Tiling a Raised Cement Hearth

Clean the surface of the hearth by vacuuming it then brushing it with a mild detergent. Allow it to dry.

Examine the cement to make sure it's level. If it's not, mix latex additive into thinset mortar and spread a thin layer onto the hearth with the smooth edge of a trowel. Allow the mortar to dry, then check it for level again.

Lay V-caps along the front edge of the hearth and mark the edge of the V-caps along the top of the hearth. Remove the V-caps. V-caps are tiles shaped at a 90-degree angle, and are used in corners and instances where a leading edge is tiled.

Measure the width of the hearth from side-to-side and the length between the line from the V-caps and the back end of the hearth. Draw lines to mark the midpoint in both directions. This divides the top of the hearth into four equal quadrants (not counting the edge where the V-caps are installed).

Prepare a batch of thinset mortar following the manufacturer's instructions.

Spread the thinset along the top of the hearth near the front edge, using the smooth edge of the notched trowel. Create ridges in the thinset with the notched edge.

Apply silicone adhesive to the first V-cap along the edge that will come into contact with the front edge of the hearth. Press the silicone edge against the front of the hearth and the other edge into the thinset. Place tile spacers around the V-cap, then install V-caps along the rest of the hearth's front edge, placing tile spacers between each V-cap.

Apply thinset to the top of the hearth behind the V-caps. Lay the tiles into the thinset, keeping them separated by tile spacers. Cover an area about 3 feet wide at a time when laying the tile, and work toward the fireplace. If you cannot fit a full tile along the back edge, do not cover that part of the hearth with thinset.

Cover the rest of the hearth with tiles, following the same method.

Measure and cut tiles to fit along the back of the hearth with a wet saw or tile cutter, if needed.

Apply thinset to the hearth along the back edge, then lay the cut tiles.

Push down on the tiles with a grout float to set them into the mortar. Scrape away any mortar that comes up from between the joints with a putty knife.

Remove the tile spacers from the hearth with needle-nose pliers, and allow the mortar to set for the time specified on the packaging.

Prepare a batch of grout, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Scoop the grout onto the tiles in the back corner of the hearth, then spread it over the hearth with a grout float. Glide the float diagonally over the tiles. Make several passes so the joints are completely filled.

Wipe the tiles off with a damp sponge to remove any excess grout. Rinse the sponge repeatedly as you do this. Allow the grout to set for 45 minutes after you're done.

Wipe the hazy film off the tiles with paper towels.