Pebble Tile Installation Tips
Pebble tiles provide a unique look. Like most mosaics, they are comprised of lots of small pieces conveniently adhered to a mesh backing material. This makes the installation possible without the mind numbing process of setting a gazillion individual stones by hand. Most tile sheets are "keyed" so
Posted — UpdatedAnother reason I like to dry fit ahead of time is thin set only has a fixed "pot life" and once it starts to become too stiff the installation becomes more problematic. Rushing a pebble tile installation will only lead to poor results. For pebble tiles to look and feel good (the rounded stone tops act like little foot massagers) the install depth needs to be just right. The size of the stones will vary but most like to bed about 1/8" deep. If a small amount of thin set oozes up through the mesh backer you will get a great long lasting and secure bond. If a lot oozes up then the thin set is competing with the "grout zone".
When I grout for these parameters I like to work in smaller areas so I can stay on top of the grout clean up, just like when working with thin set grout has a limited "pot life" and when it starts to become stiff the ease of workability does down. Most grout cleanups are done pretty dry, with a grout sponge that is barely damp. When working with pebbles a wetter sponge will allow you remove a bit more of the grout to maintain the profile of the stones' bumps.
Simply running a grout float over the stones and doing a quick wipe with the sponge results in a pretty flat and smooth surface…but if you wanted flat your should not have spent all of that extra money on the pebbles.