10 Top Tips for Getting Bathroom Tile Right
Good planning is essential for bathroom tile that's set properly and works with the rest of your renovation. These tips help you do it right
http://www.no-curb.com - Proud member of the National Kitchen & Bath Associate the TTMAC and voting member of the ASTM.
"When it's Perfect. It's Good Enough" - John Whipple
http://www.no-curb.com - Proud member of the National Kitchen & Bath Associate... More »
Tile layout is king in any bathroom renovation. Planning tile layout carefully from the start can aid in everything from framing changes to niche locations to fixture locations to lighting locations. Without careful planning, your results might be close to what you wanted — but not quite perfect.
I have a lot of rules I follow when building a bathroom. Some are industry guidelines, most are local codes — and many are just my own. Here are my 10 top rules for good bathroom tile installation.
I have a lot of rules I follow when building a bathroom. Some are industry guidelines, most are local codes — and many are just my own. Here are my 10 top rules for good bathroom tile installation.
1. Plan it all out. This is my home. I wanted three shower niches (one for each of my girls) and one large niche for shampoo bottles.
To achieve this look, I needed some custom framing and a header above the tub on the long wall. This was planned from the beginning, and I made sure that the plumber and electrician would not need to run power or plumbing lines through these wall cavities.
Tip: Mark the wall studs with spray paint or mark all sides with a permanent marker, informing all tradespeople that the space is reserved for the tiler.
To achieve this look, I needed some custom framing and a header above the tub on the long wall. This was planned from the beginning, and I made sure that the plumber and electrician would not need to run power or plumbing lines through these wall cavities.
Tip: Mark the wall studs with spray paint or mark all sides with a permanent marker, informing all tradespeople that the space is reserved for the tiler.
Other details, such as recessed medicine cabinets, downlights and fans, also should be specified at the start of a project and checked before the other tradespeople come to install the plumbing lines, water lines, electrical lines, heating lines, cooling lines, ductwork and low-voltage wiring.
by MAK Studio
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2. Double-check tile sizes. The single biggest mistake I see people make in tile layout is assuming a 12-inch by 24-inch tile is in fact 12 inches by 24 inches. Most tile is sold in European sizing, and the tile size is 30 centimeters by 60 centimeters. This size could also have a grout joint factored in, so your tile could be closer to 11 3/8 inches.
By purchasing a good sample of tiles you can lay them out, check your tiles for warping and soak-test them for quality control.
By purchasing a good sample of tiles you can lay them out, check your tiles for warping and soak-test them for quality control.
3. Lay your tile from the ceiling down. Many shower niches end up with cut tiles, but it doesn't have to be that way. Lay out your tile pattern from the beginning so that the mitered pieces start exactly on a grout joint. I find that laying out the tile pattern from the finished ceiling heights makes it easier to get it right. We will often draw up the design on the wall board prior to waterproofing to make sure the layout is right before installing the tile.
If your current wall studs are hindering the plumbing fixtures from being placed where you want them, now is a good time to address this.
If your current wall studs are hindering the plumbing fixtures from being placed where you want them, now is a good time to address this.
When working with a linear drain that has a tile insert, your grout joints should run through the drain for a flowing look. This shower is a gem, set by Tarkus Tile. A good setter will blend the inventory of tile and switch up the veining or grain of a tile. This shower is a great example of both.
| 4. Be careful around doors and windows. Tile layout around doors and windows is critical. Every window or door has its own challenge, and the best way of waterproofing the assembly may be a challenge. Make sure your shower or bath's waterproofing system is designed with the windows in mind. This way you can prevent water from getting behind the tile and into the window framing. Having tilted sills and room for expansion will ensure the tile job holds up well for years to come. |
5. Get the drain right. Setting the drain requires a lot more than just dropping it in somewhere in the middle. Many drains have zero room for adjustment, and getting them perfect requires exact planning. This drain is made by Schluter Systems and offers up a little wiggle room in final position. Not all do, so plan this out before your plumber arrives.
