have discovered the original 1920's floor tiles below the carpet are in not bad condition and we want to keep them. The need a little TLC and I asked about that in another thread. But, to keep the theme I have bought some matt black/white chequer mosaic tile to use as the basin splashback and run a border around the room.

I had a mad idea that it would be a good idea to make this border flush with the plaster which means removing a channel of plaster back to brick. Now the issue is that means the depth brick to plaster would be about 20mm. As the mosaic tiles are very thin that would seem a far too large adhesive bed (and be expensive).

So I was thinking of laying a cement screed or plaster skim of about 10mm to leave an adhesive bed of approx 10mm

So is the idea mad, is there a better way of doing it, or should I forget it and live with the raised tiles around the room?

 

[Qwerty]

You can do that. I can't say I have ever seen it personally. You could use the 'dog tooth' method which works well.

 

[DJM]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the "dog tooth" method

 

[Qwerty]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the "dog tooth" method

Bedding out a mosaic border - https://www.tilersforums.com/threads/bedding-out-a-mosaic-border.68769/

 

[Qwerty]

Basically it's a method of filling a void with adhesive where a border tile will go then making a tool to scrape back the adhesive to the required depth to allow the border to sit flush with the field tiles.

 

[DJM]

Thanks for the explanation.
I had thought that adhesive to the depth I would have to go back too would be wasteful and expensive compared to a small cement screed and less adhesive.

I'll have a look at the actual depth face to brick will be.

 

[Qwerty]

Use tile backerboard strips to pack it out if needs be

 

[Saltire69]

Cut a bit of cement board to fit the hole,fix mosaic to cement board and let dry and then dot an dab full thing to the wall and make it flush.

 

[DJM]

The idea of dot and dab board does seem a good time saver.
Could I use standard plaster board instead as I have plenty of that already

 

[Qwerty]

Yes you could but at that thin a cut it would be very fragile