The subject of tile comes up fast on each shower build. What kind of tile if you pick? Where should you get it? Who buys it? What size is needed? What kind of grout if you use? The data stream can be somewhat overwhelming, and it is difficult ground to cover in a short meeting with an expected renovator — so do your homework beforehand. Knowing how to correctly construct, watertight and tile your shower can enable you to ask the correct questions when interviewing your own contractors.
There is a good deal of fantastic tile out there, but there’s even more junk to avoid. And after you discover the ideal tile, you still will need to choose your grout. In the event you utilize cementitious grout, sanded grout, unsanded grout or epoxy grout? There’s a lot to consider. Occasionally tile setters include the grout inside their cost, but try to get to learn more about your shower project before choosing a grout.
Tiling and grouting are hard to get right. I’ve seen way too many shower builds screwed up because the grout was poorly installed. Let’s take a look at some beautiful showers and find out more about the way to acquire tile, grout and trimming details right.
Previous in this collection: Planning and shopping for fixtures
Claudia Leccacorvi
Stone tile vs porcelain tile. This option comes up constantly. As for me, I prefer porcelain. A shower is one of the wettest areas on Earth, and porcelain tile is almost impervious to moisture migration.
But when somebody does decide to utilize natural rock, it is time to enter due-diligence mode and inspect the rock for defects, epoxy fill and mineral veins, and then carry out a soak test. An easy soak test is simple. If you’re planning to utilize some white marble in your shower, by way of example, purchase it from a provider that has been using the identical source for a few years. Make sure to ask how long the shop has been buying stone from that origin and if there were any issues on previous jobs.
Buy several pieces and set them in a bucket of water for two days. Then take them out and leave them out for a few more days. If the rock looks different, those very same changes are bound to take place in your new shower.
ACO Systems, Ltd..
Enormous tile. This is one of my favorite shower shots. A shower using large-format tile like this is quite simple to wash, but it is not the very best for young children, who often encounter showers in Mach-10 speed.
Larger tile can be slippery. Floor tile that is 2 inches or 4 by 4 inches tends to be a safe bet for those who want more grip. When you get bigger tiles, then you will need to be extra careful. I tell my customers to bring home a sample of their tile and also have a shower. Putting it on the ground while the water running can help you see how slippery it is underfoot. You can place the exact same tile outside the tub also, also try stepping out of the tub on the tile (with someone spotting you, of course). Is it too slippery? If that’s the case, you can try Johnny Grip to help add grip.
This bath also has a long linear drain from ACO. When you’re using a linear drain installed, request to maintain the tile elevation about 1/16 into 1/8 inch above the drain’s edge, so the soap suds and water can fall off the edge of the tile and into the drain.
Susan Diana Harris Interior Design
Small tile. Mosaic tile particularly is quite hard to install and should be handled by a professional. Mosaic tile for showers ought to be paper faced or movie faced. Film faced tends to work somewhat better, because you can see the alignment of the tile readily.
Many tiny tiles also have a directional arrow on the back. Make sure they get installed exactly the exact same fashion on the wall — that all the arrows are pointed in precisely the exact same direction. Glass tile expands differently, and the tile is oriented into account for that.
Try not to use mosaic sheets in a shower. You require 95 percent coverage from the tile into the rear of the tile, and lots of these mosaic sheets are ready with a water-based adhesive. Much like natural rock, soak test any sheet vinyl to ensure that the adhesive or glue doesn’t smell or break down with plain water.
Bill Fry Construction – Wm. H. Fry Const. Co..
Mixing and matching tile. This builder has utilized three distinct tiles for a single stone of a shower. Mixing tiles from different suppliers is a really practical approach to lower your shower renovation costs. Some glass tile can operate up to $100 per square foot, whereas a basic ceramic white tile can cost as little as $2 per square foot. Using more expensive glass tile as a simple accent is able to help you follow your budget.
Should you look carefully in this photo, you will see that all the different tiles line up evenly. This extra detail takes a little bit more time and effort however, makes a significant impact.
Bill Fry Construction – Wm. H. Fry Const. Co..
Edging details. Knowing the way the tiling edges will probably likely be addressed is an important step in planning your shower. Looking carefully at this photo of the other side of the identical shower in the past image, it is possible to see that the edges where the tile meets the wall and vanity are beveled.
Prior to starting your shower renovation, take a little time and examine other installations in photographs and also at tile showrooms to choose an edging detail you like.
Studio NOO Design
Some folks like a metal Schluter profile on the edge of their tile. This simple Schluter profile makes for a modern finish.
If you’re planning to utilize these metal accent strips on the tile edges, make sure that you specify that the cuts of these metal strips all be performed on a miter saw equipped with a nonferrous blade, so the cuts are crisp and tight.
The tile trim can also be important. If your tile setter doesn’t utilize a power wet saw, the cuts may look rough and get even rougher after grouting.
Ask for a mockup of your trimming and define a new factory edge, which means the tile is cut and polished to look as though it came from the factory.
Ceramiques Hugo Sanchez Inc
Other homeowners prefer for the edge of the tile to simply be grouted where it meets the wall. This market is done using a mitered edge — make sure the corners are nicely grouted so they are not razor sharp. While mitering isn’t necessarily hard, it takes some time, which means that you can expect to pay a premium for this kind of work.
The manner corners and edges like this are ready has to be determined before the tile is set.
Bubbles Bathrooms
Tile layout. Now it is time to start designing your tile layout. Consider just how simple and clean lined this bath is — the shower market is exactly in between two tiles. This is no coincidence; going beforehand can make the difference between a sloppy appearance and a clean appearance. If you’re aiming for a polished shower layout, make sure you and your installer know precisely where each tile will lie before framing begins.
10 Best Tips for Getting Bathroom Tile Right
AT6 Architecture : Design Build
Grout. I like two grout colors: white and light grey. Black, dark grey and other dark and warm grout tiles can start to accumulate buildup or fade, based upon the local water source and thinset choice. If the grout is mixed incorrectly or overwashed, the pigment could be wiped away unevenly.
Efflorescence happens when grout lightens as salt leaches out, leaving a light, powdery film on the surface. The impact of it on tile installations is nasty. Steer clear of efflorescence by employing premium setting substances such as Ardex X32 and Mapei’s Grani Rapid. These are expensive goods, and not everyone will be able to afford them, but they make a huge difference.
If you’re building on the economical, use a light gray grout, because it is by far the most pliable and seems the very best in the long term.
Tarkus Tile, Inc..
If you’re working with a darker grout, then I suggest an epoxy grout for a normal shower. Currently my two favorite grouts have been Mapei’s Ultra Color Plus (a fast setting cementitious grout) and Laticrete’s Spectra Lock Guru (an epoxy grout).
Cementitious grout is a standard grout which arrives in a sanded model for big grout joints (3/4 into 1/8 inch) and an unsanded model (1/16 into 1/8 inch) for thin grout joints. Cementitious grout comes in a fast setting formulation, which can be tricky to use — do not try these formulas for the very first tiling project.