After all, tile is notoriously difficult to install. You shouldn’t need to cut the tile unless it is an end tile that completes the row. Once the thinset dries (at least 12 hours), remove the temporary wood board, and install tile on the bottom row. Mark and level the first tile row. How should you cut holes for the tub spout? In general, to lay the tile itself, mix thinset and spread it on the floor using the notched edge of a trowel, starting at the intersection between your chalk lines on the floor. The gist is to transfer the tub spout location to the tile and use a diamond hole saw. What you really want to do is tile the walls starting with the second row and work up from there. That way, if you do have to cut tile to fit, they'll be at the bottom where the tub or shower pan might be slightly out of level. It’s really important to find the best starting point for your first row of tiles, this is because of the clear grid pattern that’s formed by the joints between the tiles. Make sure the tiles are not scratched or nicked before you install them over the adhesive bed. If you plan to cut the bottom row of tile, start your installation with the second row. Start at the back wall of the room, farthest from the door and find its center point. 5. This will allow you to leave room for the adhesive that will secure your tiles to the wall. Draw a chalk line across the room from this point. How to Tile a Shower Like a Pro is a proven 8 step system that will help you tile a shower in one weekend with tips from a Certified Tile Installer. This shower tile is 12 x 24 inches and we decided to have 6 inch pieces on the bottom and top. So it will only be 2 high each row. We started the first row by centering the tile on the shower drain. 1. First establish lines for the rows of tiles surrounding the alcove. Start at the center mark and work toward the outside edge. For the 4-inch tiles, add 4 inches to the grout line, estimated here to be 1/8 inch thick. You want to mark the location of that first row, use a pencil and make sure that you avoid the tile’s bottom edge. How should you start the first row of tile? Before you start setting tile, take some measurements and see how the tiles will all lay out (Image 1). This will be a guide for the top of the first row so that all tiles will be level. Sorry for the minor profanity, but it’s the truth. Hi, I’m about to start a shower room job. But there are two problems with that method: First, chalk lines are hard to see if you’ve slopped thin-set over them. Don't start it at the floor. Instead, bring it up to about 3/4 of the height of your tiles. I was trying to avoid taking the step of covering the tub to save time. Set tile to the edges of the wall and measure for the length to cut the tiles to finish the row. Laying Tile. A batten board helps you start your bottom-most course or row of tiles. Hang the first tiles and continue the row with more adhesive and tiles. This process of working from the center out to … Pop the new chalk line 4 1/8 inches above the top of the first tile row. Continue until the tiles are in place, including the smaller edge pieces that have been cut to fit. The easiest way to start laying your tiles is to start at the bottom and work upwards. This will produce both the horizontal and vertical spacing. By the way, always start your shower tiling project on the main 5 foot wall (if tiling a tub). This will give you a 1/2" overlap over the tile lip on your shower pan. We’ll help you learn skills to jump start your project, get you up and tiling as fast as possible, and help you do it the right way the first time. Yes, the tub will look skewed a little. Save time by setting several tiles at once. Don’t start in one corner and work your way across as you may end up with tiny pieces of tile to cut at the far corner. Lay the second row above the first row with the tile edge aligned with the wax pencil mark where you have measured for the pattern. The first step is to measure the row and column spacing, which is the length or width of the tile plus the joint width, respectively. And then, finish by installing that final row of wall tiles so that it overlaps the floor properly. Use the ledger board line and plumb line to guide the rest of the tiles. Let dry for 24 hours, and remove spacers. Start installing the first row of full tiles from the most visible corner, when entering the bathroom door. Whether you’re an experienced DIY-er or a newly minted weekend warrior, you may be wondering if there is an easier way to achieve the look of classic subway tile in your tub and shower. I’m using 1200mm x200mm tiles vertically. Screw a straight board to the level line and stack tile on the board. Meanwhile, install your floor tiles to the wall. Don’t start on the edge of the tub or shower. Continue installing tile in horizontal rows, placing spacers of choice in between tiles. Once desired baseline starting point is established, create a level base for the initial row of tile using a straight edge, level or similar. Once you have measured and marked the tile, you can begin to lay down the first row of tiles. We also left a 1/8″ (minimum) gap between the first row and shower floor. On the ceiling and floor of the shower, we used 2" x 2" tiles and on shower walls, 2" x 4" tiles. Place a tile against the wall, and add a tile spacer to the side of it. Leave a … What’s the best way to start. And factored how the tile would look at the walls and bench. