Tiling a Lack Side Table

Materials: Lack Side Table, Tile, Adhesive, Grout, Trowel, Float

Description: I found a simple, and inexpensive, way to spice up the $7.99 Lack Side Table. Once you gather all the necessary tools, follow these easy steps!

Step 1: Clean off the surface, and make sure it is completely dry.

Step 2: Measure out your tile. Since my table surface was a little smaller than the 4 (12x12) sheets of tile, I had to trim off some of the edges. But these glass tiles were incredible easy to work with and I just had to cut through the netting that attached them.

Step 3: Once you have the correct amount of tiles, it's time to lay the adhesive. Since I was working with a relatively small surface area I didn't have to worry about my adhesive drying, so I spread on enough to cover one sheet of tiles. I used a paint stir stick to grab some adhesive, and then used the trowel (metal thing with notches) to spread it out evenly. I went over my patch of adhesive with the notched side to make the lines in the adhesive.

Step 4: Next, you lay down your tile. Make sure you press it into the adhesive so everything sticks. Some of the adhesive came up in between my tiles, you can wipe this off with a wet paper towel, but in my case since my grout was the same as the adhesive, I just left it.

Step 5: One you have attached the first set of tiles, spread more adhesive and keep applying tiles until you have covered the whole surface area. Because my surface area was so small I eyeballed everything, but if you are laying tile in a large area, invest in spacers, they will help keep everything evenly spaced and neat looking.

Step 6: Next, follow the directions on your adhesive about drying time. I let mine dry overnight just to be sure!

Step 7: Now its time to grout. I again used the paint stir stick to glop on a large amount of grout onto my tiles and then used the float (the rubber tool) to squish the grout in between all the cracks. Try to spread it out evenly across your whole surface. Don't worry about the grout on top of the tile, that will get cleaned up later. Just make sure you get it in between each tile.

Step 8: Once you have covered the whole surface with grout, allow it to dry. I gave mine a few hours.

Step 9: It's time to clean up the surface. Take a bucket of clean water and your sponge and start wiping off the surface of the tiles. I had to use a little extra elbow grease, but was able to wash off the tiles without any of the set grout (in the cracks) coming off.

After everything has time to properly dry, assemble the table, and you're finished!

Please check out my full tutorial for bargain hunting tips and step by step directions for assembling the table!

See more of Jen's tiled Lack table.

~ Jen, Boston