100% on that one - we all make mistakes, and ideally, learn from them and use what we learned to do it right.

Plus having to redo the grout, that doesn’t sound like fun. Definitely worth taking the time to fix this before doing that

That's your reaction to someone picking up the wrong bucket of material?

Yikes. Humans make mistakes. It's all in how they handle things after the mistake. But to be that harsh for a mistake?

yeah but this would be the kind of mistake that betrays some kind of deep lack of understanding on the part of the guy doing the work. if a contractor did this I would have an honest suspicion the worker is literally illiterate. as a diy project mistake its no harm/ no foul.

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Yea, if the tiles DID happen to stay up, I’d be concerned about mold or mildew if water got back there

If they would inform me about a mistake they made, they would get every next job too! Honesty should be payed back.

Now if they made the mistake and didn't tell me, then we're getting to your solution.

Reminds me of that episode of First Time Flippers where they used drywall compound to set tile on the tub walls. I would redo it now since it should be relatively easy to remove.

Yes. Since it's a backsplash that's expected to get wet the drywall compound wont hold up.

That won't last a month, redo

I'd say OP is still in the middle of it, not done. Makes it easier.

yup, soak them in a bucket

If you need to ask, you shouldn’t be doing this job

I would keep it up. You can have fun trying to figure when it will fall.

Personally I think it will last as a backsplash for a very long time. Have fun with it

A pressure washer will scrub that tile clean in no time.

If OP had the patience, put the tiles in the tub for a couple hours, then sponge them clean

The mud from Mapie that I’m using right now is also water soluble. Even after it dries you can get it wet and wash it off the tools. And this is what the pros use. That mud is probably not that different from what you used. Like I said. I’d try to take a tile off and see how easy it is. Then decide.

I actually wouldn't be shocked if it didn't fall off... Don't get me wrong it absolutely needs to be torn out and redone, but some of these shitty tile jobs I've torn out that were there for 20yrs are complete trash and still held up. I'm talking tiles with barely a dab of joint compound on them. Honestly the grout would likely keep the whole thing up for a decent while lol. But still, definitely want to fix it to avoid the risk

I'd think it's fine, scrape it kinda tight and it's just drywall again, right? Better to leave a little rather than cut through the green or purple water resistance

You have to redo, drywall compound is not going to work as tile adhesive, it will crumble and fall apart

Now or later.

As for doing it now, everybody thinks it's a project in process, so even if it's a total delay, it will be acceptable.

As for doing it later, a nice finished room will fall apart at some time that you have no control over. This (and you) will then be seen as a screw up and as an event totally separate from your progress as of now.

So I vote DO It Now.

I think this as well. Try to take a tile off and see how hard it is. If you can’t pop it off you’re probably fine. Depending on the grout you’re using that will also help hold everything together.

Replace it before it falls off and injures someone's foot.

Tear it down before it falls on someone.

Yes

Redo or you'll regret it. Tiles fall off sometimes even with grout, there's no way gypsum is going to be adhesive enough to bond tiles to a wall. Plus grout is designed to be moisture resistant but gypsum compound definitely isn't.