You can definately do the setting and grouting in the same day. You need to let the tile set up enough so it doesn't pop loose when you grout it. If the tiles stay in place, there are no quality issues with grouting sooner.

I believe most pros mix thinset with something (epoxy??) other than water to speed cure time, allowing them to grout the same day. According to the books I've read, there is a 24-48 hour reccomended wait time before grouting if you mix with water.

If you ask this question over in "Bathrooms"...minus the kitchen reference (to avoid the inevitable snide comment)...an extremely bright guy name Bill Vincent will probably answer. He's the resident tile expert. Throwing tile in the title will probably help get his attention.

Canada,
Your o.k. when doing it myself I like to wait, but then I'm pretty much shot for the day too. But I have one project a contractor did for me in 1991 with 8x8 tiles in an entryway to a commercial building they did both the same day. The tile has held up great. Yeh, everything you read says wait 24 hours but if the contractor is good you will be fine doing it the same day.
Thanks Dave

Danger! All of you are forgetting one major fact. Until thinset is cured, like in 24 hours, it has a "biscuit" strength phase and will release tile if they are disturbed. So, if you walk on a freshly tiled floor and there is enough thinset under a tile to fill a gap, the thicker thinset area will take longer to bond. When you walk on it, it will release and although you make a perfect grout phase, the grout line will crack in two days because the tile is loose. You will need to take up the bad tile, grind out the old thinset and do it right. Short time tile jobs are done with a product named "SPEEDSET". It can be grouted in 6 hours without any bad results. Maybe that's what the commercial contractor did. Look into the new anti microbial grouts and your grout will last longer too.

How difficult is it to pull up tile that hasn't been grouted yet? They were just cut and placed into thin set I guess.

Lindola:

Get a hammer and chisel and have at it; but be sure to wear eye protection. Scraping and/or grinding the thinset is the next problem.

I don't imagine anyone is walking on a backsplash--but depending on the tile's style and layout, you might use a good bit of torque getting the grout into the tiles...
Do you know that type of grout he is using?

I'm getting backsplash tile installed (18x18) with epoxy grout. The contractor says he can do it in a day. Based on this thread and Bill Vincent's comments, should I ensure that the Contractor uses "Speedset" instead of "Thinset"? Or do I need both? Is there a particular brand of this "Speedset" that is recommended?

Make sure the contractor uses Speedset, takes a long lunch, then grouts afterward. I've had leftover Speedset start to set up in my bucket when I'm cleaning up. You have to throw the chunks away because they won't dissolve even if you blast 'em with a hose.

I don't know how any contractor could make any money installing and grouting a small job like a backsplash on separate days. Maybe if he lived right next door.

Most of the advice offered here is for thin-set mortar but the OP said the tile would be installed with adhesive. We don't know what kind of adhesive but ordinary organic mastic will initially hold the tile better and set faster so the tile can be grouted in the same day.