Face Mounted Tile

Most of the glass tile that we carry at Glass Tile of Oklahoma is face mounted on paper. Many people ask why it comes this way. The answer is very simple. Our glass tiles are typically 3/4" x 3/4". During an installation we want as much of the back of each tile to get a good bond with the adhesive as possible. If there is a layer of mesh backing then that is less area for the thinset to grab the glass.

This seems to be a sore spot for installers if they have never had any experience installing it this way. I have actually heard of guys installing the sheets backwards with the paper facing in. Once the paper gets wet from the thinset, the tiles will begin to just fall off.


Although it is not as easy as back mounted tiles, there really is only one extra step during installation. You will have to wet the paper and pull it off after the sheets are up.


We always recommend a professional tile person for installing our glass tile. Please make sure to ask if they have experience in face mounted tile. If not, your installer can call us and we will walk them through the process. They can also refer to our Installation Guide.