Changing the tiles in your shower is a quick and easy way to give your bathroom a completely new look, and it won’t break the bank either. Because tile typically loses its decorative appeal long before it shows signs of wear and tear, there is a good chance that the tile in your shower is giving your bathroom an appearance that is out of date. Before you start looking for the perfect tiles to instal in your shower, you should educate yourself on the process that needs to be followed when doing so. You can acquire a better comprehension of the extent of the project if you learn whether it is best to tile the shower walls or the shower floor first.
Putting tiles in the bathroom, right? Should you begin by tiling the wall or the floor of a shower first? We hope you enjoy this important discussion.
There are many different considerations that go into deciding which of two things should come first.
And many of them present valid points of view. But which of these options is the best one to take?
The response is that there is no single correct path. Therefore, I will present the arguments for both sides.
It doesn’t matter if you’re tiling your kitchen, bathroom, living room, or hallway-there are certain guidelines you should stick to if you want the finished product to have a look that is both long-lasting and appealing.
Our guide will walk you through the fundamental concepts and helpful hints surrounding the process of tiling both walls and floors, as well as answer common questions such as which surface should be tiled first and what equipment is required.
Looking for the best tiling renovations? Look no further! Hitch Property Constructions has you covered.
Why It Matters Whether You Tile Shower Floor Or Walls First
There are a variety of responses that can be given to this question, and they will vary depending on the online resources that you consult or the professionals that you consult for guidance. The reality is that deciding whether to instal the tile on the walls or the floor first comes with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Your method can have a direct influence on the amount of time it takes to complete your project, the level of expertise that is required, and the appearance of the project once it is complete.
Tiling a Shower Floor First
What are the primary advantages of starting with the floor instead of other areas? It is important that the floor and wall tiles overlap one another. And there is no way for that to take place if the wall tiles have already been put up. At the very least, not without first engaging in some careful planning.
Nevertheless, those who work in the tiling industry will disagree with this. In the event that you tile the floor first, there is a possibility that you will accidentally damage the newly installed floor by dropping things on it. This could lead to tiles that are cracked. Or, mortar that is difficult to remove from the wall after it has been tiled.
If you would rather start with the shower floor, you can protect the newly laid tile from any accidents that might occur by covering it first. To protect the newly laid tiles, use either paper or cloth.
Tiles are typically installed in a professional setting using a method in which the tile wall is suspended over the tile floor. The installation of the tile on the floor of the shower comes first because this is the only way that this can be accomplished without the need for extensive planning and careful measurements. Despite the fact that this makes perfect sense, there are tile installation experts who don’t put the tiles on the floor first. Whenever you are working on the walls, there is a possibility that tile and mortar will fall onto the floor below. The tile floor that you just installed could get damaged as a result of this. If you place a protective cloth over the tile floor before beginning to instal tile on the wall, you can prevent the kind of damage that could otherwise occur.
Be mindful, however, that before you stand on the tile mortar to instal the tile wall, you must first allow it to completely set up. Only then can you proceed with the installation. Keeping this in mind, tiling the floor first can potentially lengthen the amount of time it takes to complete the project.
Tiling the Wall First
Why should the wall be tiled before anything else? It is not a waste of time. At the very least, a good number of tilers are of the opinion that.
Because of this, many people prefer to leave a small gap between the last row of wall tile and the floor in order to accommodate the flooring tile. Some people find it helpful to use a ledger or some other kind of space saver to indicate where the missing row ought to be.
You can then proceed to instal the final, or first, row of wall tile after you have completed the installation of the floor tile. You could also fill the space with grout. In addition to this, you can also cut the tile so that it fits into the space between the wall and the floor.
However, keep in mind that tiles that have been improperly trimmed and have an excessive amount of grout are not only unsightly to look at. It is also possible for the waterproofing to lose its effectiveness as a result of this.