Have your plumber position the drain pipe close to, but not exactly in, the finished position until after you and your tile installer determine the best tile layout for the shower. A shower will need flood testing, so this work will be checked later.
Have your plumber position the drain pipe close to, but not exactly in, the finished position until after you and your tile installer determine the best tile layout for the shower. A shower will need flood testing, so this work will be checked later.
6. Guard against leaks. Grading the areas outside the shower back to the shower is a safeguard against leaks. The extra inlay tile detail around this barrier-free shower is tipped toward the shower like a traditional shower curb.
7. Pay attention to pebbled floors. When designing showers with a river rock floor, remember that they are slower to drain. Increasing the pitch and using epoxy grouts can help with quicker dry-out times between showers.
I would not build a pebble shower floor with a pitch less than 2 percent, or 1/4 inch per foot.
I would not build a pebble shower floor with a pitch less than 2 percent, or 1/4 inch per foot.
8. Cure between steps. Sealing tile and natural stone can enhance many tiles. A solid practice is to prepare a sample tile board and seal it before sealing an entire bathroom or shower — all of which should be done prior to installing the floor tile.
Make sure you stay off these floors until they're fully cured, and wait as long as possible before sealing the job. Don't let your crew install the tile in two days, grout the third and then seal the following day. Each stage needs time to dry before proceeding.
Make sure you stay off these floors until they're fully cured, and wait as long as possible before sealing the job. Don't let your crew install the tile in two days, grout the third and then seal the following day. Each stage needs time to dry before proceeding.
| |
| 9. Detail makes a difference. Notice the detail in the corners of this photo, where the tile has been wrapped around the edge. Good design and attention to detail make these areas look polished. Wrapping means that the tile used to finish the wall and return the short corner is the same tile. This allows the grain of the tile to continue around the corner and makes for a more polished look. |
| 10. Design your niches bigger, not smaller. When framing in a shower niche, first decide on a finished measurement and then build the shower niche 1 to 2 inches larger. Most tile is 3/8 inches thick, and this allows for a little adjustment to align everything with the grout joints. You can always make your shower niches smaller, but making them bigger is a much more detailed and labor-intensive process. |
Ideabook updated on July 27, 2012.
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You are right. Tile takes much consideration in the beginning as early as the framing stage.
Over the years we have seen hundreds of tile installation by "others" where the grout lines are all over the place and don't make any sense, other than they started from a corner. Very sad.
The sign of an excellent tile installation is when you "don't" notice the grout lines or the tile layout, yet it looks beautiful.
Aloha!
There is a ton to learn and I hope to outline my "Best Work Practices" here every week. I hope they keep featuring my Ten Tips Idea Books.
If your a designer, builder or architect you should get your hands on a NTCA specification guide. I chatted yesterday with Jim Olsen about a quick link button I could post so it would be one stop shopping for anyone looking for the guide book.
Understanding Industry Guidelines will help anyone specify what they want and what is acceptable by industry standards. Knowing that you can specify these before any work is awarded could be your only recourse if the job is install incorrectly or poorly and you need to get it fix. With no specifications outline how can you say you didn't get what you paid for.
If you specify in your contracts that all the work should conform to the NTCA, TCNA or TTMAC specification guidelines - now your crew needs to raise their game. Hiring a 5 Star Contractor from the NTCA would be a safe bet for anyone looking for a true tile pro. There is not to many 5 star members and if your lucky enough to have one in your state or province let them quote on the job. Find a 5 star contractor here : https://www.tile-assn.com/Member/FiveStar.aspx?mid=84
John Whipple
By Any Design Ltd.
http://www.no-curb.com
I'd say the number one tip I would offer would be to hire the BEST POSSIBLE installer you can find and DO NOT try to save money by:
1) Doing it yourself- I don't care how many times you've seen it done (been there). The exception to this is if you are going to be renting this place to male college students or you are blind.
2) Hiring your daughter's boyfriend who is just getting started in the business and you really want to support a young entrepreneur and he's so cute and sweet (been there)
3) Buy a close-out or discontinued tile and then try to plan your project around it (been there with clients). The exception to this is if it is the tile you really wanted all along and price was not the consideration AND you have 5 times more than you think you need.
