If you can’t afford marble or granite countertops or don’t like their look, you can always go for tile countertops.

Tile countertops were trendy in the 1970s and 1980s, and now they’re making a big comeback. They add color, pattern, and style to kitchens and bathrooms worldwide.

The beauty of the countertops is that you can install them by yourself without involving a contractor.

Would you love to install these countertops? Here are tips for having a great time with them:

Have a firm base

Even though you can tile over old countertops, starting from scratch is always better. When doing it, ensure that the surface you are installing the countertops is solid, properly primed and you use the right tile adhesive for the material.

Remember that it will be hard to tile over existing countertops with curved edges. You also will most likely have problems with the height.

For a great experience, replace any existing countertops with marine-grade plywood board, followed by a layer of 6mm tile backer board. Ensure that the board is firmly attached to the surface and clean, dry, and free of dust.

Use the right tiles

As you can guess, there is no way you will have a great time with your tile countertops if you are using the wrong tiles.

If this is the first time you install the countertops, you might have the impression that all of them are the same, but this isn’t the case. Two of the most popular tile countertops are ceramic and porcelain.

Porcelain tiles are highly resistant to water and can last for a long time. Most porcelain tiles are nano-sealed when made, keeping their surface protected for longer.

If you can’t find porcelain, ceramic tiles are also a good choice, but you should avoid those that need to be sealed, like natural stone or encaustic, unless you are very careful to seal and reseal them often. ‘

When buying the tiles, go with larger format tiles to cut down on the number of tile joints and cuts.

Work on achieving tidy edges.

Putting tiles on countertops is mostly a matter of using a notched trowel to spread tile adhesive and then pushing each tile down firmly, over and over again.

Usually, the hardest part is making the edges look beautiful and neat.

Once you’ve put down your tiles, you’ll need to finish your countertop’s front and back edges. There are a few ways to do this.

One of the ways is using a silicone sealant is the cheapest solution. You should put a thin layer on the edges to make a clean, waterproof seal.

While you can go with silicone, you should note that it’s not always a great choice, especially if the front edge of the tile is rough.

For a clean look, make a mitered edge by cutting the same tiles into smaller pieces. While this is good, it often takes a long time. The good thing is that it makes clean lines, protects the edges of your tiles, and gives your countertop a smooth, professional look.

Use the right grout

On tiled countertops, you should use a resin-based grout that doesn’t soak up stains and doesn’t let them in. This will help keep bacteria, stains, and water from getting on your countertops.

For the best outcome, ensure the grout is level with the tiles and doesn’t go down in any spots. No matter what, you should never let air bubbles form. Use a grout float to help push the grout deep into the spaces.

The goal is to keep spills and germs from getting stuck in the grout lines as much as possible.

Remember that you might need to re-grout at some point, especially if the grout starts to wear down from all your cleaning.

Stains will appear less on colored grout than on white grout, so if your surfaces are busy, you are better off with colored grout.

Apply grout sealant to your tile kitchen countertops NC to prevent the grout from getting dirty.