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Posted: 10/11/2018 7:42:08 PM EST
I'd like to remove a fiberglass walk in shower surround and replace with tiled walls.
I know I'll have to rehang cement backer and figure out a pan but the tile has me worried. Are youtube vids helpful/realistic for a 1st timer? |
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Anybody with a bit of attention to detail can tile.
You'll save a lot of $$ doing it yourself. Don't be cheap and not buy the knee pads. |
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If you're remotely handy you can figure it out. A walk-in shower as your first might be a steep learning curve though. There's some aspects of it that make it more difficult,.....matching lines, gravity pulling tiles down, etc. Like the poster above said take a class at Home Depot or wherever.
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My wife did it and did an awesome job too on her first project which was a shower/tub surround. It took her 4-5x longer than a pro would too so plan for that. She took her time and was very careful with laying everything out.
I highly suggest using Red Guard to seal up the wall. |
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YouTube homedepot videos. There’s a slight learning curve, but you can even buy premixed mortar to make things easier. Prepare to get messy.
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Second knee pads and the little plastic spacers.
Work in small sections at a time |
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If you want to shoot me a pm and I'll get you my number. I'll get you the best possible info on products/ technical stuff and can walk you through how to things if needed. Been doing tile my whole life, not that difficult to do, but it's difficult to do right.
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I'd say you have about a 50% chance of not completely screwing it up.
What's the most complicated thing you have built? What is your skill level with tools? Are you plumbing as well? |
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Buy or rent a good tile saw. The rest is just following directions....and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS.
Watch some youtube videos too. That helps a lot. But yeah, I've laid probably 2k sf of tile by now. It's easy to do, just time consuming and it's hard work, loud, dirty. Use a respirator and gloves if you choose to mix your own mud, silica is a bitch on your lungs and skin. |
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No doubt you can learn.
The issue is will you be able to live with a mistake and look at it for the next 25 years? It's not the 85% of the work being a problem, it's the finesse issues of how to cut and fit a difficult situation. Too many of the proper solutions are buried in threads on line where five guys battle over a previous installation and the errors. Sound like GD? Tile and plumber forums are DU in comparison. Hold your nose and just lurk. Testosterone poisoning is massive, we are polite here. Be very aware that there are numbers of "experts" who will discuss code for plumbing and quote the specs where copyright allows - yet can't see the solution in front of their face because "never done it that way." Next post up from another part of the country, it's the only way it's done. Same with tile - "You must do it this way" becomes "do it that way and you will be calling me in five years to fix it." With pics. If there is one rule about tile, especially on floors, it's that code in America is deficient, period. Use Canadian code for structure, spacing, thickness, and bulk, you won't have tiles cracking and popping. Nobody ever complains about it being overbuilt. Put a stiff ceramic plate on a flexible bouncy floor or wall, you will get to do it all over again. I guarantee it. My bathroom floor is the roof for my tornado shelter. BUILD IT STOUT. If it sounds like overkill, it's about right. Tile is completely unforgiving about flex, and backerboard will flex if not well supported. We've done two bathrooms in this house and will do the basement hallway in the near future - knee pads are not a luxury item when you are in your sixties, but a foam "puzzle pad"/gardener's kneeling pad works well if individual knee pads aren't a solution. All too often knee pads shift out of place or drop down to your ankles. A flat foam pad you just kick over to where you are working and done. |
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Get yourself a good wet saw and watch a little YouTube... It's not that hard
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People have been laying tile for centuries so it's not exactly rocket science. However, some people are called master craftsmen and some are apprentices. There's a reason for that.
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I would be more concerned with getting the pan installed correctly than laying the tile itself. Also don't go cheap on grout, done some tile work here and there and just finished a tub surround using Laticrete Spectralock expoxy grout. Was extremely impressed with it and will use it again, while it's about twice as expensive as the regular grouts it far out performs them. Wish I would have used on my kitchen back splash, but I didn't know then what I know now.
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Lots of good info at www.johnbridge.com
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A walk in shower is Difficult for a beginner, getting everything lined up & straight takes practice, I would start with a few smaller jobs to learn the basics first.
