Shower tiling gives your bathroom a unique look. Tile kind, size, tiled vs. manufactured shower pan, and even additions like cubbies, shelving, and seats are all options for your tiled shower. When your tiled shower is finished, it will be a genuinely one-of-a-kind work of art that expresses your personality, says Ag Tiling Northampton.
When you tile your own shower instead of employing a professional tiler, you save a lot of money. Tiling a damp area is a rewarding DIY job that rewards patience and attention to detail.
Warning
Because waterproofing is so important in this job, only licenced contractors with proper permits or experienced DIYers should attempt it. It’s critical that whomever completes this job have the shower wall and shower pan examined afterward to guarantee proper waterproofing.
When Should You Tile Your Shower?
It is possible to replace a cracked tile or two. Because grout may be tinted, mended, or replaced, poor or discoloured grout is rarely a reason to retile the shower. It may be time to tile your shower walls and floors if most of the old shower tile is broken, missing, or leaking water.
After the room has been stripped or demolished, basic plumbing and electrical utilities have been installed, and the walls have been constructed, the shower is normally tiled. The bathroom floor and cupboards are fitted after the shower is tiled, and the walls are painted.
Before You Start
For most do-it-yourselfers, tiling a shower is a huge task. So think about your shower tiling job in the perspective of your entire bathroom.
Advice
Do you want tile on the floor and walls of the bathroom as well? Because they generally employ distinct tile materials and have different waterproofing concerns, bathroom floor and wall tile are independent projects from shower tile. Even so, including them in the early phases of planning will help you harmonise styles.
Timing
Allow yourself adequate time to work at a modest but steady pace. It’s not a good idea to rush tile work because it’s tough to undo mistakes. You can’t speed tile work since tile grout and mortar must cure fully before they can be used.
Facilities for Bathing
Prepare alternate bathing facilities before you begin tiling. The shower will be unavailable for at least one week, if not longer.
A Materials Staging Area
Use any extra space outside of the bathroom to store construction materials. It’s vital to set up a staging area outside the bathroom since you’ll need the bathroom floor to lay out the tile before putting it to the shower.
Open the tile boxes right away to inspect for damage, then seal them again for safety. Backer board and plywood should be stored on their edges. Because water from a wet tile saw can harm floors, keep it outside or in a garage if feasible.
Alternatives to Tile
Tiling a shower is not a simple task. Prefabricated shower systems made of acrylic or fibreglass install fast, are typically cheaply priced, and have no installation waiting periods if you only require a simple, usable shower. If you don’t mind conforming to predefined proportions and styles, prefabricated units are a good option.
What Kind of Shower Tile Should You Use?
For both the walls and the floor, shower tile should meet or exceed waterproofing criteria. The tiling on the floor should give sufficient grip for standing when bathing.
Shower Wall Tile
Shower walls can be made of any tile that is specifically labelled as porcelain tile. Porcelain tile is waterproof because it absorbs less than 0.5 percent of water.
The Porcelain Tile Certification Agency (PTCA) trademark can be seen on boxes and product documentation to identify porcelain tile. The PTCA maintains a list of certified product lines on their website.
You don’t have to utilise porcelain tiles in your shower. Shower walls may be made out of almost any glazed ceramic tile. Despite the fact that glass tile is neither ceramic or porcelain, it is an excellent shower tile due to its vibrant colours, low water absorption, and simplicity of maintenance.
Advice
Tile makers include water absorption rates, DCOF slip resistance, break strength, and PEI abrasion resistance values on the specification sheet. These papers can be found on manufacturer or store websites, as well as in product documentation. Some manufacturers’ websites allow you to filter out tiles that do not fulfil shower wall and floor criteria.
Shower Floor Tile
Shower floor tile may become slippery and hazardous when wet and soapy. So you want your shower floor tile to provide you enough grip to walk about in bare feet.
The coefficient of friction, or COF, is a measurement of how slick something is. This is known as the DCOF wet goal or value in the tile business.
The DCOF value of the shower floor tile should be 0.42 or greater.
This is the industry standard for interior-level tiles that will be trod on when wet. Higher numbers indicate stronger traction.
Slip resistance is influenced by a variety of factors. Some mosaic tiles, for example, may be prone to slipping, yet the great number of broad grout lines provide friction for bare feet.
Building a Shower Pan or Adding One
While this project assumes that you have a completely plumbed and operational shower pan, you may want to replace it. You may either make your own shower pan out of tile and mortar or buy one already made.
- By stacking a base of mortar to form a slope that directs water toward a central drain, you may make a shower pan with shower floor tile. While this approach provides the most creative freedom and a sleeker appearance, it also increases the risk of water leaks.
- Even if you wish to utilise tile on your shower walls, a pre-built, single-piece fibreglass or acrylic shower pan may be used. Although the design is simple and effective, the risk of water leakage is considerably avoided. It’s also simpler and quicker to set up. Combining tile walls with a pre-built shower pan is the best of all worlds for many do-it-yourselfers.