Because the tile on the wall should hang over the tile on the floor, installing tile on the wall first can make the installation process more difficult. However, if you begin your project by tiling the walls, you will be able to avoid the unfortunate messes and damage that can be caused by mistakes with the mortar and tile.
You will need to take into account the fact that the wall tile will hang over the floor tile in order to correctly instal the wall tile first. The use of a space saver or ledger to create a space in which the floor tile can be installed at a later time is one of the approaches that trained professionals take to achieve this goal. If you choose to utilise this method, the floor tile that is located the furthest away from the wall will need to be laid down first, before any other floor tiles.
Bear in mind that the tiles need to be cut very precisely in order to achieve beautiful results when using this method, despite the fact that there is a relatively simple solution for the problem of wall tiles hanging over the edge when using this method. A precise measurement must be taken of the wall and floor tiles that are located near the corner, as well as the thickness of the grout, and the lines between the tiles must be even and smooth. In addition to having an effect on how the project appears when it is finished as a whole, gaps in these areas can make it more difficult to waterproof it.
A Mix of Both Philosophies
You should, ideally, experiment with a combination of the two approaches. Tile the walls beginning with the second row and working your way up from there. This is the proper way to do it. The first row, which is closest to the floor, ought to have a ledger or some other space-saving device placed in front of it. Also, just let that air out.
In the meantime, you should begin tiling the wall with your floor tiles. Install the very last row of wall tiles in such a way that they overlap the floor in the correct manner, and then you are finished. If the flooring is level, this will work without any problems.
We regret to inform you that not all shower stalls or surfaces are perfectly level. In addition, your strategy for tiling might be affected by the type and dimensions of the tiles you’re working with.
How to Blend Both Methods
If you are still unsure about whether to tile the shower walls or the floor first for your do-it-yourself project, the good news is that you do not necessarily need to tile the shower floor or walls in their entirety before moving on to the next step. Instead, you can use a hybrid method. Start the project by beginning with the second row of wall tile and working your way down the wall. You can demarcate the space that will be used for the first row of tiles with the help of a space saver. Make your way up the wall from bottom to top. When you are finished tiling the walls, you can move on to installing the floor tiles along the wall and underneath the space savers. Installing the last row of tiles along the bottom of the wall will bring the tiling project to its successful conclusion.
Tiling a Bathroom: What You’ll Need
In addition to the tiles themselves, there are a few other things that you will require before you can begin tiling your bathroom. To begin, you will need to ensure that you have all of the necessary instruments and supplies,
In addition to the necessary tools, you will also require the appropriate adhesives, grouts, sealers and waterproofers, and levelling systems for the task. You can download the comprehensive list of products that we suggest for a do-it-yourself bathroom by following the link below. If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to ask the tiling experts at your neighbourhood Beaumonts store.
Prepare Your Bathroom for Tiling
Before you begin tiling, it is essential to check that the walls and floor of your bathroom are in good condition, level, and free of dust and debris. This is because the condition of the surface has a significant impact on the quality of the tile that you instal over it in your bathroom.
Concrete or wood will probably make up the majority of the floor surfaces in bathrooms. The majority of walls are typically made of plasterboard.
Concrete
If the concrete is new, it needs to cure for 28 days before you can tile over it. Tiling over steel-troweled concrete necessitates a mechanical roughening of the concrete, followed by a thorough cleaning. Not doing so will result in insufficient adhesion.
Any concrete release agents or curing compounds should be removed mechanically. If the concrete has cracks wider than 1.5 millimetres before proceeding with the project, it is recommended that you consult with your local suppliers.
Timber
Tiles should not be directly adhered to wood floors due to the wood’s natural tendency to expand and contract. Untreated floors require priming and drying time before tiling.
Plasterboard
Even though plasterboard is frequently used for interior walls, it must be waterproofed before tile can be installed on top of it. When tiling over plasterboard, it was necessary to first adhere the tiles to a paper surface. No issues will arise in dry areas, but if it isn’t properly waterproofed, it will deteriorate in damp ones.
