How to Install Ceramic Tiles on a Fireplace

Remove the fireplace mantel, or use masking tape to cover the mantel edges. This will protect the mantel from the mortar during the tiling process.

Mix up a batch of thinset mortar with a latex additive per the manufacturer's instructions, using a mixing paddle or a drill with a mixing paddle attachment. Make the mortar approximately the thickness of peanut butter. Apply an even layer of thinset mortar with a latex additive to the area you wish to tile or the entire fireplace's surface with the flat side of a finishing trowel. Leave the thinset mortar to dry overnight.

Measure the width of the surround. Use a pencil to mark the center of the fireplace. Cut a piece of 1-by-3 lumber the length of the measurement using a circular saw or other saw. Place the board across the fireplace so the top of the board is level and even with the top of the fireplace firebox. Put the level on top of the board in the center to make sure the board is level. Review the surround to check for unevenness on either side. If one side of the fireplace is uneven, move the board down a little on one side so the tile, once installed, will cover and hide the uneven look of the initial fireplace. Screw the board into place using the drill and the 2-inch masonry screws.

Make a second batch of thinset with the latex additive, per the manufacturer's instructions. Apply a layer of thinset across the center of the firepace, directly above the board. Comb the thinset with the notched side of the trowel. Place the first tile on top of the board directly over the center line you drew earlier. The center of the tile should meet the center of the fireplace. Push the tile gently into the mortar. Lay the rest of the tiles above the board out from the center to the edge, row by row. Place plastic or cardboard spacers between the tiles as you work to keep them from shifting. Leave the tiles overnight to set.

Remove the board across the top of the firebox. Unscrew the screws. Measure a leg of the fireplace and an individual tile with a spacer on top with the measuring tape. Use these figures to estimate the width of the final cut tile that you'll place at the bottom of each leg. Repeat the process on the other leg of the fireplace. Cut a 1-by-3 piece of lumber the same width of the final cut tile and the length of the surface the tiles will cover. Place the board flush with the bottom of the fireplace, and screw it into place to keep the tiles from shifting. Repeat this process on the other side.

Apply a layer of thinset over the part of the legs of the fireplace that is not covered by the board. Notch the thinset with the notched side of the trowel. Place the first tile flush with the top of the board in a corner. Lay the rest of the tiles. Wait approximately three hours for the tiles to set.

Remove the board and the spacers between the tiles over the entire fireplace. Measure the space where the board was once again. Cut one or more tiles, depending on the size of the space, using the tile saw to fill in the bare area. Use a damp cloth to wipe away any mortar that may have gotten on the surface of the tiles.

Cover any art or decorative tiles with masking tape to keep grout from getting stuck on the tiles' surface.

Use a putty knife to get rid of anything stuck between the tiles, such as mortar.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions and mix the grout.

Use the flat edge of a grout float to spread the grout over the tiles. For tight spaces, such as around the art tiles, fill a grout bag with moist grout. Squeeze the bag to produce a bead of grout to fill in around hard-to-reach or decorative tiles. Grout the entire fireplace.

Scrape across the tiles on the diagonal with the edge of the grout float to remove any excess grout. Wipe the area with a damp grout sponge to get all the grout.

Replace the mantel, and add a bead of caulk where the mantel meets the tile to finish the project. Let the grout dry for at least three days before starting a fire.