Everest. Dos and Don’ts From a First-Time DIY Subway Tile Backsplash Install Teresa Odland Updated: Oct. 23, 2020 After receiving contractor bids to tile our kitchen backsplash that didn't fit our budget, my husband and I decided to tackle the project ourselves. And another DUMB move I made? Note: if you still have ANY mastic or mortar still on the wall, you need to go back and work more on the tile removal process. What’s the best tool for that custom cut? I laid the first 2 rows of tile, glanced up to the top of the wall, and felt like there was no way in hell we could ever “climb” to the top! Basket weave tile bathroom ideas. Step 5: Remove Spacers. To do so you’ll need a trowel. Pretty sure that every blogger who has ever existed has posted a tutorial on subway tile. This is not that. Materials Needed to Install Vertical Subway Tile. For the subway tile, I bought dozens of disposable gloves. Input project size, product quality and labor type to get Shower Tile material pricing and installation cost estimates. And lately our favorite diamond blade is Montolit’s CGX115 (it fits all 4.5″ angle grinders). This may be an obvious tip, but please protect your floors! But even if you’re working hard, it’s still pretty slow work. I completely forgot about that and used 1/8″ spacers. I’m not going to give you a step-by-step tutorial on how we hung our 3×6 white subway tile since I just shared the detailed process for the floor tile yesterday (and it’s very similar to that). If you’re doing a bathroom remodel and want to simplify the process enroll into the Bathroom Repair Tutor Video Library We show how to build showers (Schluter, Wedi, Curbless, etc. Instead, the only matching tile was a 2×6 tile. Required fields are marked *. On Friday, I’ll showcase the 5 samples I chose to try out in the space, along with the lucky winning paint color…, Renovation Progress on Our #FinnFixerUpper, How to Mount a Baby Monitor and Hide the Cords. And we’re obsessed with the bright & clean look we have going on in this space. It’s a piece of tile that’s less than 1-2″. In a future tutorial we’ll discuss the other two walls. Step 1: Prep the Walls. Once demolition of the old tile is complete, install a cement backer board in the shower area. You guys make these projects look so easy! This meant that we ended up with pretty wide grout lines. Dun dun dun. If you are using white or very light grout in a high traffic area or more … It took us 2 weekends and multiple nights after work to get ‘er done, but we did it. Thank You! And if you missed how we waterproofed this shower, then read this tutorial. Literally. And things I wish I would have known before I got started tiling our bathroom…. Furthermore, it’s imperative to leave a 1/8″ gap between tiles and adjacent backer boards. Make sure your walls are smooth and flat. Subway tile; Tile adhesive. Fill out the Shower Floor. And here’s the thing…we are both workhorses. Together we’re creating our dream home in Chicago, one DIY project at a time. Our prior tutorial shared how to tile the shower floor and make it look awesome. If you’re going to be placing the tile in an area that will come under a lot of moisture, like white subway tile in the shower, you’re best to go with the powder mix. Setting the first row of subway tile Step One: Install a ledger bar to set the first row of tile on. The thinset is bound to ooze between your tiles a bit, so do your best to scrape it out as you go. I will not stop until I complete tasks and Finn and I were determined to get this baby done. We totally forgot to include the 1/8″ spacers (rookie mistake) and that meant we had small cuts on our first big wall. Here is a VIDEO I made for you on how to Install Subway Tile using a ledger bar to start. This is a dusty job so use plastic to cover your doorways, wear a respirator that's rated for dust, cover the floor with a drop cloth and make sure there's plenty of ventilation. Then you want the inside corner to look like the tile “continues” onto both side walls. This kind works much better than those little cross shaped ones! Our layout had to factor in the shower bench and custom shower niche on the plumbing wall. With 10 foot ceilings in the bathroom, and a plan to go all the way up to the ceiling, right then and there we knew we were in for it. We were doing math based on our 3×6 inch tiles and the measurements of our walls. Finn ended up planning ours out using Excel, but just a simple drawing and math will help! Steve makes it always look easy, but knowing the layout makes the process a lot simpler. Permacolor Select Grout for Shower Niches | Home Repair Tutor, How to Install a Shower Curb Top in a Subway Tile Shower, Subway Tile Installation on Plumbing Walls in Showers. But my favorite part about it? We have a similar bathroom that started out as just a tub (it’s now a shower, also) and with white tiles halfway up the wall. The shower floors are … Your email address will not be published. I think your Wedi mixing valve flexi collar is on backwards in this video. Use a tape measure and measure the width and length of the space you want to cover with subway tiles. In this shower we used 4″x12″ subway tiles but the basic principles are the same for smaller tiles. Use Ledgers. Without symmetry, subway tile looks shi$%y at best. Get 2020 Subway Tile Backsplash price options and installation cost ranges. Generally speaking, when you come to the end of a wall and you want the subway tile installation to look like it “wraps” onto the next wall. Free, online Shower Tile cost guide breaks down fair prices in your area. Yes, the perimeter needs a gap for