Please consult our extensive guide on wall and floor surfaces for details on tiling over a wide range of substrates.
Prime the Surface for Tiling
Applying a primer with a roller or sponge before beginning to tile is recommended. Use a primer that is water-based, as that is what we suggest.
Check out our range of tiling renovations Melbourne at Hitch Property Constructions.
Creating a Shower Hob
An ideal time to build a new shower hob is after priming the surface but before waterproofing it. The sooner this is completed, the better. A standard shower hob is 900 millimetres by 900 millimetres, but more and more consumers are opting for larger or even double showers. You can build your own shower hob by following the instructions given.
- Drawing a line from the wall out onto the floor is the first step. You should double check that the measurements you took are perpendicular and square to the walls. To make sure you have a square, measure it from corner to corner.
- Second, build the hob out of the hebel blocks. These are widely available at Beaumont Tile locations. Cut the hebel in two with a saw made for such purposes.
- In the third stage, the hebel blocks will be fastened with abascreed. Adding water first will result in a gloppy, unmanageable mess. Press the hebel into the wet cement after adding the mix along the previously drawn lines. Cementing the hebel blocks’ ends together prevents them from falling apart during construction. When you’re done, make sure the levels are correct and clean up any cement that’s not yet set.
- Fourth, before beginning the screed, the fall that will lead to the grate drain must be marked. Australian regulations mandate a minimum elevation decline of 10 mm for every 600 mm travelled.
- After step 4, create a well in the shower area to pour the screed into by tipping the bag containing the ingredients into the well. Add the water to the bowl and mix it in thoroughly. It is a good test of consistency to squeeze a small amount into your hand and then let go to see if the substance stays together.
- Sixth, keep doing this until the base is full, and then even it out with a level. Before you begin laying down the screed, double-check that the previously made fall marks line up with it.
- It’s time to move on to Step 7 and give the screen another coat of primer after it’s dried. All of the internal corners of the shower (walls, floor, and hebel) should then be sealed using a silicone sealer with a neutral core.
Waterproofing Your Bathroom
Before tiling a bathroom, waterproofing is a necessary step that should be handled by a professional. But if you fancy giving it a try on your own, here are the measures to take.
- First, after priming the surfaces, get out some Neutral Core Silicone Sealer and generously run a bead along all of the inside corners. Finish the bead off by gently adjusting it with your finger.
- Second, use Ardex STB Butynol Tape to seal off the nooks and crannies of your shower, shower hob, and flushing to ensure no water is left standing behind the grate drain.
- Thirdly, using a paint roller, spread a thin coat of waterproofer over the entire surface of the floor and walls. Make sure there is a reliable waterproof coating on all of the damp areas.
- Step 4: Apply a second layer of the waterproof membrane after the first one has dried completely. It is recommended that the second coat be applied at a right angle to the first.
- The fifth step is to allow the membrane to dry for at least 24 hours before starting to tile.
Laying Bathroom Tiles
Tiling a bathroom is no more difficult than tiling any other room. Regardless of the size of your bathroom, the steps necessary to tile the floor and walls are straightforward (a large family bathroom, an ensuite, or a smaller bathroom, for example).
Falls, or very slight slopes that direct water towards drains and prevent flooding in the bathroom, may be present on your bathroom floor in contrast to floors in other rooms. Falling off something is another name for a fall. If you need to make a fall (as in a shower hob), refer back to the section above about making a shower hob for the steps if they aren’t already present in the surface you’ll be tiling over.
The same simplicity applies to tiling your bathroom walls. The only real difference between tiling a bathroom and any other room is the necessity of making a few extra cuts to accommodate plumbing and fixtures. Beyond that, however, continuity is maintained. It may take some practise to get the hang of cutting tiles this way without assistance. This is why it’s always a good idea to order a few extra tiles along with your main batch.
