Problems with Spectralock...I need some advice

[Nads]

We're looking to install a ceramic tile backsplash. AFter much deliberation we chose to use a plain 6x6 on the bottom with a 3x8 listello above, another 6x6 above that and then will in the gap. My question has to do with the installation around the electrical outlets. The listello piece is thicker then the tile and it will be the same height as the outlets. How do I get the outlet covers to lay flat on the tile when the 6 x 6 pieces aren't as thick? Here's a diagram of what I"m talking about with the outlet on the left. DOe sthis question make sense?

[jadnashua]

Move the electrical boxes, or adjust the tile layout...

[Scottish Tile and Stone]

Yep, what Jim said. Those deco pieces make it hard on the outlet covers. They never look nice.

[JTG]

Yep
Move the box. being as you will be setting tile over where the box was you can put in new piece of drywall or use one of those drywall hole patches.
Good Luck
JTG

[Nads]

Yikes..but it's not just one outlet.There's 4 along the way. Darn, I may just try to re-design the backsplash then. I don't really want to get into the electrical stuff.
Thanks for the info though.

[JTG]

Move the rope up between the 2nd & 3rd tile or if there is a 4x4 in that tile use them for the bottom row Then the rope and more field tile 6x6x or 4x4
JTG

[p22101]

You don't have much choice. If you leave the box and layout like it is, you violate the NEC (National Electric Code) because you won't be able to install a cover plate flush with the box.

Doug

[Davestone]

We usually just lower them, it's not too hard, and usually there's enough wire,although we have had them faux painted,and they usually do a good job.

[Nads]

I've read here that the premixed Mastic is ok for a backsplash. I've also read that if the surface isn't completely smooth you can use a quick coat of thinset to skim it smooth before tiling. I'm going to be limited on time when it comes to tiling our backsplash, so mastic sounds like a good timesaver for me, but I do need a quick skim coat before tiling. Would mastic be ok for this? Sorry if it's a dumb question. When remodelng our kitchen we took off the old tile, and the plasterers tried to go over the area while fixing some of the walls a bit so it's a smidge uneven right now. I think it's ok to tile on but does need a quick evening out.

[Chris H]

if you have to take the time to mix thinset and skim, then break out the mastic, you might as well just use the thinset. you'll get a better bond and mixing thinset takes literally no time at all.

[river-wear]

If you try the skim coat with mastic, the tiles will probably sag quite a bit.

Use a high quality thinset and you should be good to go all in one step.

[Nads]

I don't know if I worded this question correctly.

I would prefer to use mastic just to save me the time of having to mix up the thinset. So for the actual tiling I would prefer mastic. BUT I would really like to do a quick skim coat to smooth out the surface and let dry BEFORE I start to tile. So I'm trying to figure out if mastic is ok for this smoothing out beforehand, or if not and thinset is the way to go on the skim coat, then I'll just use thinset for the whole job. I'm just trying to keep timing down as I need to do this backsplash in 1 "vacation" day.

And I'm not sure what the last post meant by good to go in just one step? DOn't I need to let whatever I choose dry before I can then tile?

[Brian in San Diego]

You could mix up the versabond, spread it with a flat trowel, backbutter and comb your tiles and set them. All one step. You don't need to let the skim coat dry unless you have holes deeper that 1/4". I don't think mastic is a good choice to use as a skim coat. (Does that stuff ever dry?)

Brian

[jay f]

If it's time saving you are considering, thinset takes about 5 minutes to to mix (by hand), 10 minutes to slake, 1 minute to remix. How much is your time worth? Approx. $14 for versabond (thinset), $30 for a bucket of mastic. Wish I had that hourly wage!

[LatCSRNC]

Use a non sag mortar, you can build out to 3/4 of an inch and it works similar to a mastic.
Gary