Tiling a Border

[andrewm]

The time has come in my bathroom refurbishment to do the actual tiling. I have planned for a mosaic border at about 1m high and am trying to decide on the best way of doing this. My plan was to rip a batten the same width as the border plus the grout line top and bottom. Then screw this to the wall at the level of the border and tile above an below it. The tiles are plain 400x250mm ceramics, nothing expensive. Then when the adhesive has set remove the batten which will leave a gap where the border is to go. I can then fit in the border to the right depth.


Is there a better or easier way?


As a secondary question, what adhesive do people here prefer for tiling onto cement board and tanked plasterboard? Looking for a cost-effective solution so will probably go for a powdered adhesive as I don't mind mixing it myself.


Andrew

[timeless john]

Cement Based flexible waterproof adhesive for tiles over 300x300mm.
For the border - I'd tile the bottom to the height you require, cut a strip of the same tile to the size of the border and use the spacers for the grout lines (place in position) then tile above. This way you can check that the surfaces of the top and bottom tiling are perpendicular and flat and also that the joints line up.
When the tiling is dry enough to remove the 'filler' piece, if you need to build out the gap for a thinner mosaic you can do so with template to the thickness of the adhesive/mosaic and press the mosaic into place.

[andrewm]

Thanks, but I should have said, the position of tiles is determined by an opening which is above the border so needs to be done first to get everything line up. Hence tile above first, then below the mosaic line.

[timeless john]

Make the baton the same thickness as the main tile and the width of the mosaic.
By making a setting out guide marker you should be able to position the tiles exactly where you want them.
I normally start on the bottom half first as you can keep the vertical levels easier and it stops the sliding of heavier tiles. But perhaps others have a different method.

[Phil Hobson]

As TJ above for me, the template John refers to is like this, but horizontal instead of vertical, same principal.