Tiling Outdoor Steps Made Easy
Yep, you can do it well and save yourself the expense of a professional! Nope, you don’t need a tile cutter or any other expensive piece of equipment. Just patience, a measuring tape, outdoor tiles, adhesive and premixed grout.
Here I’ve taped off the area to avoid excessive oozing of adhesive and then grout. The time spent is truly minimal. Drying time is not shortened and can take some days to cure.
This procedure is for a flat even surfaced riser.
Measuring as you might conclude is one of the most important steps.
What is the height of the riser? It is usually between 4 and 7 inches. Some stairs have a nosing that protrudes over the riser. The tile is to fit under this protrusion … so, don’t include this in your height measurement.
Next measure the width of the riser.
Let’s say your riser height is 6 inches and width is 42 inches. Use a 6 inch square tile. (Make sure if you are tiling outdoors you use outdoor tile.) Use 7 (grout-less) tiles for this riser. Now, your next riser is only 5 inches in height but remains 42 inches in width. You will need eight 5 inch tiles and this will leave 2 inches for grouting between the eight tiles, approximately 1/4 inch grout line between tiles. Use grout spacer as needed for this.
Measure again the riser and find the exact center and mark it. For the 7 tile riser center the first tile right on the measurement. After the first tile is applied you will place 3 tiles to the right of the centered tile and 3 tiles to the left. For the riser with eight tiles being used center four tiles to the right of center and four tiles to the left with the 1/4 inch grout line between.
Tape off before you apply the adhesive or grouting to avoid untidy lines. See picture above for placement of painter’s tape. Be sure and remove this tape before total drying time of adhesive or grout for easy removal.
Use an outdoor premixed tile adhesive for the tiles. The amount needed is minimal. Use a small tile adhesive applicator, cost about $5. (All items are available on Amazon.) The teeth on this applicator are spaced … so when adhesive is applied to the tile it forms ridges allowing for air to escape as the tile is pressed into place. Use the applicator to spread the adhesive on the back surface of the tile. Be sure and include the corners. Press the tile into place. Wipe off excess and move-on to the next tile. Allow appropriate time for the adhesive to dry, manufacturer’s recommendations. Do not apply adhesive and grout on the same day.
Use a premixed grout for outdoors. These come in various colors. This grout will not require a sealant. You will need a grout sponge/water for rinsing and a grout applicator. I used a 3 inch flexible plastic putty knife, about $3, instead of a grout applicator and it worked well. This plastic putty knife can also be used to lightly scrap off dried grout from the face of the tiles if needed in the following days. Press the grout firmly around the tile sealing every crevice. After you complete several tiles use your firmly rung out damp sponge to wipe away any grout excess. Repeat the sponge treatment with a freshly rinsed sponge as needed. The sponge will leave the grout lines smooth and even in depth. Again, allow to dry per manufacturer. It will dry quickly so excessive grout is to be removed the day of grouting. Any grout haze can be removed with a damp sponge the following day after the grout is firmer. It will take days for complete curing.
Have Fun!!
