How to Tile and Grout a Round Table

Use tile on other surfaces besides walls, floors and countertops. Decorate flowerpots, window treatments, birdbaths and old tabletops, giving them an entirely new appearance. Select ceramic tiles for your round tabletop in coordinating colors to make your tabletop unique. Laying out a mosaic pattern is much like working a crossword puzzle, but you get to fit the pieces where you want them. Play with your tiles until you have a pattern you want to replicate on the table. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Trace the outline of your tabletop onto 1/4-inch plywood. Use a circular saw to cut the plywood along the trace line. Attach the plywood to your tabletop with heavy-duty project glue and wood screws. Allow the glue to dry for 24 hours.

2

Place glazed ceramic tile inside a burlap bag. Pound the bag with a rubber mallet until you break the tile into the sizes you desire. Use tile nippers to remove any sharp points from your tile pieces.

3

Mix thin-set mortar according to manufacturer directions. Back-butter 1-inch-by-1-inch mosaic bead tile. To back-butter the tile, use a 1/4-inch square notched trowel to comb a thin layer of thin-set over the back of mosaic bead tile.

4

Position the bead tile around the exterior circumference of the round table. Because the bead tile is mounted on mesh, you can position the tile evenly on a curved surface.

5

Apply a thin layer of thin-set over the table top with a 1/4-inch square notched trowel. Set your broken tile pieces at random, but keeping them as close together as possible. Make sure you leave a small space between each broken piece, as you will grout the tabletop once you finish covering the table. Allow the tiles and the thin-set to cure for 24 hours.

6

Mix the grout according to the manufacturer's directions. Let the grout rest for 10 minutes to let the dye in the grout develop.

7

Spread the grout over your round tabletop, using a rubber grout float at a slight angle. Make sure you get the grout between each tile.

8

Remove any excess grout in your round table with the grout float held at a slight angle. Allow the grout to set until your thumbnail does not leave an impression in the grout.

9

Clean the round table with clean water and a damp sponge. Use a scrub pad to remove any grout that resists being wiped up with the sponge.

10

Let the tabletop dry, and wipe any haze off the round tabletop with a soft cloth. Mist the grout with water two times a day for three days. Use a sponge to apply grout sealer and wipe any excess sealer from your tabletop.