How to Tile a Shower _ Tile Prep and Installation

Nothing brightens up a bathroom like a freshly tiled shower wall .

This one needs it as part of this bathroom remodel project .

We're gonna remove that old tile and put in new tile .

Now , if you've done a tile wall on drywall , you will recognize a lot of these steps , but there's some things that we have to do in preparation for a shower wall that are a little different .

You ready ?

Let's get started .

The first step is to remove the old tile or the fiberglass shower wall .

Now , this is a dusty job .

So use plastic to cover your doorways , wear a respirator that's rated for dust , cover the floor with a drop cloth and make sure there's plenty of ventilation , use a hammer and a chisel and work your way across .

Use a reciprocating saw to cut out any screws , we will replace all the backing boards .

So if you damage it , it's ok .

Ok .

So we found this dry wall back here .

This is how they used to do it in the old days .

We don't do this anymore because it can get wet , it can grow mold .

You can have drywall above the showerhead , but anything under the showerhead has got to be cement backer board .

So we are gonna rip this out .

It's time to inspect what we got back here .

Make sure all your studs are in really good condition and that everything is mold free .

If you see any mold , stop call professional and have it removed by an expert , you don't want to mess with that stuff if you need to reroute any plumbing or install a new tub or shower pan .

Now's the time to do that .

We've updated our shower valve and added some X pipe to bring everything up to modern standards .

We're installing our backer board .

You can see we've chosen a board with the same thickness as our dry wall .

So you have a seamless transition from one to the other .

You measure your work area and you cut your boards to fit to cut a back aboard .

You mark it , score it with a knife and snap along the cut .

Use shims at the base to set a quarter inch expansion gap .

You might need a friend for this part to help hold larger boards in place while you attach them .

Not me , secure the backer board to the studs with concrete backer board , screws , not drywall screws , mix up some thin set mortar , then press cement backboard , seam tape onto the mortar and use your putty knife to press it down securely .

So there are two ways to create a waterproof barrier around your backer board , you can either put up a vapor barrier behind it or you can use a paint on waterproof membrane on top of it .

If you use both , there's a small risk of trapping moisture between those two barriers .

So we don't want to do that .

The only exception to that rule is if your bathroom is on an exterior wall , if you have an exterior wall , you may want to check your local building codes and see if a plastic vapor barrier is required for this shower .

I will be using a paint on waterproof membrane .

So you begin by brushing it onto all the seams .

Then you use a roller to cover all the exposed backer board when the first coat is completely dry , add another coat .

There we go .

The second coat is dry and our whole shower is prepped and ready to go .

Now before we go any further , it's time to make tile decisions .

Yeah , is my favorite part .

So determine how much tile you'll need .

Measure each wall area with times height , add up the wall areas and add 10% just to make sure you have a little extra .

When you're using ceramic tile , try to find boxes with the same die lot number .

If you can't find matching numbers , mix tiles from different boxes while you're installing , so that any color difference won't be as noticeable .

Next plan your pattern , you want to center a tile horizontally along the length of the wall and do a quick dry fit to make sure you don't have those tiny tiles at the end of the rows .

If so , you can adjust your layout , shifting it to either side to make sure you have wider tiles on the side .

For the vertical layout .

We're going to start our pattern at the top of the wall so we can have full uncut tiles at the top .

And then if we do have to cut tiles to fit , they'll be at the bottom where the tub or shower pan might be slightly out of level because we will probably be cutting that bottom row of tiles .

We want to start our installation with the second row measure and mark the spot for your second row of tile , then attach a board to the wall to act as a guide , mix up some thin set mortar .

According to the instructions , you are looking for a creamy peanut butter consistency .

Spread the thin set in place , working in a small section at a time , use the notch side of the towel to texture the thin set , then push your tile firmly into place , use spacers between the tiles to make sure your gaps are consistent .

Different tile sizes and shapes work best with different trial notch sizes .

So find out which trial notch size is recommended , check regularly to make sure you are keeping everything level .

And it is a good idea to pull one tile off after you install it to check that the thin set is sticking to the whole tile .

If not use a towel with a larger notch to cut a tile , use a tile cutter and just score the length of the tile and press firmly to cut to cut curves .

Use tile nippers , a whole saw designed for tile as a tip for bowl nose or edge pieces .

Use a Ziploc bag , fill it with mortar , snip the corner about a half inch and pipe it through the bag like frosting on a cake easy peasy .

Once the tiles are in place , remove the guide board and fill the screw holes with your waterproof membrane , then finish the bottom row .

Make sure that you leave a quarter inch expansion gap at the bottom .

Once the thin set has dried for 24 hours , you can remove the spacers and get ready for grout .

Mix a small amount of grout at a time and apply it with a rubber float , work it into the spaces by using a diagonal motion .

Once it is dried for about 10 minutes , use a wet sponge to wipe away any excess but try not to remove any of the grout in the joints .

Once the grout is totally dry , you can use the grout haze remover to clean the tile faces .

This can take several applications to remove stubborn haze .

So take your time and try to be patient .

After a few days of drying , apply a grout sealer to the grout and a silicone sealant to the corners , edges and joints .

Wow .

What a difference .

Right .

Along with our vanity restoration project and some finishing touches .

This bathroom looks amazing and with some tools and supplies from Lowe's , you can transform your bathroom too .

I'll see you next time .