Thinset layer behind backsplash?

[Dfletch1]

Greetings,
How thick is the thinset layer supposed to be between the tile and mounting surface after setting the tile? The tile is machine made and the tile bottom seems quite flat. I'm sure it can vary somewhat, but what might one think proper?

Don

[Jason_Butler]

When applied with a 1/4" notched trowel, the thinset is about 1/8" after the tile has been set.

Of course the consistency of the thinset will cause this number to vary.

Jason

[Dfletch1]

Thanks Jason.
Don

[John Bridge]

Don,

Depending on what type of tile you're using you might only have a sixteenth of an inch of thin set behind your tiles. Think "thin" as in thin set.

[Dfletch1]

Hi John,
Just wanted to allow for the thinset when mounting the outlets. If I had my way there would be no outlets. Gotta have them though, sorta like gals. Can't live with em, or without em.


Don

[cx]

Maybe they'd let you pewt the outlets in the bottom of the cabinets, Don?

You just need the outlet box to extend to the tiling surface anyway. You can cut the tile close enough to the fixture so the ears on the yoke will sit on the tile and life will be good. Usually don't even need longer screws.

[Dfletch1]

What I currently have here is the outlet box mounted to the stud, spaced so the outlet ears are about 1/8 th away from the tile surface. I'm thinking that the tile will come to the ears after the tile is set in thinset. Yes? No? Am I missing something here?
When I put the cover plate on the outlet and slide the tile behind it there is about a 1/16th gap. Which I thought OK.


Don

[John Bridge]

No, that won't happen, Don. I would move the boxes back further into the wall.

[Dfletch1]

Hi John,
I guess that begs the question, what would actually happen?
Thanks for your help John.


Don

[tileguytodd]

Don, even if you mounted your box flush with the sheetrock , your worst case scenario involves buying longer screws!!22 cents later,problem solved

[stevo]

not really, if he set it flush with the sheetrock the outlet might be recessed too much behind the plate. Just give it a tile thickness out from the sheetrock that should be fine, since the actual outlet comes out further than the box, you know what i mean?

[John Bridge]

It doesn't matter if the box is back too far. The ears on the switches/outlets rest against the tile anyway, and you use longer screws as Todd suggested. It does matter if the boxes stick out beyond the tile (I think that's the problem) because the switches cannot go back to the tile. It's not too hard to move the boxes back in. If they are nailed to studs, you can cut the nails with a hack saw blade or with a saws all. You can then screw the boxes to the studs with drywall screws from inside the box.

[Dfletch1]

Hi Stevo,
I know what you mean. I also know what John means after dinking around with it a bit. The way I had it in mind leaves no room for error. In a perfect world it would work but not in practice in this world. Better to be in with the box a bit. At least then you can move the outlet out.

Thanks a bunch to all

Don

[stevo]

John,
The bottom line is that the the outlet has to be flush with what the finish material is, right?

[John Bridge]

Yes, Stevo, but not the box. The box can be back in the wall. We do a lot of remodeling tile work. When we change out a formica splash to a tile one we don't move the j-boxes. We just cut the tiles so the ears of the fixtures will rest on them and we use longer screws. You just can't have the boxes out too far. There'll be no way to mount the trim plate and make it go back to the tiled surface.