Preparing the Base

• 1). Measure the cabinets from the wall to the front edge of the cabinet framing. Measure the width of the cabinets from left to right. Sketch the measurements onto ¾-inch plywood, subtracting 1/8 inch to account for potential irregularities in the walls.
  
  
• 2). Cut the plywood according to your measurements with a circular saw, using a straightedge guide to ensure clean sawing.
  
  
• 3). Attach 2-by-2-inch wall cleats to studs that lack cabinet supports.
  
  
• 4). Drill pilot holes every 8 inches into the plywood and along the cabinets' backs and into the wall cleats. Drill screws through the plywood and into cabinet frames and wall cleats. Screws should be long enough to pierce about 1 inch into the drywall but not long enough to drill into water pipes or electrical wiring.
  
  
• 5). Mark the plywood measurements onto the cement board. Cut the cement board with a jig saw, following the measurement markings.
  
  
• 6). Mix latex-fortified mortar to a soft consistency.
  
  
• 7). Spread the mortar onto the plywood with a ¼-inch notched trowel. Set the cement board onto the mortar. Drill 1¼-inch cement screws into the cement board, through to the plywood, spacing the screws every 8 inches.
  
  
• 8). Cut strips of cement board to put over the exposed plywood at the edge of the countertop bed. Spread mortar over the plywood edge and set the cement-board strips into the mortar. Drill screws into the cement-board edge, spacing them every 6 inches.
  
  
• 9). Place Fiberglas mesh tape over the tile bed's corners. Apply mortar thinly over the tape. Let the mortar dry for several hours.
  
  

Laying the Marble Tiles

• 1). Mark tile outlines on the tile bed using a framing square to guide you. Set the marble tiles in the outlines to check and confirm the planned layout design. Account for your grout widths as you draw outlines and lay out your tile.
  
  
• 2). Mix about 1 quart of mortar, or enough to cover roughly 8 feet of countertop. Spread the mortar with a notched trowel, keeping the layout markings uncovered to guide tile placement.
  
  
• 3). Set your tiles on the mortar and press them lightly into place. Plant tile spacers in between tiles as you go to ensure the grout lines will be uniform.
  
  
• 4). Apply mortar to the backs of the tile edge pieces and stick them to the front edge of the counter. Tape up edge pieces that tip or fall with masking tape. Let the edge pieces set overnight.
  
  
• 5). Attach 2-by-2-inch wood beams to the front of your cabinets with wood clamps, underneath the tile edges, to support the edge pieces while the mortar hardens.
  
  
• 6). Check the layout on the backsplash tile by setting the tile in position. Outline its pattern with a marker.
  
  
• 7). Mix more mortar and trowel it onto the wall just high enough to install the bottom row of the backsplash. Lay the first row of tiles, leaving 1/8 inch between the countertop and the bottom of the first row and leaving spaces for grout between the tiles. Mark electrical outlets on the backsplash tiles as you come to them and cut outlet spaces into the tiles with a wet saw. Repeat this step with each row of backsplash tiles.
  
  
• 8). Place tile spacers underneath backsplash tiles as you lay them to keep the tiles from sliding down before the mortar hardens.
  
  
• 9). Remove the wood clamps, wood beams and tile spacers after the mortar has hardened overnight.
  
  

Sealing and Grouting

• 1). Brush tile sealant onto the marble surface after the mortar has hardened overnight. Let the sealant dry for an hour. Without sealant, the marble will absorb grout and look dull. Skip this step if your tile is glazed with a matte or gloss finish.
  
  
• 2). Mix grout to the consistency of toothpaste, mixing about 1 quart, or just enough for 6-square-foot sections at a time.
  
  
• 3). Force the grout into the joints with a grout float, working from several directions and pushing the grout into the spaces between the tiles. Squeegee off excess grout with the edge of a grout float and wipe down each section as you go. Keep the sponge from being too wet because excess water will weaken the grout. Rinse the sponge and keep rotating it to the cleaner side to prevent smearing excess grout onto the tiles. Wipe the counter with a clean, dry cloth where you see grout haze.
  
  
• 4). Apply grout to the backsplash, following the same grouting process you used on the counter surface.
  
  
• 5). Dig out the grout in the 1/8-inch gap between the bottom tiles of the backsplash and the countertop while the grout is still soft. Fill the space with color-matched caulk, which is less likely to crack as the house shifts.
  
  
• 6). Apply grout sealer to the counters after the grout has cured for three days. Let the sealer absorb into the grout and wipe away the excess with a clean, dry cloth.