I am installing a strip similar to the photo below. The tile is mounted on the wall already. When I lay the accent strip against the wall next to it it is 1/8" thinner.

Will the thinset space the strip away from the wall at all to bring it even with the other tile? Is there something simple a layman can do to bring these flush?

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Sometimes the decorative tiles are a little thinner than the field tiles. You can either indent them or build up the back by back-buttering the tile strips to make them stand flush to the field.

 

Indenting them should be easy as I just push them to the backer board. I was worried how I could float them to be flush and keep them straight without looking wavy to the eye. Maybe it is easier than I am imagining.

 

You will have thinset on the wall at 1/4". You can back butter the deco trim, increasing that thinset enough to cause them to be flush when you press them in. I think it would look better than embedding them.

 

"You will have thinset on the wall at 1/4"

So I am clear. Did you mean you would apply thinset at 1/8" (the thickness difference I referenced) to the backer board, first. Allow it to dry, then followed by the back buttered deco trim?

 

No. You will be using a 1/4" trowel to apply your thinset to the wall for your field tile. When you get to the level of the deco tile, just back butter the tile a little and that will give you the spacing you need. Don't let the thinset harden before you apply the tiles. It won't be much back buttering of the tiles. Just enough to make up for the difference in thicknesses.

 

Ah! I get it. I got confused with another concept I read on the internet. I will give this a try. Thanks, Chandler!

 

Denishield makes a 1/8" backerboard and is available at tile stores.

Unfortunately, this should have been caught before the project started. I would not try to back butter a glass mosaic. I have switched to a different sized notched trowel with success and applied the thinset a little thicker. Pay real close attention to how you apply the tile. Use a rubber grout float to try to get them level with the surrounding tile. Watch closely for any thinset that oozes through the grout lines as it needs to be scraped out immediately. Nothing more aggravating then scraping dried thinset from the grout lines on a tile mosaic. After it has dried, tap on each piece to make sure you got sufficient thinset coverage. Hollow sounding piece can be cut out and back buttered and reset. Different back buttering a single glass piece as opposed to the whole sheet.