How to Tile a Basic Shower Wall (2024)

Equipment / Tools

Materials

How to Tile a Shower

1. Plan Tile Layout

   • Choose a tile pattern such as a grid, brickwork (staggered), or diamond (diagonal).
   • Consider laying accent tiles or listellos horizontally, ranging anywhere from waist level to eye level (or 55 to 65 inches high).
   • If you are using larger tiles, consider laying them in a grid pattern.
     

   What Is a Listello?

   A listello is a decorative border or accent tile, often with a raised texture.

2. Protect Floors

   • Protect the bathroom floor by taping down plastic or cardboard or by laying down thin plywood boards.
   • Remember to protect the entire surface, including the floor of the shower.
   • For removing debris, also protect the floors outside of the bathroom.

   How to Install Ceramic Tile Flooring

3. Remove Shower Tile or Surround

   • With the prybar and hammer, chip away any old tile. Work from the top down.
   • Remove screws and nails along the way.
   • Let only a few tiles collect in the shower pan before dropping them in a bin, as loose tile can be slippery to stand on.

   Tip

   If cement backer board is under the tile or surround and it's in substantially good condition, keep it to use for your tiling project. Removing tile often ruins cement board in the process, but some good sections may remain. Direct-to-stud enclosures will have no cement board or drywall behind them.

4. Fix Shower Wall Structure

   • The structure that frames the shower enclosure must be solid, dry, and free of mold and mildew.
   • With older homes, wood studs may have deteriorated to the point where they need to be replaced.
   • Some homes may have drywall or greenboard behind the tile or plastic surround. You cannot tile over drywall in a shower. Remove these materials.
   • Remove moldy fiberglass insulation and, if possible, replace it with spray-on foam insulation.

5. Add Seats, Shelves, Niches, and Cubbies

   Built-in shower seats and inset shelves, niches, and cubbies add utility and keep the clean lines in your tiled shower. You can either build these accessories from scratch or with pre-built items.

   From Scratch:

   • To build insets and seats, create the item with two-by-fours and then face it with 1/2-inch cement backer board.
   • Cover joints with fiber-based tape and apply a layer of thinset.
   • Apply a waterproof membrane and tile these items along with the rest of the shower.

   Pre-built Items:

   See Also

   How to Build a Shower
   • Shelves, Select shelves, cubbies, and seats built of polystyrene or other waterproof materials.
   • These shower accessories are pre-sloped and ready for tile, with no need for cement board, taping, or liquid waterproof membrane.
   • While more expensive than building from scratch, pre-built shower tile items save time.

6. Measure and Mark Shower Area

   • For each wall, use the tape measure to determine the horizontal center. Mark the location.
   • With the laser level or bubble level, strike a vertical line off of each mark and then snap a chalk line.
   • Do the same vertically. With the tape measure, measure the height of each shower wall to be tiled.
   • Find the halfway point, mark with the pencil, then add level lines, using the laser level or bubble level.

7. Measure and Cut Backer Board

   • With the old tile or surround removed, add cement backer board directly to the studs.
   • Using the tape measure, measure the area to be covered.
   • Cut the backer board to size by scoring it with a utility knife, then bending it backward and lightly cutting the back.
   • Cut holes for the plumbing fixtures and showerhead with a hole saw fitted to the drill.
   • For curves, cut the backer board with the jigsaw.

   Warning

   When cutting cement backer board with an electric tool, move to the outdoors to keep silica dust out of your house. Half-inch cement board needs to be cut while a saw, while 1/4-inch board can be scored and snapped.

8. Install Backer Board

   • With the drill and concrete screws, secure the backer board to the studs.
   • Use 1/2-inch-thick cement board to match the thickness of the bathroom's surrounding walls.
   • Alternatively, you can use two layers of 1/4-inch cement board.

9. Add Cement Board Tape

   • Add the cement board tape to every seam between cement boards.
   • With the flat side of the trowel, embed thinset mortar into the tape and smooth it down.

10. Apply Waterproofing Membrane

    • With the paint roller, roll the waterproof tile membrane onto the cement backer board. Pay special attention to the joints.
    • Drying time is about 1 to 2 hours, but can take as long as 12 hours, depending on conditions.
    • Apply a second coat.

    What Is Waterproofing Membrane?

    A waterproofing membrane is a liquid, elastomeric material that goes on wet but cures solid to fill cracks and to form a tight waterproof liner for showers. Solid plastic membranes under brand names such as Schluter Kerdi are also effective at waterproofing showers, but they cost far more than liquid membranes.

11. Lay Tile on Floor

    • Lay the tile for each wall on the floor in the planned wall pattern, including the plastic tile spacers.
    • Most tile applications require that the tile be cut to fit vertically and horizontally.
    • Orient the tiles so that they start at the center strike points and move symmetrically outward.
    • Remember that when a tile needs to be cut, it's best to split the difference between two tiles.

12. Create a Story Pole

    • Use a scrap piece of one-by-two or other lightweight board that is at least 8 feet long.
    • Lay it up against the side of your tile laid out on the floor and mark each grout point on the story pole.

    What Is a Story Pole?

