Attaching ceramic tile to stone wall

It Has Been Decreed that we need a new house number on the drive. She bought three ceramic tiles each about 3"x2", each displaying one of the three digits of our number.

Now, the wall to which these are intended to be attached is a drystone retaining wall on the pavement, so not exactly ideal. How best to do this? I think it would look least ridiculous if the tiles were attached directly to the front of a single stone, rather than mounting on a plate or something. There's a reasonable candidate stone, which is fairly flat-faced but rough, and currently covered in lichen etc.

I'm thinking pressure-wash followed by some form of adhesive but what? Waterproof tile adhesive? Car body filler? They'll need to be damned well attached because as well as weather constraints, we're on the route for kids ambling home from school, for whom the obvious addition of a bright shiny number at pavement level will present an instant challenge.

Or shall I just advise SWMBO to buy a pot of white paint? (Hint - no)

Thanks David

Reply to
Lobster
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Strong cement mortar or fast setting cement based floor tile adhesive.

Use a bit of wood to stop it falling off while it goes off.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Lobster ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) wibbled on Tuesday 01 February 2011

12:49:

Pinkgrip would almost certainly work with a fairly rapid grab.

Plastic padding/Isopon/everything similar is pretty much guaranteed as long as the receiving stone is clean and the surface not too powdery - though you'll have to hold them in place somehow while it sets (10 mins for Plastic Padding, fast version).

Tile adhesive (cement based) of course, but not tub mix internal wall grade.

I'd go for the first option for speed because I have some, then the second option because, although more fiddly it is easy to buy and bombproof - you will damage the rock removing them.

Reply to
Tim Watts

The Natural Philosopher ( snipped-for-privacy@invalid.invalid) wibbled on Tuesday 01 February

2011 12:58:

I was thinking of suggesting that too. I'd paint a small patch of cement slurry on the rock too to aid bonding with the mortar option.

Ditto for PP/Isopon.

Reply to
Tim Watts

Angle Grinder.

You use it to make the stone dead flat first. The use PinkGrip.

Personally I think it will look so naff, she'll want it removed next week. Then you use the Angle Grinder....

R.

Reply to
TheOldFellow

Stixall/Sticks Like Sh*t, or 1 part PU.

Reply to
John Stumbles

TheOldFellow ( snipped-for-privacy@gmail.invalid) wibbled on Tuesday 01 February

2011 19:22:

Now's the chance to throw them away and do something funky, eg:

Paint the number on the wall in theatrical UV paint, then install a dirty great big blacklight tube over them :)

Or remove the rock, mill out the number into the surface, fill with resin so it is invisible but run some fiber optics into it and illuminate with a hidden LED bank, laser or something else stupid but cool.

Or just install a laser to scan your house number onto the wall.

Reply to
Tim Watts

to childproof, recess so the result is flush

NT

Reply to
Tabby

Exactly my sentiments

WD-40 makes a good releasing agent. In fact it does all things for all men. After all, it's designed specifically for just that purpose.

Reply to
Frank Erskine

Why bother at all? Even though you legally have to display your house number (or name) loads of people don't bother - usually when they have their half-decent wooden front door replaced with a uPVC or sometimes a similar "metal" thing. They even occasionally omit a letterbox...

Reply to
Frank Erskine

I thought it was designed as a rust-proofer for the military.

Reply to
Skipweasel

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