How to Make a Tiled Shower

Installing tile anywhere in your house might seem intimidating, but it shouldn't be. One of the most common places for tile to be installed is in the shower area. When installed correctly, tile in your bathroom and shower area reduce the chance of mold and other water-related damage that are common in bathrooms. Doing it yourself can save you money.

Things You'll Need

• Tile saw
• Tile
• Tile spacers
• 1/2-inch backer board
• Backer board screws - 1 5/8 inch
• Latex-modified thin set
• Thin set trowel (size appropriate for tile)
• Power drill with Phillips drill bits
• Level
• Measuring tape
• Utility knife or backer board knife
• Margin trowel or joint knife
• Grout
• Grout float
• Grout and tile sealer
• Water
• Grout sponge
• Plastic sheeting
• Hammer tacker or staple gun
• 2-inch backer board tape
• Silicone caulk

Instructions

Hanging the Backer Board

1. For used or old showers, remove existing shower material and drywall to expose the wall studs. Check for mold and treat it by spraying the infected areas with bleach or a mold killer. Allow to dry completely.

2. Spread plastic sheeting over the studs and connect it to the studs with either a hammer tacker or a staple gun.

3. Measure the shower area and cut the backer board to size with either a backer board knife or a utility knife. Connect the backer board to the studs using 1 5/8-inch screws and a power drill.

4. Connect backer board tape to all seams and corners using a latex-modified thin set in the same manner used to tape dry wall.

5. Mix the thin set according to packaging directions. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before using. Using a margin trowel, load thin set onto your tile trowel. Begin spreading the thin set in a small area. You can either start from the bottom and go up or you can go from top to bottom. If there is a window in the shower area, start at the window and work your way out.

6. Immediately place tiles firmly in place, pressing hard against the thin set. Use tile spacers to keep grout lines straight and uniform. Cover only a small area at a time, or the amount of space you can tile in under 5 minutes (because the thin set dries quickly). Repeat and cover all backer board with tile in your shower area in this manner.

7. Allow the thin set to dry for 24 hours. Remove tile spacers.

8. Mix grout according to packaging directions. Let the grout sit for 15 minutes. Load grout onto the grout float with a margin trowel and spread into the grout joints (space between the tiles). Allow the grout to set up for 15 to 20 minutes.

9. Using warm water and a grout sponge begin wiping the excess grout away from the tiles. Form grout lines to their final aesthetic quality before the grout dries. Allow the grout to dry for 24 hours.

10. Remove any residual haze with warm water from across the tiles. Allow the tiles to dry, then apply two to three coats of grout and tile sealer to the grout lines.

Tips & Warnings

• For tiles under 12 inches, use a 3/16-by-5/32 V-notch trowel. For 12-inch tiles, use a 1/4-by-1/4-by-3/8 trowel. For tiles 16 inches or larger, use a 1/2-by-1/2 square notch trowel.