Proper Way To Tile Shower Walls

Mix enough thin set for the bottom row.

Proper way to tile shower walls.

One way to limit tile lippage is to stagger large format tiles into thirds. In order for your tile shower to look good the walls need to be flat and plumb perfectly vertical. Large tiles tend to cup or bow upward in the middle of the tile. You should get the shower wall down to the bare studs.

Cut the sheets to fit with a utility knife and staple them to the studs. Tiling a shower is a diy project that you can usually accomplish in a few days with the right tools and equipment. If your shower enclosure walls are. Wear skid proof shoes kneepads gloves.

There are two types of waterproof membranes sheet and liquid applied options. Cover the wall studs with a layer of plastic sheeting. To prevent water damage you must install a waterproof membrane just below the tile bonding mortar as close to the tile as possible. Prep the shower area for tile layout to start tiling prepare by running a bead of silicone caulk around the perimeter of the area you are tiling to seal it image 1.

Use a wet saw with a diamond blade to cut all the tiles. Unless you plan to replace the shower pan too leave it in place. Mark your tile layout on the substrate and mark out your first course carefully. Well that and a tile leveling system.

Then pick your shower tile and use this guide for step by step instructions on how to tile a shower. Water can penetrate through cement based grout and work its way through the substrate. You want your thin set to be the consistency of peanut butter not too thick. Dampen the cement board with a.

The staggering of tiles in thirds helps limit this effect. Rip out any old tile drywall or surrounds that were on the wall. Center a tile horizontally along the length of the wall and do a quick dry fit to make sure you don t have a lot of tiny tile at the end of the rows. For the vertical layout begin your pattern at the top of the wall so there ll be full uncut tile at the top.

Start by turning off the water to the shower so you don t accidentally ruin your work. Use the back of a plastic spoon to smooth the caulk. So the next step is to make sure the walls are flat and plumb and if not adjust as needed. Begin by protecting adjacent surfaces from spilled grout using painter s tape and rosin paper or plastic sheeting.

To do this grab a very straight board or flat edge that is long enough to span each wall. If so adjust your layout to have wider tile on the sides. Give your shower an update with new tile. Laying the tiles 1.

Sponge the tile and grout joints. Otherwise your tiles will be wavy and uneven.