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Then, continue adding tiles in rows or columns following your pattern. Mark where to set your first row. Then dry-stack and measure tiles to get an exact measurement from the bottom of the alcove to the top of the first row of tile. Start a new row above the first row and continue setting tile as instructed. Measure the room where you're laying the tile. Don’t start the first row of tile by resting it against the tub or shower. A Tub Surround Tile Installation (Tiling around Tub) A Wall Tile Installation (Tiling around Tub) Tiling around a Tub: Row and Column Spacing. The overlap can be of up to half an inch, so try to take that into consideration to get a … Measure up from the bottom of the backer board the height of a tile minus 1/2". Next, pick the edge of one of your full floor tiles and mark this line plumb up the wall. Measure to the first grout line on the main wall tile and that’s the height of your first tile. In our project, we set the tile for the wall opposite the shower door first. This will let you know where the center of that row is. The wider the spacer, the wider the grout line between the tiles. And wedgies. Step 1 of how to tile a shower wall-I was working on a tile installation that needed demo done to the walls. Draw a level line and screw a … Once the 1st row is on and levelled, the next can be started. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile. Check it for level. Do this for the other 2 walls. If the tiles were smaller I would use a baton to get my level but wiith only 2 high, not sure the best way to start. Guide boards solve both problems. H. erringbone tiling is almost without doubt the most difficult tile design to fit and when its done on a wall 8 meters long and 2.8 meters high with tiles measuring 10 cm by 30 cm it becomes a bit of a challenge to say the least . Mark the center of the first tile, and align it with the plumb line, and you’re ready for tile! Insert tile spacers between the tiles. Get some square tile that will allow you to cut the first row to widths greater than the subway tile. Find the center of the back shower wall, use your level to run a plumb line all the way up the wall. 2mm plastic tile spacers are used to space the tiles an equal distance apart at all junctions. These air pockets help the tile adhere better. Step 5 – Cut First Row of Tiles. Carefully line up your first tile, and press it into the adhesive, wiggling it slightly to create suction before positioning it in its spot. Mark this with a sharpie and using a level, transfer the mark across the shower stall. You now have your level line and plumb line to begin tiling your bathroom walls. A batten board is nothing more than a 1"x4" or 1"x2" board screwed directly into the wall horizontally. Do not apply grout, as this is only to determine the spacing. Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle to spread the adhesive, then use the notched edge to leave grooves in the adhesive. This base should start a tile width or more above the shower pan. Measure the space between the level line and the floor tile and cut the first row of tiles accordingly. Tile spacers come in a variety of widths. Lay a 1/16″ horseshoe shim on the tub. Second, the first row of tile can move as you set the next row. The bottom row of tiles are then fitted one at a time starting from the tile trim and finishing with cutting the final tile into the corner. Tile the Shower Wall. Make sure to place a spacer on each corner of the tile. Use your template as a guide to snap exact tile layout lines. And, let that dry. For the vertical layout, begin your pattern at the top of the wall so there'll be full, uncut tile at the top. This was the first time that ever had to do this and actually, I was still a rookie. Trying to set consistent grout lines with subway tile that's 1/16" greater on one side than the other is going to be pretty tough. This ledger board supports the first row of tile level. Cut as needed with tile snips or a wet saw to allow tile pieces a better fit around shower faucets and shower heads . The Easiest Alternative to Installing Subway Tile in the Bathroom. Periodically check the tile line with a level to be sure they are straight. When you’ve completed tiling above the board and the tiles are held firmly, remove the board and cut the first row of tile to fit. Using a level will make the process a lot easier here. For our base straight edge, we used several inexpensive plastic levels supported by blocks. Use a 1/4" x 1/4" notched trowel to spread thin set over the first area to be tiled. Add the height of the tile, plus the width of your grout line when popping the next chalk line. Set your first tile at the center. Begin the dry layout of a tile row. Without symmetry, subway tile looks shi$%y at best. Plan your tile layout so that it doesn't leave you with less than 2 inches of tile on the bottom or top. 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