The safest way to approach questionable concrete is not to cover it over with cbus but to fix the concrete.
Tiling over concrete wall.
In colder climates the action of the freezing and thawing temperature can cause tile installations to fail.
The key to a long lasting and attractive tile installation is proper substrate preparation.
You may also use floor tiles on a concrete wall if you don t like to use wall tiles.
Back buttering is a trick used for tiles of uneven thickness like ungauged slate or handmade tiles extremely large tiles or for tiles being installed on an uneven surface.
However make sure that the surface is smooth and flat before doing anything.
Another thermal demand relates to the area of freeze thaw.
When the concrete wall is plumb tile can be applied directly to the surface or a metal lath can be fastened to the wall with a scratch and brown coat of mortar.
My covered porch on a 5 yr old.
Laying down tiles on a concrete wall is not much different than laying tiles on drywall.
Tile cannot be attached directly to painted concrete as the thin set will not adhere well to the paint.
Tile bonded directly over masonry or concrete in figure b the tile bond coat is dry set latex modified thin set mortar directly on masonry or concrete wall.
And it lasts for 20 years.
Scrub concrete walls with a wire brush to remove debris dust or any other materials stuck to the wall.
A completed tile job is extremely heavy and requires a substrate sturdy enough to support the weight.
Tiles come in a variety of natural and man made materials and they make durable attractive surfaces for both walls and floors.
You may install the tiles on the surface directly without the need for cement boards.
The mortar is spread.
Grind off all ridges or mortar protruding out from the wall with a concrete grinder.
Tile on tile or as i say it.
Cracks and gaps can be filled with portland cement based fillers.
The cinder block wall needs to be thoroughly scrubbed of dust from grout and chunks of loose brick so that the new tiles will be able to adhere easily and not fall from the wall or crack or crumble over time.