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We recently remodeled our bathroom using tile to replace the former vinyl floors. For reasons of timing and indecision, the baseboard was not completed at the time. We have now decided to just use ceramic tile similar to the floor tiles as the baseboard. Since it's been about 5 months since the rest of the bathroom was completed, I no longer have any mortar/mastic left for adhering the tile baseboard to the wall.

My question is, since this is mostly just decoration for the room (not structural or weight bearing), is it really necessary to use proper mortar to attach the tiles? I know I'll need to put grout between them still, but I'm wondering if I could get away with a couple tubes of construction adhesive rather than going through all the effort of mixing and applying mortar again.

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You could use construction adhesive, but it takes several days to reach a hardness I'd consider adequate for grouting. You don't want to grout a flexing surface. Also, it'll be more difficult to keep a flat plane among your tiles if you don't use a notched trowel.

I'd buy some premixed mortar and trowel it onto the wall as you normally would. The outcome will be better, and you'll be able to grout more quickly.

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    ...and pre-mixed mortar comes in the quantities you likely will use to tile a perimeter, drys quicker, and is typically more cost-effective than the construction adhesive. So in this case, the right way has plenty of benefits.
    – JasonInVegas
    Commented Mar 27, 2017 at 16:52
  • Thanks. I had forgotten about the premix stuff since that was out of the question price-wise for the full tiling job.
    – techturtle
    Commented Mar 29, 2017 at 13:35

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