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Quoted:
A walk in shower is Difficult for a beginner, getting everything lined up & straight takes practice, I would start with a few smaller jobs to learn the basics first. View Quote One thing I'd recommend with a shower is to install the bottom row and get it perfectly spaced and level, then let that totally dry. Your tiles above this will push on the bottom row and if that gets out of wack it will be much harder to correct above. Much easier to just put the bottom row in first if you can |
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Quoted:
Agreed, I did a lot of floors before I ever did a shower and that took doing a few get things right. One thing I'd recommend with a shower is to install the bottom row and get it perfectly spaced and level, then let that totally dry. Your tiles above this will push on the bottom row and if that gets out of wack it will be much harder to correct above. Much easier to just put the bottom row in first if you can View Quote |
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Quoted: Usually it is recommended to start the second row first, tack in a thin strip of wood and apply tile and let it set for atleast 24 hours, pull the wood and apply more liquid membrane on the tack holes and then start tiling. This way the bottom row which generally with will need bottom cuts will end up more even. Either way, let the adhesive fully dry on your first course of tile before working your way to the top. And the John Bridge website is loaded full of good info! View Quote |
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Thanks for all the advice, and to the gentleman who offered for me to call, awesome gesture which I may take you up on in the future!
I'm a planner, this project may happen next spring. So until then, youtube, here, and hopefully a home depot course or two and I'll decide if I take it on. One thing I will say, I was planning on using a shower pan and just tiling the walls. Is this not how it can work?? |
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Quoted:
Thanks for all the advice, and to the gentleman who offered for me to call, awesome gesture which I may take you up on in the future! I'm a planner, this project may happen next spring. So until then, youtube, here, and hopefully a home depot course or two and I'll decide if I take it on. One thing I will say, I was planning on using a shower pan and just tiling the walls. Is this not how it can work?? View Quote I can second the offer of help. If you have specific questions I would be happy to answer. YouTube and the JB forums should answer most questions, but sometime talking to someone is a great help. |
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Shower pan is fine, just make sure you have a nice level substrate to put it on. It also depends on the tile you pick and the layout you choose when it comes to how to start. Some times you can start and go right up a wall. Sometimes it's best to set a board across and go with full tiles from that point and fill in the bottom course. Most times if the layout allows it that's the best way because it's a nice flat level surface for the weight of the tile to set on, and it's very rare that tile in a shower especially with mud floor doesn't require some cutting of the first row. Unless you the type of tile setter that is ok with full tile up against the floor and a stupid 1 inch piece at the ceiling.
A lot of tile patterns today don't allow this so you need to plan accordingly, especially the longer tiles out there. Also if that's what you choose, use some sort of leveling system. Most longer tile today comes with a huge bow in it and can't be corrected with just thinset alone when setting in any pattern but stacked one on top of another. |
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Quoted:
Shower pan is fine, just make sure you have a nice level substrate to put it on. It also depends on the tile you pick and the layout you choose when it comes to how to start. Some times you can start and go right up a wall. Sometimes it's best to set a board across and go with full tiles from that point and fill in the bottom course. Most times if the layout allows it that's the best way because it's a nice flat level surface for the weight of the tile to set on, and it's very rare that tile in a shower especially with mud floor doesn't require some cutting of the first row. Unless you the type of tile setter that is ok with full tile up against the floor and a stupid 1 inch piece at the ceiling. A lot of tile patterns today don't allow this so you need to plan accordingly, especially the longer tiles out there. Also if that's what you choose, use some sort of leveling system. Most longer tile today comes with a huge bow in it and can't be corrected with just thinset alone when setting in any pattern but stacked one on top of another. View Quote 6 1/2" cut at the floor, or 1" cut 9' in the air. A debate for the ages along with beans v. no beans and 9 v. 45. |
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Quoted:
Now you started a conversation. 6 1/2" cut at the floor, or 1" cut 9' in the air. A debate for the ages along with beans v. no beans and 9 v. 45. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Shower pan is fine, just make sure you have a nice level substrate to put it on. It also depends on the tile you pick and the layout you choose when it comes to how to start. Some times you can start and go right up a wall. Sometimes it's best to set a board across and go with full tiles from that point and fill in the bottom course. Most times if the layout allows it that's the best way because it's a nice flat level surface for the weight of the tile to set on, and it's very rare that tile in a shower especially with mud floor doesn't require some cutting of the first row. Unless you the type of tile setter that is ok with full tile up against the floor and a stupid 1 inch piece at the ceiling. A lot of tile patterns today don't allow this so you need to plan accordingly, especially the longer tiles out there. Also if that's what you choose, use some sort of leveling system. Most longer tile today comes with a huge bow in it and can't be corrected with just thinset alone when setting in any pattern but stacked one on top of another. 6 1/2" cut at the floor, or 1" cut 9' in the air. A debate for the ages along with beans v. no beans and 9 v. 45. You may want to consider an acrylic shower receptor for a first time project, OP. The floor is what gives most people trouble when they start out, if you don't get it right it might not drain properly or it might leak and rot the subfloor. |
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LOL. Ya, I understand tile layout. The conversation is if the 6.5" cut top and bottom looks better than a 1" cut at the top.