4) Buy any tile whatsoever before consulting with your designer and installer (been there way too many times with clients) This is where that tile you see on Craigslist came from.
5) Plan to use tiles with varying thicknesses on the same plane unless you have consulted with your installer and understand how this is going to break the bank (I told you so)
6) Sit quietly by while the installer does something that you do not like the looks of. This is unlikely to happen if you follow the best installer advice, but if it does happen, understand that changes after the fact are difficult- possibly impossible- and definitely expensive. My mother actually let an installer use the wrong tile- and then complained about it for 15 years- to me. Don't be my mother!
As an integral part of the author's No. 1 tip of planning it all out, have a scale drawing (floor plan and elevations) of every area receiving tile. Know the valves you'll be using and have the specs on hand. Make sure the drawing shows the placement of said valves. Otherwise, you may have a fine layout for the placement of the tiles (where corners are concerned, e.g.), and then find that your tub spout is going to fall in an awkward place (aim for a center), or that your shower bar will have to be screwed right into that decorative band of expensive glass mosaic. The importance of a drawing is directly proportional to the number of different materials used.
To expand on the author's No. 3 tip involving tiles with directional pattern (veining, etc.), weigh in on how you want laid- Lay it down and look at it before making an assessment- random is not always better. And keep in mind that that one beautiful rainforest granite tile you're drooling over may not look too busy, but 300 of them may make your eyes cross.) If you are considering a ceramic that mimics veined stone, ask the manufacturer how many tiles are made before a pattern is repeated- the more, the better. It will not look like real stone if every other tile has exactly the same pattern.
I realize I have to stop now, even though 10 more warnings come to mind. Just hire pros (designer/architect, contractor, tile installer) who work well together- what one of them may not think of, the other will.
Hopefully in your next article you will offer some advice about grout. ie: Product choosing, spacing, colour choice etc. and how it can influence a final result.
Grout Type, Grout Colour and Grout application is a very difficult subject to cover. I do have many practical suggestions to my clients and once I finish up chatting about tile I'll get into grout.
For a quick review I'll give you my best two tips.
Tip # 1: Use white or light grey grout.
White grout can be cleaned if it's sealed and can be hit with a little bleach cleaner to further brighten it up. I love white grout and finding the best white grout can be hard. Many are "Off White" - not so white white.
Light Grey grout holds it colour very well. If you get effloresence from below it's hard to tell with light grey grout. If the setter uses to much water the washed out grout still looks light grey. I love the light grey grout and push it on my clients when ever I can.
Many people are so disappointed with darker colours - so many setters screw up the grouting and over wash it - this bleaches out the colour since while the grout is setting up the pigment can rise to the surface. With to much water this colour can be wiped away.
Tip # 2: Pick a grout that works with your setting material and waterproofing systems.
Grout should not be an after thought. Before you even finalize the framing in a bathroom renovation a "Test Board" should be done to showcase the grout colour with the tile and the final spacing. Many tiles have rounded edges and after grouting the grout joint looks huge. Telling a tile setter you want a 1/8" grout joint might entail using a 1/16" tile spacer. Find this out before you build the shower.
These details ensure you get what you want. If not - it's kind of set in stone. lol
If your looking for extended warranties then your complete system needs to be looked at. Mixing and matching suppliers will net you zero warranty from the mix and matched suppliers. Choosing Mapei for example for their waterproofing, setting materials and grout can net you a 15 year warranty on the products. Choosing the right products from Laticrete can net you a 25 year warranty, same from Custom Building Products.
If you plan on waterproofing with Kerdi then using the Ardex line of products can net you a ten year warranty - double what Kerdi offers by itself.
I'll cover the differences between regular grout, Epoxy grout and Urethane Grout later as well. Grouting is a skilled trade and should not be left to the youngest guy on a tile crew. When choosing your tile team ask the question "Who will be grouting my job? Insist that the lead man or woman do the job. I have seen to many horrible grouting jobs in the past. The story is all the same.
"The tile setters son did it!"
