Do I also need to apply thinset to my Subway tiles or is it enough to just put it on the wall?

Question

Subway tile question regarding a bathtub surround.

Do I need to apply thinset on the back of the tile? Subway tiles are small, can I just put thinset on the wall and apply the tiles?

Thank you

Answer 1

Back-Buttering shouldn't be needed. But, the best determination is to set a tile & then pry it off. You should have a nice even smush of Thin-set that covers the whole back of the tile. If you don't get full coverage, then you can try it again with a bigger notch trowel...on a fresh clean tile. If that doesn't do it, then you'll want to back-butter every tile.

Answer 2

You can press the tiles into the thinset on the wall and they will stick two much thinset and they will move around. Make sure with small tiles to use a finer notched trowel and with larger the bigger notches. Here is a fine notch trowel. With vertical tiles I sometimes use mastic because it sets faster than thinset especially with small tiles that are easily knocked out of position. mastic / tile adhesive.