How to Prepare Your Wall for Tic Tac Tiles

It is important to prepare the surface where you will install the Tic Tac tiles. A poorly prepared wall can compromise the tile’s adherence and durability. The surface must be thoroughly cleaned before starting the installation. Some wall are not suitable for tiling. Other walls will require some preparation work before installation.

​​Cleaning the Wall Before Installing Tic Tac Tiles

​Clean the surface with a powerful GREASE-REMOVER such as TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate) or sugar soap. Make sure that you allow enough time for the surface to dry properly. ​For optimal adhesiveness you can also gently scrub painted surfaces with fine sandpaper (1200 grit). This removes the oily or glossy layer of the paint and slightly roughens the surface, giving the tiles better adhesion.

​​Wall & Tile Temperature

​The temperature of the wall and tiles should be at least 20°C for 12 hours before installation, and should remain above this temperature for 24 hours afterward. This is very important because the tiles will not stick well on a cold surface. This is more of an issue during the winter as the wall temperature is often lower than room temperature. So make sure that your walls are moderately warm.

​Press All Grout Lines Firmly

​Make sure you press ALL grout lines firmly, and AVOID TOUCHING the adhesive side of the tiles.

Recommended Surface

These surfaces will provide good quality results:

• Smooth ceramic tiles backsplash.
• Smooth glass tiles backsplash.
• Wall panel (acrylic).
• Wall linoleum.
• Mirrors.
• Wallpaper (peel off any loose corners and install Tic Tac Tiles over the top).

Non-Recommended Surface

These surfaces will not be suitable for Tic Tac Tiles.

• Stucco wall (not sufficiently flat).
• Stone wall (not sufficiently flat).
• Unfinished wall such gypsum or plaster (this requires primer paint first).
• Unpainted plywood (paint with primer before installing tiles).