    A story pole is a temporary layout tool. Based on project measurements, the story pole identifies locations on the work area and standardizes them. This allows the user to avoid continually measuring with a tape measure. Since the story pole is specific to a project, it is often discarded after use.

13. Set Second Tile Row Start Point

    • Keep the first row above the edge of the shower pan untiled for now.
    • Consider using full-size tiles at topmost point—this is a visible section.
    • Run scrap one-by-two boards horizontally above this empty first row, plus a seam above and 1/4 inch below.
    • Tack this board in place with screws.

14. Spread Thinset

    • Mix up the thinset mortar until it has a peanut butter-like consistency.
    • Spread the thinset on the cement board with the notched side of the trowel. Start low in the shower and work upward.
    • Instead of applying the thinset to the entire shower, work in small areas. Large sections will dry before you can apply the tile.

    What Is a Notched Trowel?

    A notched trowel has two straight sides and two sides that are notched in either crenelated or V-shapes. When the user drags the trowel through the thinset at an angle, the notches meter out the correct amount of thinset.

15. Apply Tiles

    • Press the tiles into the thinset by gently wiggling the tile side to side. Avoid pressing too hard and work upward.
    • Add a row of accent tiles or listellos, if desired.

    Tip

    After applying the first tile, remove it. Look at the back of the tile and the cement board to assess coverage. If you're not seeing a sufficient amount of thinset, consider using a 1/2-inch notched trowel.

16. Finish First Row

    • Remove the second-row starter board.
    • Tile the first row, cutting as needed to fit.

17. Add Edge Tile

    • Install the edge tiles along all visible edges of field tile.
    • Apply with thinset dispensed from a grout bag.

18. Tile Around the Drain

    • Tiling around the drain will be easier with a square drain. You will have fewer grout lines than you would with a round drain.
    • You will need a tile nipper to help shape the tiles closest to the drain.

    Square:

    • Use tracing paper to draw a template of the drain’s shape plus a quarter inch more.
    • Transfer that onto cardboard.
    • When you get near the drain, stop using thinset and loosely put tiles in place. Use the cardboard template to plan out what tiles will need to be cut and sized.

    Round:

    • Use a tile nipper to make circular cuts around the drain.
    • Smaller mosaic tiles are easier to place around a circular drain.
    • Use tracing paper and cardboard to make a few templates.
    • Make an overall template if you are installing larger tile.
    • If you are installing smaller or mosaic tiles, use a template for each of the corner pieces you will need to cut to fit.
    • Once all the pieces fit, use thinset.

19. Grout Tile

    • After the thinset or mortar has dried, which should take about two days, grout the tile.
    • Run grout across the face of the tile with the rubber grout float. Use the edge of the float.
    • Pull the grout diagonally across the tile, filling all gaps.
    • After grout has dried, which takes about three days, seal grout in the shower by applying grout sealant.

20. Clean Grout Haze

    • After the grout has dried, clean the grout haze from the tile with grout haze cleaner.
    • Mix with water in buckets and wipe down with sponges.

When to Tile a Shower

A cracked tile or two can be replaced. Poor or discolored grout alone usually isn't enough cause to retile the shower, as grout can be tinted, repaired, or replaced. But when much of the existing shower tile is cracked, missing, or leaking water, it may be time to tile your shower walls and floors.

During a bathroom remodel, tiling the shower usually happens after the room has been stripped or demolished, basic plumbing and electrical services have been installed, and walls framed. After the shower has been tiled, the bathroom floor and cabinets are installed and the walls are painted.

Cost to Tile a Shower

The tile purchase comprises most of the cost of tiling the shower. Tile prices greatly vary, ranging from $1 per square foot for basic, glossy white subway tile to $50 to $75 per square foot for designer artisan tile.

In general, estimate on about $5 to $10 per square foot for tile. Setting materials will cost another $4 to $6 per square foot.

Because shower projects often uncover water damage to the underlying structure, figure in another $200 to $600 for any necessary do-it-yourself repairs.

Tips for Tiling a Shower

Tiling a shower is a major undertaking for most do-it-yourselfers. So, consider your shower tiling project within the context of your bathroom as a whole.

Timing

Bathing Facilities

Have alternative bathing facilities lined up before you start tiling. You won't be able to use your shower for one week or more.

Staging Area for Materials

If you have available space outside of the bathroom, use it to store building materials. This way, you can use the bathroom floor to lay out the tiles before applying them to the shower.

Open the tile boxes immediately to check for damage, then close them back up for protection. Store backer board and plywood on edge. Water from the wet tile saw can damage floors, so it's best to locate it outdoors or in a garage.

Tile Alternatives

Tiling a shower isn't a quick, easy fix. If you are in a rush, pre-fabricated shower units made of acrylic or fiberglass install quickly and are usually reasonably priced. Pre-fab units work well if you are okay with standard sizes and styles. These are the only options for installing something over moisture-resistant drywall, though it's still best to use cement board behind this type of unit.

When to Call a Professional

Tiling a shower is a precise craft since large quantities of water must be managed, with no room for error, and cuts for corners, sides, and the drain can be time-consuming and frustrating to get right. Building a perfectly dry tiled shower is critical, and the finished product should be inspected to ensure waterproofing is done correctly. If you feel that you don't have the time, patience, or skills to see this project through to successful completion, call in the pros.