What back-buttering means
Back-buttering is spreading a thin coat of thinset on the back of a tile before pressing it into the troweled bed, to get full coverage.
Where it matters on a tile job
Hollow sounding tiles crack later. Back-buttering large tiles adds time but is the difference between a floor that lasts and a callback.
What it costs
Koira's tile installation cost guide puts a typical job at $2,100, with most between $950 to $5,000. The guide shows its sources and what moves the price. The tile installation cost calculator prices a job line by line.
Work it out
- Free calculator: Tile installation cost calculator
- Cost guide: Tile installation cost
- Tools, templates and guides: Free tile resources