Diamond Lath

• Diamond lath comes in metal sheets 1/4 inch thick, 36 inches wide, and 5 feet long -- sizes may vary. The mesh composition of this material will serve as teeth and lock in plaster applied to its surface. Install the diamond mesh directly over your tile surface. Use 3-inch galvanized screws, and screw directly through the mesh and into the wall framing behind the tile. Use a stud finer to find the wall studs, and mark them with a pencil or marker. You may need to drill holes into the tiles to penetrate the surface with the screws. Tighten the screws so that they sink into the mesh and create a crater; this will keep the screw head from being exposed. Space the screws 16 inches apart -- up and down the wall. Once the diamond mesh is completely attached, begin plastering.
  
  Apply a scratch coat or base coat before you install the plaster. Find plastering products from most any hardware store, usually in the drywall section. Wipe on the coat so that no wire is showing after the application. You may need to apply several coats of base coat to hide the wire. If so, allow each coat to dry before continuing. Follow the product instructions for mixing directions and drying time. Once the base coat has been completed, use a comb or stiff bristled brush to sweep fine lines in the base coat. This will help lock in the finish coat once it is applied. After the finish coat has been installed, check for lumps or voids; if they exist, sand the final coat smooth.