The Price of Tiling a Simple Shower
The majority of the expense of tiling the shower is covered by the tile purchase. Tiles range in price from €1 per square foot for standard glossy white subway tiles to €50 to €75 per square foot for designer artisan tiles.
In general, tile should cost between €5 and €10 per square foot. The cost of setting materials will be between €4 and €6 per square foot.
Because shower projects sometimes reveal water damage to the building underneath, you should budget an additional €200 to €600 for any necessary repairs.
Considerations for Safety
What You’ll Require
- All electrical circuits with service wires going through walls next to the shower should be turned off.
- Before you start cutting with the wet tile saw, ensure sure the cutting surface is completely submerged in water.
- Water not only keeps dust at bay, but it also helps to keep tile chips from flying back at you.
- Protect your eyes, ears, and lungs when cutting tiles or ripping down an old shower.
Equipment and tools
- Cutter for wet tiles
- Drill (cordless)
- Trowel with 1/4-inch notches
- Laser level or bubble level
- Measurement tape
- A grout float made of rubber.
- bag of grout
- Make a snap line with chalk.
- Pry bar
- Hammer
- Protect your eyes, ears, and breathing.
- Knife (utility)
- Hole saw
- Jigsaw
- sponges, clean
- buckets to clean
Materials
- Shower floor and wall tile
- Tile for the edge
- Listellos or accent tiles
- Backer board with cement
- Tile separators
- thinset
- Materials for floor protection
- Shims of plastic
- Tape for cement boards
- Tile waterproofing membrane (liquid)
- Frames and coverings for paint rollers
- cleanser for grout haze
- Sealant for grout
Instructions
Tile Arrangement
The tile layout may be influenced by the form, size, and type of the tiles. Choose from grid, brickwork (staggered), or diamond tile patterns (diagonal). Subway tile is typically put in a brickwork pattern for a classic style or in a grid-like pattern for a more modern design.
When a border of accent tiles or listellos is put horizontally, extending from waist-level to eye-level, large fields of little tiles become more aesthetically attractive (or 55 to 65 inches high).
What is a Listello, exactly?
A decorative border or accent tile with a raised texture is known as a listello.
Grid patterns appear best with large format tiles (about 18 inches by 36 inches) and ultra-large format tiles (approximately 24 inches by 48 inches). For a shower wall that is 4 feet wide by 7 to 9 feet tall, just four super-large format tiles are needed to cover the whole wall.
Protect the flooring
The bathroom floor does not need to be covered if it is still in the subfloor stage. Protect the bathroom floor by taping down plastic or cardboard or putting down thin plywood planks if a floor covering has already been fitted. Protect the whole area, including the shower’s floor. For transporting out demolition debris, provide a passage to the outside with cardboard protective board or plywood.
Remove any shower tiles or surrounds.
Remove any old tiles with the prybar and hammer. Work your way down from the top. Along the way, remove screws and nails. Allow only a few tiles to accumulate in the shower pan before discarding them, since loose tile might be dangerous to walk on.
A reciprocating saw may be used to cut one-piece synthetic plastic shower enclosures apart. Disassembly of multi-piece enclosures is possible.
Advice
If the cement backer board behind the tile or surround is in reasonable shape, save it for your tiling job. While removing tile frequently destroys cement board, some nice parts may survive. There will be no cement board or drywall beneath direct-to-stud enclosures.
Restore the structure of the shower wall
The framework that supports the shower enclosure must be sturdy, dry, and mold-free.
1. Wood studs in older homes may have deteriorated to the point of needing replacement. Behind the tile or plastic surround, some homes contain drywall or greenboard. These items should be removed because cement backer board will be installed in their stead. Replace any mouldy fibreglass insulation with spray-on foam insulation if feasible.
Seats, shelves, niches, and cubbies may all be added.
Built-in shower chairs, as well as inset shelves, niches, and nooks, enhance functionality while keeping your tiled shower’s clean lines.
You may either make these accessories from scratch or buy them ready-made.
- To make insets and seats from scratch, start with two-by-fours and finish with 1/2-inch cement backer board. Apply a layer of thinset to the joints and cover them with fiber-based tape. Then, using a waterproof membrane, tile these areas in the same manner as the remainder of the shower.
- Shelves, cubbies, and chairs made of polystyrene or other waterproof materials can be purchased rather than built from the ground up. There is no need for cement board, tape, or liquid waterproof membrane with these shower accessories because they are pre-sloped and ready for tile. Pre-built shower tile elements are more expensive than creating from scratch, but they save time.
Marking and measuring the shower area
Determine the horizontal centre of each wall with the tape measure. Make a note of the place. Strike a plumb vertical line off of each mark with the laser level or bubble level, then snap a chalk line.