Cutting Holes in Tiles for Taps & Fittings
It’s highly improbable that all of the tiles on a wall or floor will be the exact same size without having to be cut to fit at the edges. Any task that requires tiling will almost always require tile cutting.
To learn how to cut tiles to size for a specific surface, come here. However, when tiling a bathroom, you’ll also need to learn how to make special cuts to accommodate fixtures like faucets and pipes. How to cut tiles to size for a specific surface is covered in detail.
Cutting Holes for Taps
There are two crucial considerations to make before you begin drilling holes in tiles to instal taps. First of all, a hole cutter is something that can’t be used without the help of a tradesman or a handyman. Tiles must be cut before they can be laid, which brings us to our second point.
- First, use a pencil to make a mark in the exact centre of the tile’s hole; this will serve as a guide for the hole cutter. You can use this mark to determine where the tile needs to be trimmed.
- A grinder is used to score the marks after the tile has been placed on a suitable and stable work surface in Step 2.
- Third, make a hole in the material by using a hole cutter.
Drilling Holes for Fittings
As opposed to taps, fittings require only a drilled hole. After the tiles have been laid, you can also do this.
- Before you even pick up a drill, you need to use a pencil to mark where the hole will go. If you put a piece of tape over the centre mark before you start drilling into the tile, the drill bit won’t move around as you work.
- Step 2: Construct a miniature “well” out of a second piece of tape to catch the cuttings from the drilling. You can save yourself a lot of time and effort cleaning if you just do this one thing!
- Third, a hole must be drilled into the stuff. After you’ve drilled through the tile’s glazed surface, you can switch to the hammer setting on your drill.
We have a wide range of Melbourne tiling renovations to help you choose in creating a new design for your house.
Deciding Whether to Tile Shower Floor Or Walls First in Your Bathroom
When deciding which of these approaches is most appropriate for the task of renovating your shower, there are a lot of different aspects to take into account. The size of the tiles, in addition to the measurements of the shower, is one of the aspects that is among the most vital of these considerations. Many showers do not have dimensions that are consistent with one another. For instance, some showers are equipped with a bench seat that is covered in tiles. You will need to develop an installation plan for your specific project that keeps these benefits and drawbacks in mind. This is necessary because each project has its own set of factors to consider.
Is there a clear preference as to whether a shower’s floor or walls should be tiled first? I’m sorry to say that this is not the case. The majority of the time, it comes down to individual preference.
In addition, people will often make decisions based on what seems to make the most sense to them at the time. Some people favour doing one method over the other because it is more aesthetically pleasing. However, due to the fact that the rules of tiling are not set in stone, many people choose to utilise either one of them depending on the circumstances.
Lastly, if you want to err on the side of caution, you can experiment with a strategy that combines the two different philosophies. When you combine the two approaches, you get the benefits of both schools of thought. In addition, this helps remove the uncertainty regarding the correct path to take.
Conclusion
One of the simplest and most effective ways to update the look of your bathroom is by switching out the tiles in the shower. Both tiling the floor and the walls at the same time have their advantages and disadvantages. In this manual, we cover the basics of floor and wall tiling, from the terminology to the helpful hints. The floor and wall tiles must be laid so that they overlap. Utilize either paper or cloth to cover the freshly laid tiles.
Protect the tile floor from potential damage by laying down a drop cloth before you start installing tile on the wall. Keep in mind that the wall tile will protrude above the floor tile. A space saver can be placed in the empty row’s spot if that’s more convenient for you. Alternately, you could use grout to fill the gap or trim the tile to fit the area where the wall meets the floor. Near-corner wall and floor tiles, as well as grout thickness, must be measured precisely, and lines between tiles must be even and smooth.
Assuming the ground is flat, you should be good to go. Don’t feel pressured to tile the shower floor before the walls if you can’t decide which to tackle first. You need a few other things to get started tiling your bathroom. Make sure the condition of the bathroom’s walls and flooring. Due to the wood’s natural expansion and contraction, tiles should not be directly adhered to wood floors.
