Hi Miss Jain,

I’ve tiled a few bathrooms, but I’ll be honest that I’m no pro at it and each time it takes me a batch or two to get the right consistency (I have been known to frustratedly prize tiles off the wall again). Like you I did some research the first time I tried it but was a bit perplexed by all the ‘cake frosting’, ‘creamy soup’ descriptions etc.

So I hate to say it this way, but I’ve found the best consistency for me personally when using tile adhesive is something like a smooth peanut butter. Thick enough that once I spread it on the wall with my notched trowel, the adhesive lines will stand proud without drooping too much (and certainly not slopping off) – but still workable enough that I can manipulate the tiles a little after applying them to the wall (I can squidge them down a touch with some gentle pressure and move them very slightly side-to-side if necessary). Some people prefer to apply the adhesive to the tiles, but I tend to only do that for the smaller cut pieces at edges/corners/etc.

Last time out, for an under-stair WC, I went for small tiles (100mm x 100mm) and a rapid setting adhesive, applying it to a section of wall and lightly pressing the tiles into position (with tile spacers to get even lines). Once I had a decent amount up – and before the adhesive went off – I used a length of wood that I knew had a good straight edge to get the faces all nice and even with one another (positioning it at various diagonals and very gently pressing). The downside with rapid set is that if you’re too slow it will go off before you’ve finished your bucketload!

My mix for the grout was a little looser; something like a creamy toothpaste. Having it that bit creamier just helps with the workability and also means it won’t go off too quickly, so you can get a good amount done in one batch. If you get it to a toothpaste stage and then just add a tiny bit more water you should be there!

If you can get hold of a handful of old tiles on the cheap, then I would recommend having a go at a trial panel or two to get the feel for it. You could do this onto a piece of MDF (they probably won’t stick well long-term to this but it’s ok for a test run).

We have a guide online here that might help: https://www.self-build.co.uk/how-tile-bathroom-wall

Good luck!