How to Add Tile Over Beadboard Wainscoting

Repair any loose boards or panels by adding new finish nails in problem areas. Recess all nailheads below the wood surface, using a nail set. Remove extra trim boards at corners and edges, including baseboards and vertical trim boards. Leave the top board in place if you wish to use the board as a chair rail.

Apply thin-set mortar to the wainscoting by filling in the grooves with the trowel. Press a sheet of moisture barrier membrane into the thin-set. Smooth out the sheet using a grout float and seal corners with special corner membranes to cover all wood surfaces,

Allow the thin-set to dry overnight. Tile the wall as normal, using thin-set applied to the membrane surface with the trowel. Start at the bottom center and work toward the corners. Keep the tiles level and straight, using a tile level. Insert spacers between tiles. Tile no more than three rows of tiles at a time. Allow the tile to harden for 24 hours.

Use a tile saw and nippers to cut tiles around obstacles. Keep the tiles clean as you work by wiping off any mortar on surfaces. Clean between the grout lines at least halfway through the thickness of the tiles after the tile starts to set.