The future step is to set the 8×12-inch porcelain wall tile in a run bond or brick blueprint so that it looks good and stays put .
How to Tile a Bathroom Shower
1. Plan the Layout of the Tile
I constantly plan the layout to make certain the tile is centered and symmetrical. The finish is to maximize the size of tiles at the bottom and top, avoiding specialize pieces. I avoid using a wax piece at the top because the ceiling is normally not absolutely flat. By cutting the crown course of tile on all three walls, I can keep the joint width consistent all the room around.
In this case, I besides had to consider two niches. To ensure they would be symmetrical, I sized and located them in advance so that the picture-frame clean-cut tile at the top and bottom will fall on the horizontal joints between entire rampart tiles [1]. This results in about adequate 6-inch-wide courses at the ceiling and shower pan .
2. Butter the Tile, Don’t Slather the Wall
In showers and wet areas, I always use latex-modified thinset mortar, not mastic to tile a shower wall. When exposed to body of water, mastic just turns to liquid, which can cause the tile to crack and finally fall off the rampart .
rather than spread thinset on the wall, I prefer to butter thinset onto the back of every tile with a ¼-inch erose trowel [2]. This keeps the work area neat and clean, and besides reduces the total of mortar that works into the joints, which makes grouting easier .
3. Skip the Spacers Between Tiles
I begin on the long wall, applying tile from the centerline outward toward the corners. I start with the inaugural full course, which I set on a temp ledger that I ’ ve leveled and fastened around all three walls. After all the wall tile mortar has cured, I will remove the ledger, set the floor tile, then fill in the course of cut tiles at the shower pan .
I ’ megabyte spacing these tiles an inch aside [3], but I don ’ metric ton like to use spacers. Spacing the tiles by eye is faster and, after many years of setting tile, I ’ thousand reasonably beneficial at it. More important, with some tile, the dimensions vary, so using spacers will lead to crooked grout joints. The -inch grout joints allow for some irregularity in the edges of the porcelain tile. With tile that is more consistent, I can use ⅛-inch or even 1/16-inch joints .
4. Keep the Tile In Plane
With the first course set except for the cut pieces at the corners, I use a 4-foot level to check that the tile is flat and in plane [4]. This is specially important with larger tiles in a run bond practice because irregularities in tile thickness or bulges or depressions in the wall can skew the corners and create a sass at the joints. I adjust as needed by tapping the tile or resetting a tile after adding mortar .
5. Check for Level
even though this first course of tile is laid on a floor ledger screwed to the wall, I double-check with a level [5]. This first row of tiles is critical because if these tiles are crooked, the solid wall will end up crooked. This is besides one position where shims come in handy. I use shims as needed to bring the tops of the tiles perfectly snug with the level .
6. Measure Twice, Cut Tiles Once
Both ends of the first course need cut pieces. Because shower walls are frequently out of clean, I always standard cuts at both the bottom [6A] and the top [6B]. With -inch grout lines, I will cut the tile ¼ column inch shorter than the measurement .
I ’ meter going to have cuts in every naturally, but I like to install a much tile as I can before making a trip to the experience. I wait until I have dimensions for several courses, then cut them all at once .
7. Check Level at Every Course
To make the running bind or brick practice, the second base course is offset by a half-tile width. I meter from both sides to the centerline [7A] to make sure this tile is properly aligned because it sets the traffic pattern for all of the courses above .
Again, I level across the second quarrel to keep the horizontal joints coherent [7B]. As with the first full course, I use spacers where needed to bring the tile into alignment .
8. Dry Tiles After Cutting
If cut tiles are wet from the see, the thinset will not shackle a well. I always wipe them with a ragtime to remove any moisture [8]. After setting the reduce pieces, I use a grade again to check alignment .
9. Work Outside In on Sidewalls of Shower Remodel
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When setting the sidewall tiles, startle at the away edge and work toward the corner [9]. Ideally, the outside edge of the sidewalls will start entirely with full and one-half tiles. As with the back wall, lay as much tile as you can before making a travel to the interpret for cuts .
10. Plan the Corner Cuts for the Shower Wall
The finish when planning layout of the sidewalls is to avoid narrow slivers of tile on both sides of the corner. With larger tiles like the ones I ’ meter using here, I try to make it look as if the tile folds or bends around the corner [10]. so, where a long cut tile on the bet on wall dies into the corner, a short circuit piece of tile should come out of the corner on the sidewall .