Repeat the process vertically. Measure the height of each shower wall to be tiled with the tape measure. Find the midway point, draw it with a pencil, and then use the laser level or bubble level to make level lines.
The backer board should be measured and cut.
Install cement backer board straight to the studs after removing the existing tile or surround. Measure the area to be covered with the tape measure. By slicing the backer board with a utility knife, then bending it backward and softly cutting the back, you may trim it to size.
With a hole saw attached to the drill, make holes for the plumbing fittings and showerhead. Cut the backing board using the jigsaw for curves.
Warning
To prevent silica dust out of your house when cutting cement backer board with an electric instrument, walk outside. A saw is required to cut half-inch cement board, whereas 1/4-inch board may be scored and snapped.
Place the backer board in place.
Secure the backer board to the studs with the drill and concrete screws. To match the thickness of the bathroom’s surrounding walls, use 1/2-inch cement board. You may also use two layers of 1/4-inch cement board.
Tape the cement board.
Tape every seam between cement boards using cement board tape. Insert thinset mortar into the tape with the flat (not notched) side of the trowel and smooth it down.
Waterproofing Membrane Application
Roll the waterproof tile membrane onto the cement backer board with the paint roller. Particular care should be paid to the joints. It takes roughly 1 to 2 hours to dry, but it can take up to 12 hours depending on the conditions. Apply a second layer if necessary.
What Is A Waterproofing Membrane And How Does It Work?
A waterproofing membrane is a wet-cure liquid elastomeric material that fills fractures and forms a tight waterproof lining for showers. Showers can also be waterproofed with solid plastic membranes like as Schluter Kerdi, although they are much more expensive than liquid membranes.
Lay the tile out on the floor.
Place the tile for each wall, including the plastic tile spacers, on the floor in the final wall design. Most tile applications include cutting the tile vertically and horizontally to fit. Orient the tiles such that they begin at the strike spots in the middle and go outward proportionately. When a tile has to be sliced, the aim is to divide the difference between two tiles.
For instance:
The shower has a 42-inch broad wall. Four 12-inch by 12-inch tiles may cover this width, albeit 6 inches must be trimmed. Cut two of the tiles to a 3-inch width each instead of cutting the fourth tile in half (6 inches). To establish symmetry, the narrow tiles will be set at each far end.
Construct a Story Pole
Use a one-by-two or other lightweight board that is at least 8 feet long as a scrap piece. Place it against the side of the tile on the floor and use the story pole to mark each grout spot.
What Is a Story Pole and How Does It Work?
A temporary layout tool is a narrative pole. The story pole identifies and standardises places in the work area based on project dimensions. This eliminates the need for the user to constantly measure using a tape measure. The story pole is generally abandoned after usage since it is customised to a project.
Set the Start Point for the Second Tile Row
Keep the first row over the shower pan’s edge for the time being. Because this is a visible part, it’s normally preferable to have full-size tiles at the uppermost point—whether it’s a ceiling or an edge tile. As a result, the bottom (or initial) row of tiles will have to be smaller than full-size.
Above this empty initial row, run scrap one-by-two boards horizontally, plus a seam above and 1/4 inch below. Use screws to secure this board.
Apply Thinset
Mix the thinset mortar until it has the consistency of peanut butter. With the notched side of the trowel, spread the thinset on the cement board. Begin from the bottom and work your way up in the shower. Work in tiny portions rather than covering the entire shower with thinset. Large areas must dry before the tile can be applied.
What is the Definition of a Notched Trowel?
Two sides of a notched trowel are straight, and two sides are notched in crenellated or V-shapes. The notches metre out the right quantity of thinset as the user pulls the trowel through the thinset at an angle.
Install Tiles
Wiggling the tiles from side to side gently presses them into the thinset. Try not to press too hard. As you go, put spacers between the tiles to form seams. If desired, add a row of accent tiles or listellos.
Advice
Remove the first tile after it has been installed. Assess coverage by looking at the back of the tile and the cement board. You can use a 1/2-inch notched trowel if you don’t see enough thinset.
Finish the first row.
The second-row beginning board should be removed. Cut as needed to fit the first row of tiles.
Add a Border Tile
Install the edge tiles, such as a bullnose, along all of the field tile’s visible edges. Use a grout bag to dispense thinset.
Tile Grout
Grout the tile when the thinset has cured. Using the rubber grout float, apply grout to the tile’s face. Make use of the float’s edge. Pull the grout across the tile diagonally, filling up any gaps. Apply a grout sealer once the grout has cured.
Haze of Clean Grout
Clean the grout haze off the tile with a grout haze cleaner once the grout has cured. In buckets, mix with water and wipe clean with sponges.
When Should You Hire a Professional?
Because vast amounts of water must be controlled with no tolerance for error, tiling a shower is a precise skill. It’s vital to construct a properly dry tiled shower, and the completed result should be examined to guarantee proper waterproofing. If you don’t think you have the time, patience, or abilities to see this project through to completion, hire a professional.