expansion and contraction – 1/8″ is a good size 2. Begin by removing the old tile or the fiberglass shower wall. This ended up being fine, but we had to make a plan for how we would have it flow as both the top ledger and the side edges of the shower. Grout The Tiles. ), install tile, upgrade basement bathrooms, and more. In order to make sure all of your tile is level, you need to install a level piece of wood at the first row of tile. If you’re doing a bathroom remodel and want to simplify the process enroll into the Bathroom Repair Tutor Video Library. Pictured here is the classic subway tile. This ensures that all of the tile you install above that board will be straight. Simply smooth the adhesive … They'll then press the tile into the mortar and use spacers to hold them in place. Once you’ve bought your adhesive, you’re ready to apply it. I bought two 10 lb bags of grout for the space (sanded in the color “Silverado”) and ended up having to run back to the store for 3 more! I prefer OmniGrip because it holds wall tile in place without sagging. It can be used in kitchens and bathrooms to add effect to and complement your color scheme. We started in the shower and I seriously felt like I was climbing Mt. ; Tile spacers. Learning how to tile a subway shower is simple…. Bathrooms, being wet areas that need frequent cleaning, are typically finished with ceramic tile and natural stones because of their durability against water. Classic Subway. Hey There! This was a lifesaver and my hands are finally feeling less scaley and gross! In our project, we used Crema Marfil, an Italian tumbled marble tile. This little tool is incredibly easy to use and it’s inexpensive…only $20! We show how to build showers (Schluter, Wedi, Curbless, etc. If it dries, it’s a lot harder to get out before grouting. How to Install Bathroom Tile in Corners. Step 4: Let Dry. 20. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You typically see subway tile in white, in the familiar running bond pattern, but the versatility of their rectangular shape means these tiles can do so much more. Multiply these numbers by each other. We secured that down using painter’s tape. We also kept a sponge handy to wipe down tiles along the way to ensure that no thinset was drying on our pristine white tiles. … I learned the hard about using a ledger bar when I tiled our other bathroom 10 years ago. That said, nothing replaces skill. From the centerline, draw your offset lines with a specific measurement. I mean it’s just straight lines…right? Bummer (and major setback). Stock up on grout and you can always return it if you end up having some leftover. Finn and I weren’t prepared for how long the subway tile was going to take. Yes, we were tired and drained from all of the time spent on the floor…but subway tile certainly had to be easier than that marble floor…right?! Hey Patrick, thanks for asking. Step 2: Attach Tile. Sorry for the minor profanity, but it’s the truth. Yes. Between all of the math, our high ceilings, and the large grout lines…we had our work cut out for us. The cost to install subway tile backsplash could be as little as $600 or as much as $1,350. There are a million and one tutorials online for how to install subway tile. Always use silicone between the tile and tub surface for expansion and contraction, it shouldn’t create a mold sandwich if the cement board is installed correctly and the tile is set using directional troweling. PAINT! Instead, I’ll share tips and tricks we learned along the way. ), install tile, upgrade basement bathrooms, and more. – Sarah’s Victorian Across the Pond, Reader OMG! This expansion and contraction joint is necessary to prevent tiles from cracking. 2) If so does this 1/8 gap get fill with silicone or grout or can it be left alone? If you focus on the glass there’s a guy taking the picture…that’s me, lol. … I will say, we did have to use the wet saw for super small cuts, curved cuts, and angled cuts. When ordering my tile, I didn’t realize that my regular 3×6 white subway tile didn’t come with a 3×6 bullnose piece (bullnose is the rounded edge). However, we prevailed! More Subway Tile Bathroom Ideas Think about the ceiling and the floor too, you don’t want any slivers of tile on either end. So I finally finished installing backer board to the tub surround of the bathroom.. Subway tiled showers are timeless, so install them right the first time. 19. Installing MirroFlex Subway Tile is dramatically easier than traditional tile. 3) If a bathroom walls has vapor barriers all around along with cement board installed, does a bathtub still needs to be caulk where the tiles meet the tub surface? Our white tile is in great shape, so we left it. The thinset dries out your skin like crazy and you really can’t expect to keep your hands clean when tiling. Most subway tile has grooves on the sides so you don’t need to use spacers at all because it’s an automatic 1/16″ grout line. In this design, the tile is stacked like bricks. Be sure to protect everything in your room when tiling because the thinset will occasionally plop on the ground and you’ll be left with a mess! What an amazing feeling to see it all up, grouted, and lookin’ good! We started the first row by centering the tile on the shower drain. 16. For example, our friend Sarah over at Ugly Duckling House used handcrafted subway tiles and did a great job on her shower. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Subway tiles give the shower a classy and at the same time simple look as timeless as they are. Afterwards, add 10% to the total to cover potential waste. And when I say gameplan, I mean math. Not my strong suit, but luckily that husband of mine is a math whiz! I purchased inexpensive wood at Lowe’s (and brought the measurement of each wall in the room) and had it cut down to size right there. Lay the material flat for at least 24 hours to acclimate to the environment you’re installing. Install any border tile first, then position the sheets of subway tile on the wall and press them in place. Then, I used a drill, screws, and level to get all of our ledgers in before we started tiling. You know how I just said that you need to make a plan? They will do this by spreading a thin layer of thinset on the wall, then scraping off any excess with a trowel. As you’ll see, planning is very important if you want the final look to be impeccable. Input project size, product quality and labor type to get Subway Tile Backsplash material pricing and installation cost estimates. Subway Tile for a Backsplash. Get 2020 Shower Tile price options and installation cost ranges. If you’ve ever considered redoing the tiling work in your shower, or perhaps adding some in the first place, then we have no doubt that you’re familiar with the fact that “subway tiles”, or those standard sized, square ceramic tiles that we’ve all seen in hotels and most homes, are the most common thing. Finish setting the shower floor with thinset mortar. Free, online Subway Tile Backsplash cost guide breaks down fair prices in your area. Subway tile has been around for more than 100 years, but recently it’s enjoyed a huge surge in popularity, appearing in bathrooms and kitchens in all kinds of styles, from the very traditional to the super modern. But, boy oh boy, was it time-consuming. This second floor bathroom is getting a full remodel, with a new vanity set, new lighting and outlets, storage over the toilet area, and a new bath fan.. And now it’s time for the fun part: installing subway … We laid down cardboard that we cut to the room, and then we put rosin paper on top of that. First, it’s easier to start this tutorial by showing you a picture of the final look. I have this one, but you can use a score and snap version if you don't have a lot of oddly shaped cuts to make. Use a tile saw to cut any tile needed to size or around electrical outlets. After installing the floor tile in our guest bathroom, Finn and I were so excited to start the subway tile. Want to refresh your subway tile shower? After the floor install, my hands were wrecked. Step 3: Insert Spacers. This is the most important part of subway tile showers: Plan the layout to avoid slivers of tile. And we had A LOT of ground to cover. Variegated marble subway tile bathroom. All shower pans should be sloped by 1/4″ per foot – which is normally the case with a KBRS, Schluter or Wedi preformed system. shower wall to shower floor). Pick a starting point (in our case, the main shower wall) and work your way out from there. 10 Tips for Installing Subway Tile . But our bathroom was actually carpeted–thick carpet no less–so we laid the peel and stick tiles. 1) When tiling the shower floor, is there a 1/8 gap around the perimeter for joint movement-where tiles butt against the wall? Subway tiles in different shades of green. Would it cause sandwich mold? Also, the client wanted a glass mosaic accent that wrapped around all three walls. You can see in a few of these photos that I have paint samples on the walls…so you can probably guess what’s next! Once all of the tile was up, we were ecstatic and I (naively) thought I could grout the wall in a couple hours. A 3-sided shower for example: You would typically center the back wall so the cuts are even on both sides. We could use it at night without making a peep (unlike the wet saw, which shakes the entires building), so we could work on the space on weekday nights. Your email address will not be published. So, please account for your spacers! Because our grout lines were huge and we had so much ground to cover, it ended up taking me (& my mom who I recruited to help) about 8 hours to grout the walls. Green subway tile for a modern shower. If the shower base is uneven, tiles will have to be cut to fit the last row. Finn and I laid out various scenarios before committing to anything and we ended up going with the look above. Once the wall and floors are prepared to be tiled, your contractor will then start installation. The national average is about $1000. It certainly wasn’t a super difficult installation. I’m Casey, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. But we forgot to calculate one HUGE factor…the spacers. How to Install Subway Tile in a Bathroom. As a tiling newbie, I didn’t know that ledgers were used in tiling. Once you’re done with the tile, wait at least 24 hours for the thinset to cure, and then … First, unpack your Mirroflex Kit, which includes two trim strips, two side panels, and one back panel. This ensures that all of the tile you install above that board will be straight. Let me know if I’m wrong. 1) Put your tile and tile adhesive in the room you are going to be installing and maintain the temperature at 70 degrees or more for a full 24 hours before you start this how to install a subway tile backsplash. 1. Think Han and Chewy…Laurel and Hardy…Laverne and Shirley. Well, we did do that. I didn’t account for the fact that our subway tile already had built in spacers. Boy, was I wrong. Avoid slivers at the ceiling, corners, and any transition (e.g. After the adhesive has dried overnight, apply grout to the tile using a rubber float. But for 85% of our cuts, the tile cutter worked like a dream. 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