It was a joke. Like ha-ha joke. |
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Quoted:I was planning on using a shower pan and just tiling the walls. Is this not how it can work?? View Quote IN THE NEGATIVE - If you cannot make a pan, you probably should not try tiling. IN THE POSITIVE - If you even THINK you can tile, you CAN build your own concrete pan. |
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Tiling isn’t terrible. I have done small things like showers that were relatively easy. I did my basement floor with long tiles (36” x 6”) and it was a mess. Biggest difference? Flat substrate. The cement backing boards I put in my shower were pretty flat. My basement floor, even after craploads of self leveling compound, wasn’t flat enough. This was compounded by the use the long tiles. The longer the plank, the more pronounced the “lippage” where floor inconsistency exists.
Good luck! |
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Quoted:
One thing I'd recommend with a shower is to install the bottom row and get it perfectly spaced and level, then let that totally dry. Your tiles above this will push on the bottom row and if that gets out of wack it will be much harder to correct above. Much easier to just put the bottom row in first if you can View Quote the right way is to temporarily screw 1 x 3 pine ledger boards all the way around the shower stall, making sure that they are perfectly level and the distance to close up (e.g, to the pan lip or to the floor tiles) is a little bit less (e.g. 1/4") than one tile height if you are not going all the way to the ceiling OR you lay the entire wall out vertically so that the top piece isn't some thin slice. then start setting the wall tiles, using the top of the ledger board as the reference. keep checking for level and square as you go. once the wall tiles are set, you can unscrew the ledger boards. use a little silicone caulk to close up the holes, and redguard over that if you are really paranoid. now you can cut and set the "slightly" short tiles to the floor. this guy on youtube Sal Diblasio is pretty much the only one you should be learning from: Complete tile Shower install Part 3 installing ledger board and layout the large format tile |
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I did a small tile job recently, my first one. I tiled around my fireplace, did the floor and wall. It turned out nice, but damn it took forever! There is a lot of waiting in the tile game, every step required waiting before the next step. Just be prepared to wait appropriately between steps. Like everybody says, the planning and prep work are the most difficult. If somebody had offered to do it for me, for what it ended up costing me, I would have said hell no! It got pretty expensive. I had no idea how many tools and products I was going to end up buying, tile saw, all kinds of trowels, sponges, microfiber cloths, knee pads, gloves, cement board, concrete anchors, 2x4 for framing, thinset mortar (2 varieties) 2 types of grout, 2 types of tile, spacers, grout CAULK?!!, grout sealer, etc. Damn this was the SMALLEST tile project I can imagine.
It felt pretty good to throw away all of my notes I made during the planning/construction after I finished. ETA, and a kick ass Rigid shop vac too. Once you start you just have to keep throwing money and time at it until you finish. |
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For the average diy folks, doing a tile anything is a very rewarding project to tackle. It's not something that everyone can do and have look nice.
Tile in a home is a decorative part of the design. It's generally the last trade into a project. Besides paint, the most visible. Has a huge amount of risk involved in installation (for many reasons) Yet in a lot of areas in the country fetches the least amount of money. |
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No way I'd take advice from a guy who tiles barefoot.
Dry pack pans work just fine and allow for use in areas that aren't pre-built for a specific sized fiberglass tray or Schluter pre-pitched polystyrene unit. A proper floated shower can last decades, but they require skill. The other options require less skill, but are in no way superior. |
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No way I'd take advice from a guy who tiles barefoot. Dry pack pans work just fine and allow for use in areas that aren't pre-built for a specific sized fiberglass tray or Schluter pre-pitched polystyrene unit. A proper floated shower can last decades, but they require skill. The other options require less skill, but are in no way superior. View Quote The one I put in works very well. Like everything else in this old house, the shower is not a standard size, so nothing was available to fit. Making that pan was one of the most satisfying parts of the project. The original one worked well for over 50 years and showed no signs of dampness or wetness. The Schluter-KERDI products are very expensive! I used RedGard, instead. It worked very well. ar-jedi, your shower looks very nice. You done good! |
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You can use Schluter pans for weird sizes and just cut the to fit, use dry pack to fill in the left over space, and Kerdi everything.
