Fireplace surround help

[Deadpool9]

I am about to tile our fireplace surrounding and need some advice. I have picked out some marble from the local Lowes that is about $5/sq ft.
I am planning to tile the hearth first (60"x18") and the top row of tiles on the face. I was planning on nailing up a board on the face to hold the top row until they dried.

Here are my questions:

For the facing, what should I adhere the tiles with? I have heard of people using acrylic caulk to do this, as it will be on sheetrock. I am planning on overlapping the firebox metal by 1" on the top and 1/2" on the sides.
I have some versabond left over from another project to do the the bottom with.

Should the tiles have a groutline? I have heard that marble should not be installed with a groutline, but with the joints butted up together. Since this is around a fireplace, I would think it needs some sort of expansion room, so I was thinking of putting a 1/16" or 1/32" grout line.

The hearth will be meeting hardwood, which I plan on using a T mold to make the transition.

If anyone could give me advice or suggestions, I would be very appreciative to hear them.

TIA,

[TileArt1]

Hey Tia,

Get another bag of versabond and use it for all your tiles. If it is a lighter marble you will want to get the white version. The regular gray may discolor your marble.

The grout line is up to you. The smallest grout line I do is 1/32. You can use playing cards to space them. I never butt marble or stone together. Some guys do, I think. It's whatever looks best to you.

Make sure you leave an expansion gap between your marble and t-mold. Wood will expand.

[lojack12]

I personally would replace the drywall with CBU and use thinset for it. IMO

good luck

[custombuilt]

thinset will stick to drywall very very well. scratch up the drywall and then skim coat with the flat side of your trowel. use white versabond for the whole project.

I use 1/16 spacers for most marble..

[Deadpool9]

I picked up some 1/16" spacers today at lowes when I got the marble. I picked up some Ultraflex 2? while I was there, hopefully it will be ok instead of the versabond that I normally use. I am going to start on it tomorrow morning.

[John Bridge]

Hi, How about a first name?

UltraFlex2 will work fine.