"Some new guy came and grouted"
"The helper was left to grout it"
Insane that this takes place on job sites. Don't let it happen to you.
Best,
John Whipple
By Any Design Ltd.
http://www.no-curb.com
To add to this we often suggest a small glass shelf in many of our niches. A place for your razor or soap dish.
Measuring a shampoo bottle is a easy step to ensuring your favourite products fit where they should. I like splitting the niche into 1/3 2/3 with the glass shelf installed - I think this split looks the nicest.
JW
Though my reno-guy specializes in tiling, it is nice to be educated on the subject to some degree. With sincere appreciation of the tips you gave .... -mrsben-
You can check the colour installed. Your setter should dry mix all the grout before this test to ensure the pigment is mixed well.
You can check and see how he/she tools the grout joint and how the grout looks after it dries.
You also get to see if the grout sets up properly.
All grouts, setting material and waterproofing products have a shelf life and need to be store properly. Ask for the manufacture date of the products used. Ask your setter to double check this - if they don't know how to check the code call the manufacture.
JW
Jil McDonald http://reflectionsinteriordesigns.blogspot.com
John, I am thrilled to see one of the 4 bidders on my bath to shower conversion - on that 5 star list. He's also a Top 50 Angie's List contractor. You have just helped me confirm the vendor to do my renovation. Thank you.
JW
I love to see such helpful articles on Houzz - great job!
To accomplish a barrier free Shower it is not necessary to install a linear drain. More important is to waterproof the area at the outer shower floor as well, which is close to the shower itself, because NO tile surface is 100% watertight and sooner or later the water will penetrate your tile "surface".
A linear drain is mostly just a design element. But sometimes you can achieve the look you want only with a linear drain. This is especially than the case, when you use larger tiles for your shower floor.
For example: In this Shower the home owners want to have the same tiles on the shower floor (a 12"x36" travertine slab) as they have chosen for the wall. However they won't have the tiles cut like in the shower in # 6. (Guard against leaks.)
The only way to accomplish their wish was to go with a linear drain.
About the slope: Reccomented in a Shower is between 2% and 3% - that's about 2/8 to 3/8 slope per foot depend if it's a shower in a residential or public building. You should have at least 1 % (1/8 per foot) however more is better.
3D-Tile-Design - Bertram Tasch
Maple Ridge, BC (Greater Vancouver)
http://www.3D-Tile-Design.ca
What your tile setter is trying to tell you is, when he cut a tile, the cut side has no beveled/rounded edge anymore. However this is actually only relevant at the "open end" of your backsplash.
For example: In this picture, the open end is on the left side. Every second row starts with a half cut tile. To "hide" these cuts we installed a Schluter edge profile. These profiles are available in many shapes, sizes and colors. http://www.schluter.com/139.aspx
All cuts around electrical outlets will be covered by the cover plates . All cuts in corners and underneath your cabinets are expansion joints and should be filled (and therefore covered) by a silicone joint. That's at least the theory however not so many tile setters out there know about this.
Regards,
3D-Tile-Design - Bertram Tasch
Maple Ridge, BC (Greater Vancouver)
http://www.3D-Tile-Design.ca
Spacers are a good invention. They can help to keep all joints at the same size. But it will only work, if the tiles have exactly the same size. If not, you have to eyeball the joints by using small wedges for adjusting slightly differences between the tiles.
If you have that much trouble with mold, you should consider using an epoxy grout instead of a "standard" cement based grout. Epoxy is a flexible synthetic resin where the mold has no chance to grow. However to work with epoxy is different than with "standard" grout. Ask your tile setter if he has worked with it before and if not, better look for an epoxy experienced tile guy otherwise it could turn into a disaster.
Please read also this article to prevent mold. http://www.houzz.com/discussions/124671/Mold-on-ceiling
Regards,
3D-Tile-Design - Bertram Tasch
Maple Ridge, BC (Greater Vancouver)
http://www.3D-Tile-Design.ca
There is so much to understand about using them I really should outline it in a separate article.
