How to Install Stainless Steel Subway Tiles

Measure the tiling space with a tape measure to determine the area needing coverage. Divide the area of the tiling space by the area of an individual subway tile that you’re intending to use for coverage to calculate the number of tiles you need to complete that coverage. Purchase about 10 percent more tiles than you calculated needing to make certain you have enough tiles to cover the area.

Turn off the electricity powering any outlets or fixtures in the tiling surface. Remove the outlet covers with a screwdriver and disconnect the fixture bases. Pull the fixtures away from the wall slightly and cover them with plastic bags, secured at the base.

Hang a test layout of the subway tiles onto the wall to find the most effective layout positions. You’ll want to use as many full-sized tiles in your layout as possible. Divide the length of the tiling space in half and place the first tile of the bottom row centered on that halfway point. Use masking tape to hold the test tiles in place and then place the entire row of tiles, using tile spacers between them if you’re placing tiles with grout lines. Check the width of the tiles on the end of the row. If partial tiles are needed for the ends, adjust the row’s position left or right as needed to have partial end tiles of the same size. Mark the new center point as a starting point for your tiles.

Place a metal straightedge against the tiling surface to test the flatness of the surface. Move the straightedge over the surface looking for dips or rises. Mark any of these areas with the pencil for correction. Fill in dips in the wall by packing them with joint compound using a trowel until even with the rest of the surface. Extend rises with compound and then feather the rise down slowly to lessen the slope. Allow the compound to dry for two hours.

Create a guideline for the base of the tiles to help keep the tiles straight and level using a straightedge. Measure a point 1/8-inch from base of the tiling surface on either end of the area and mark a point. Connect the points with a long straightedge or a chalk line between the two. The 1/8-inch gap gives the surface and the adjoining base room to expand with changes in the temperature, or shifts in the floor.

Mount the tiles to the tiling surface using heavy-duty liquid nails as the adhesive. Place the liquid nails on each corner of the tile using a small amount, about a 1/8-inch diameter circle. Press the tile in place using the penciled guideline to position the base of the tile. Press firmly to ensure the adhesive grips the wall fully. Slip a 1/8-inch shim beneath the tile to maintain the distance between the bottom of the tile and the floor or counter beneath.

Place the rest of the tiles in the row following the same mounting procedure. Keep the base of the tiles even with your guideline, and place tile spacers between the tiles if you intend to grout them. For a grout-free surface, butt the tiles closely together.

Cut the tiles at the ends of the row using a wet saw with a diamond blade. Place the tile with the face upwards when cutting. For cutting tile to fit around outlets, mark the outlet location on the tiles and then use the saw to cut along the markings.

Place the next row of tiles so that the joints are staggered with the first, creating a traditional subway pattern. Space the joints between the rows the same as those between tiles in a row, using the tile spacers to maintain uniform distances. Continue upwards along the tile space until you reach the top. Leave a 1/8-inch gap along the top of the tiles as well.

Remove the tile spacers and place the grout into the joints between the tiles using a grout float. Push the grout over the steel tiles with the float’s edge to fill the joint. Wipe the subway tiles clean of the grout once you’ve filled the joints to the level of the tile surface with a damp sponge. Wait two hours and then wipe clean again with a piece of lint-free cloth.

Remove the cardboard spacers from the base of the tiles. Fill the gap with caulk, and then smooth the caulk between the tiles and the base of the surface with a wet fingertip. Repeat the process with the gap at the top of the surface, and along the edges.

Allow the grout to dry for about seven days. Install electric box extenders over outlet boxes to bring the outlet surfaces even with the new tile level. Slip the extenders into the existing electrical box, pull the outlet to the surface of the extenders and then screw the extenders and outlets in place. Cover the new boxes with the outlet covers and screw the cover in place. Remove the bags from the fixtures and replace them using longer screws to reach the mounting holes for the fixtures if necessary.

Peel off the protective plastic film from the front of the tiles. The film protected the tiles from scratching during installation but is no longer needed, as sections will begin to peel on their own if left in place, marring the look of the tiles. Peeling the film will also help to sharpen the grout and caulk lines further.