Expert: maura macaluso - 4/2/2008

Question
My wood kitchen table just had a stain and light finish,and now the finish is coming off.I would like to tile it ,so how do I go about doing that?

Answer
First thing I would do is to sand down the table top. Make sure tabletop is level and legs are sturdy. Then I would think about the outside edge.  I would choose a molding for the top table edge that will sit flush with the top of the tiles when finished.  Stain and polyurethane the molding(or paint and poly-for a farmhouse table), then attach it using glue and clamps. Let glue dry. Get your tiles out.  draw a straightline with a straight edge for your first line of tiles. Dryfit all your tiles on the tabletop until you are sure of what your final layout will be remembering to leave about 3/8ths" between all the tiles to allow room for grout.  Check that it looks good and is evenly spaced to the eye.  Remove the tiles and set aside.

Apply "thinset mortar" to the table top.  Place the tiles on the mortar and check for final positioning. Allow to dry according to package directions. Then apply grout over the top surface of all the tiles, using a straight edge to maneuver the grout over the tiles so that the grout is in the spaces and even with the tops of the tiles.  work quickly and efficiently, making sure that every nook and cranny is filled. scrape the straight edge over the tile tops to remove most of the grout.  Take a wet rag and wipe the tops of each tile.  You may want to take one wet finger and smooth out the grout to give a more pleasing appearance.  Once it is all cleaned up, let it sit and dry for at least 48 hours. Use a good quality penetrating grout sealer like Aquamix to seal the grout and to prevent it from becoming dirty or mildewy in the future.  Let it dry and you are ready to use your table. Sounds complicated but really isn't.  Hardest part will be doing the molding, if you aren't handy, find a friend that is. Thanks for the question and good luck with the project.