Coffin Keezer - Tile Adhesive

So I am getting ready to tile the top of my coffin keezer and was wondering if I should secure the tiles to the wooden top with thinset or some kind of construction adhesive or flooring adhesive. Any pluses or minuses to any of these? My tiles are 2"x2" squares in a 12"x12" sheet and I plan on grouting once secured. Thanks for the advice.

I used regular tile adhesive from Home Depot.

I bought a product at Lowes called Bondera and used it on my brothers keezer. It's a stick on adhesive in a pliable sheet and you can grout right away. It is a bit more expensive than the kind HD sells but it works better for the smaller 1/2" tile I used.

I used thinset on mine, but people have had varying degrees of succes using Bondera and other similar products.

More importantly - You should use a cement backer board to attach the tiles to. You should do wood -> thinset -> cement backer board -> whatever adhesive you choose -> tile

Wood warps and that can cause cracks in your adhesive, grout and even tile. Cement backer board is cheap, easy to cut and really doesn't add that much weight.

Wouldn't you just be better off using Ditra underlayment instead of wood and cement backer at all? Secure it to the lid via construction adhesive? Would help prevent future tile and grout cracking due to temperature changes as well as people leaning on the unit, etc.?

i used thinset on cement backer board, no issues other than its heavy

So how thick is the cement backer board? I trimmed the top already with my 3/4" oak. I planned on attaching directly to the plywood top but I like the idea of the added support. I'm not too concerned about the weight but I don't want the tile to be flush with the oak trim.

EDIT - I am also interested in the Ditra underlayment. Would this help prevent cracking of the grout like the cement backer would?

And what about SnapStone flexible grout or other types of flexible grout?

I used 1/4" thick backer board and secured it with cement board screws to the plywood
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/cat...=None&Ntpr=1&Ntpc=1&selectedCatgry=Search+All

I used 1/4" "wonder" board

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...=tile+backer+board&storeId=10051#.UMjS24P7LZc

and tile adhesive from HD

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...word=tile+adhesive&storeId=10051#.UMjTF4P7LZc

BrewBug said:

So how thick is the cement backer board? I trimmed the top already with my 3/4" oak. I planned on attaching directly to the plywood top but I like the idea of the added support. I'm not too concerned about the weight but I don't want the tile to be flush with the oak trim.

Click to expand...

I used 1x4s for trim (which I believe are actually 3/4" x 3-1/2") and used the 1/4" hardiebacker - http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...P_PARENT_ID&storeId=10051&Ntpr=1&ddkey=Search and its flush

All I used was some 3/4" plywood bolted to the metal lid. I did use some 2"x3" trim around the lid edges with no problems.