Before tiling, untreated floors need to be primed and given time to dry. After priming the surface but before waterproofing it is the best time to instal a new shower hob. According to Australian law, there must be a ten millimetre (mm) drop in altitude for every six hundred millimetres (mm) of movement. Assembling hebel blocks is made easier by cementing their ends together to keep them from breaking apart. The process of tiling a bathroom is no more complicated than tiling any other room.
The only real difference is that plumbing and fixture installation calls for a few extra cuts. Tile cutting is an inevitable part of any tiling job, so stock up if you’ll need to make a custom cutout. It is important to learn how to cut tiles precisely so that they fit around plumbing and other fixtures when tiling a bathroom. Below, you’ll find specifics on how to cut tiles to fit a variety of surfaces. Making a hole in the material with a hole cutter is what’s meant by “drilling holes for fittings.”
Many showers have inconsistent dimensions. Installing something requires careful planning. Consider trying a strategy that incorporates elements from both philosophies if you prefer to err on the side of caution.
Content Summary
- Because of this, many people prefer to leave a small gap between the last row of wall tile and the floor in order to accommodate the flooring tile.
- You can then proceed to instal the final, or first, row of wall tile after you have completed the installation of the floor tile.
- In addition to this, you can also cut the tile so that it fits into the space between the wall and the floor.
- You will need to take into account the fact that the wall tile will hang over the floor tile in order to correctly instal the wall tile first.
- A precise measurement must be taken of the wall and floor tiles that are located near the corner, as well as the thickness of the grout, and the lines between the tiles must be even and smooth.
- In the meantime, you should begin tiling the wall with your floor tiles.
- If you are still unsure about whether to tile the shower walls or the floor first for your do-it-yourself project, the good news is that you do not necessarily need to tile the shower floor or walls in their entirety before moving on to the next step.
- When tiling over plasterboard, it was necessary to first adhere the tiles to a paper surface.
- An ideal time to build a new shower hob is after priming the surface but before waterproofing it.
- You can build your own shower hob by following the instructions given.
- Drawing a line from the wall out onto the floor is the first step.
- Second, build the hob out of the hebel blocks.
- Add the water to the bowl and mix it in thoroughly.
- The same simplicity applies to tiling your bathroom walls.
- To learn how to cut tiles to size for a specific surface, come here.
- Third, make a hole in the material by using a hole cutter.
- You will need to develop an installation plan for your specific project that keeps these benefits and drawbacks in mind.
Tiles Floor FAQs
Is ceramic tile slippery when wet?
Ceramic and porcelain tile floors can be notoriously slippery. The very feature that makes tile easy to clean-its smooth, non-porous nature-also means that it is slippery underfoot. Add extra tile glazing, water, and dress shoes, and a rush to get to work can mean a trip to the emergency room instead.
How long do bathroom tiles last?
Most kinds of glazed porcelain, glazed ceramic, and terra cotta floor tile can last 50 years or more.
Is ceramic tiles good for bathroom?
Ceramic tile is one of the top choices for the bathroom floor. It’s impervious to moisture, stands up to stains and won’t absorb bacteria or odors. It’s a great choice for a bathroom that gets a lot of traffic. Ceramic tile comes in a wide range of colors and designs for a sleek, luxurious look.
What is the lifetime of tiles?
Tile floors last between 75 to 100 years on average since most of them are ceramic. However, they can last longer or shorter depending on how well they are maintained. Other types of tile flooring, such as those made out of natural stone like marble or granite, can last even longer than 100 years.
Is matte or glossy tile better for shower?
Matte tiles don’t show grime the way glossy tiles do. The reflective surface of the glossy tile will show soap scum and water stains very quickly. If you’re someone who doesn’t like to clean the shower in-between uses, matte tile is the best way to go.
