How to Tile a Bathtub With a Seat

Bathtubs are often surrounded with tile.

Tiling around a bathtub is challenging and time consuming. One of the things that makes this home improvement project even more challenging is that you are likely to have to tile around obstacles, such as a bathtub seat that extends upward into the area where you are installing the tile. As long as you take measurements before you begin and work carefully, you will be able to create a beautiful tiled finish even around that bathtub seat.

Things You'll Need

• Level
• Tape measure
• Trowel
• Mastic
• Tile cutter
• Tile nippers
• Grout
• Grout float
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Use a level, tape measure and pencil to mark the row for the tiles. Start by drawing lines that cut each wall into four equal sections. For now, ignore obstacles such as bathtub seats.

2. Check to make sure that the final row of tiles on the top and sides of each wall will not need to be cut by more than half. This creates an uneven look. Move the middle line over slightly to correct this issue if it comes up.

3. Use a trowel to apply tile mastic over a few square feet of an area that has no obstacles. Press the tiles in place row by row. Continue applying tile rows until you have covered all areas without obstacles.

4. Cut the tiles for rows that need to be adjusted and the tiles that will go around the bathtub seat, using a tile cutter. Measure the areas carefully with a tape measure before you make cuts.

5. Cut smaller notches that must be made to fit around plumbing fixtures or sharp corners of a bathtub seat, using tile nippers.

6. Set the cut tiles in place to make sure they fit in the smaller rows and around the bathtub seat. Lay the mastic and press them in place as you did the rest.

7. Let the tiles dry for 12 hours. Spread on grout, using a grout float. Work it between all the tiles. Wipe away excess grout with a damp sponge.

References

• This Old House; How to Tile Around a Tub; Joseph Truini