Spacers work well in almost every install and using a smaller spacer will help get you smaller grout joints. BUT....
A large sampling of tile needs to be studied. If the tile has a little bow (if you put them front to front and they rock etc) to them then a smaller grout joint will not work since these bows will show up as excessive lippage.
I often work with horizontal blind shades as tile shims. It takes many of them to equal just an 1/8" so when tiling I can have for argument sake 4 as a basic layer but when I need slight adjustment then I can use 3 or 5.
Shims are great for adjusting but they can slide out on you as you continue up the wall. Rubber shims are better than hard plastic for not sliding out but hard plastic shims are easier to insert. Often we use both.
Mold growth in a shower renovation will not magically be stopped with the use of Epoxy grout. To stop mold growth you need to eliminate a few things.
Mold needs water - a properly build shower pan and wall assembly will dry between showers.
Mold needs food - Using a ready made thin set or thin glue is a horrible idea since it is a good food supply for mold in wet locations
Mold needs stay air - Get some circulation in your bathroom. A properly pace bathroom fan can triple or quadtriple the dry out times in your shower.
As far as Epoxy grouts I'm not totally sold on their performance in this department and think a little more study needs to be done on my part. I have used the Epoxy grout from Laticrete on a job two summers back and it was as easy as regular grout.
Grouting is a very skilled trade - harder I think than setting tile to get right.
Practice - Practice - Practice
Nothing beats hours on your knees to improve your skill. Most bathrooms require under $30.00 in grout. Pick up some factory seconds or garbage tile at your store. Most stores throw away boxes every week. Make a large sample board and practice.
If your hiring a pro - make him or her prepare you a large sample board. It is the surest way to check the skill set of the installer.
Good Luck.
JW
Actually you should be not able to remove sections of tile without destroying the plaster board? Because if the tiles are installed properly, you will destroy the plaster board. (Without one exception - when the tile backer is concrete.) So if you are not able not able to remove the tiles you have to cut out the whole section and rebuild it thereafter.
However I assume you will probably able to take out the tiles without destroying the tile backer. If the baker is gypsum board you would likely destroy it. In this case replace it with greenboard or other water resistant board.
How to do:
The safest way for a DYI is to drill a couple holes in the tile and then start from the middle of the tile and chisel the tile carefully off - step by step. Be careful and don't try to chip off to big pieces. When you come to the end of the tile be more carefully do avoid chipping the next tile. When we replace tiles we remove first the grout lines around the tiles we want to replace with a "Fein Schneider" http://www.homedepot.ca/product/fein-multimaster-start-q-set/991929 You can also use a Dremel Rotary Tool. http://www.homedepot.ca/product/dremel-4000-rotary-tool-kit/913087 to remove the grout lines.
Before you install the new tiles make sure the surface is clean. It means no thinset leftovers and also no dust should be on the surface anymore. I attached a couple pictures for you.
Regards.
3D-Tile-Design - Bertram Tasch
Maple Ridge, BC (Greater Vancouver)
http://www.3D-Tile-Design.ca
I could only attach 4 pictures: 1. broken and loose tile - 2. removed tile - 3. area cleaned and skin coated - 4. set and grouted tile
The Thermostatic control trim (largest trim on right) looked best when evenly place on the left side of the tile. This will be our ground zero and from here all other measurements will be taken.
The golden ratio of design is loosely based on a 1/3 split. You will notice that the right edge of the largest trim is right on this 1/3 tile line. The body jets placed 1/3 span top down and bottom up.
I like this look and the client was thrilled with the effort to deliver the best possible end look.
JW
Gorgeous mosaic!
I would start with having your tile contractor use 1/16" spacers. Then I would have them use an epoxy or urethane grout, not the standard cementatious grout. A good tile installer will be able to get the grout into the 1/16" grout joints without an issue.
The epoxy and urethane grouts are recommended for wet areas as they are more hygienic and less likely to allow mold growth.
Do be certain to seal your marble tile with a good sealer like DuPont's BulletProof and reseal annually or as needed.
(The epoxy and urethane grouts do not require sealing, but the natural stone does.)