How to add stone to your bar

How to add stone to your bar.  Here is the completed bar.  I already had the barnwood on the drywall, but is was still too plain.  So I decided to add stone.  This is the first time I have ever done this kind of project.  It was fun and easy!

Supplies you need:  Tile (I picked a 6" by 24" stacked tile), corners if you need them, adhesive (I used Pro-Bond, you can add this right to your existing drywall), a trowel, sealer (I used Enhance and Seal, rather expensive, but it did a beautiful job), a wet saw (I borrowed from a friend, you can also rent one from home improvement stores), and also a level for making sure your tile is straight!

 

First you have to mix the adhesive.  I mixed mine 2:1.  I had a small area and only used half the bag.  I mixed 12 cups dry adhesive and 6 cups water.  The instructions said DO NOT mix by hand, but since a stick and a pail were all I had that's what I did and it turned out fine.  It did give me my upper arm workout for the day however.  I stirred and stirred and stirred some more.  There were some very fine lumps and it seemed a little runny, but after it sat about 20 minutes it was thicker and smooth. 

 

Using the wet saw was fun!  You need a water supply and do it outside. It's messy! I started on the bottom corner first.  Then added the flat pieces to the edge.  Use a level as you go.  At first I was spreading the adhesive with the trowel on the drywall.  Then I changed to just adding the adhesive on the back of the tile since I was working with small pieces and a small area.  

Use the smooth side of the trowel to spread the adhesive, then used the notched size to make grooves.  This will make it stick to the surface better. When you are done, clean the surface.  You will have to wait 48 hours before applying the sealer.   Hmmmm...this turned out so well, its on to the backsplash!