Tile Over Laminate Kitchen Countertops

Use the flat side of the trowel to force a good bond.

Tile over laminate kitchen countertops.

Use a trowel to create beads all through the adhesive. Clamp the level down to use as a cutting guide image 1. Cover the laminate optional. 3 8 spacing with 3 8 notched trowel.

To complete the undermount look apply thin set to the schluter tile edging trimand place the tile into the trim edging. Tile and natural stone as well as other laminate surfaces can serve as an adequate base for your laminate tiles. Mix the thinset in a large bucket and spread it about 1 8 inch thick over the entire laminate surface. While the point of installing tile over laminate is to cover up the poor laminate there is a limit as to how bad that laminate can be.

Remember the thickness of the tile should match the thickness of the profile. To square off the corners of the round cornered laminate countertop mark a line 3 1 4 in from edge. If the countertop is delaminating in areas the tile will not hold. For granite tiles you will want a square 1 4 inch notch.

To prep the countertop to receive the tile round corners need to be squared off and the countertop surface has to be sanded to provide a better surface for the tile adhesive. In my case the tile was 3 4 so the trim supported 3 4 tile. Begin placing the tile from the center of the counter out pressing back and forth and side to side on each tile to secure the thinset.