The problem is with not having consistent pitch. It can be challenging to match the pre-pitched Schluter to the dry pack you add where a floated shower should be a level perimeter around the outside. Not the end of the world, just one more issues in a bag of issues. |
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Everything was weird in my shower. The drain isn't centered in either direction. I bought a couple bags of Spec Mix (or whatever it was) and did it by hand. It was easy and fun and came out well.
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Buy or rent a good tile saw. The rest is just following directions....and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. Watch some youtube videos too. That helps a lot. But yeah, I've laid probably 2k sf of tile by now. It's easy to do, just time consuming and it's hard work, loud, dirty. Use a respirator and gloves if you choose to mix your own mud, silica is a bitch on your lungs and skin. View Quote I've tiled 1000 square feet of tile in two homes. I did do a standalone bath / whirlpool and screwed it up so if you are doing a shower you might want to do some flooring first, like a couple bathrooms, then you'd be more comfortable doing a surround tile shower |
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I know everybody says get a wet saw and the have their purposes for sure. However look at a GOOD tile cutter by Rubi. Dont bother with the flim flam cheapo ones. Tile cutters are fast and quiet. Check out the video below skip to about the 5 minute mark where Sal is cutting tile with it.
Tile cutter video. Of course you need a wet tile saw for some cuts like a plunge or to cut a notch. But for just cutting one to size a tile cutter is the way to go. |
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An angle grinder with a diamond blade will do almost anything a wet saw will.
Just gotta eat some dust, or hold a wet sponge against the blade while cutting. |
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Quoted:
No way I'd take advice from a guy who tiles barefoot. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Dry pack pans work just fine and allow for use in areas that aren't pre-built for a specific sized fiberglass tray or Schluter pre-pitched polystyrene unit. in any case, if you are going to make a mortar base for a oddball drain configuration, just skip the pre-slope and rubber liner, and use a waterproof topside membrane. coupled with a Schluter or other membrane drain assembly, you get a completely waterproof shower base to tile to. Quoted:
A proper floated shower can last decades, but they require skill. The other options require less skill, but are in no way superior. ar-jedi |
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Meh. Whatever.
Bricklayers #1 and the US Department of Labor both recognize me as a Journeyman tile setter. I have used every possible method of building a shower pan, and tore out the really old ones. A properly floated shower does not hold a large amount of water, and with proper maintenance mold is not an issue. Without it, any shower, including Kerdi, can become a mess. As far as floating and waterproof membrane our operation discontinued that process. Not reliable. If waterproofing is on the job a coat over a proper floated job hurts nothing. There is a difference between a waterproof membrane and a moisture barrier. The roll on are not both? I think that's the problem. Kerdi is though, but Schluter shit is expensive. |
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Nice looking work. Your transition from wainscotting to shower heights looks pretty clean.
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This is the only picture of tile work I have in my phone, and only because I fucked the layout.
Attached File |
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Quoted:
Depot gives classes. It's not rocket science. View Quote There are some simple 'tricks' to calling less attention to a thing like a row of cut tiles from floor to ceiling at an inside corner. You also want to try and avoid having cut edges show by hiding them by the other wall on an inside corner. The wall requiring the cut tiles goes in first. The perpendicular wall than hides all the cut edges. Start noticing tile jobs carefully and see if you can find things like this. |
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Start noticing tile jobs carefully and see if you can find things like this. View Quote https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=71950 examples: ps this one i will just link to https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=1462885&postcount=4434 <---- yikes! |
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Are youtube vids helpful/realistic for a 1st timer? View Quote youtube guy who knows what he is doing: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWpu9UZ6aiRTaMuuV8-C0pQ |
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Quoted: my favorite over on john bridge forums is the "what went wrong here" thread: https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=71950 examples: https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=200261&stc=1&d=1517366944 https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=204140&d=1535601776 https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=200273&stc=1&d=1517450809 https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=200274&stc=1&d=1517450809 https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=200781&d=1519777795 https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=200011&d=1516405020 https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=194819&stc=1&d=1493482998 ps this one i will just link to https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=1462885&postcount=4434 <---- yikes! View Quote In my house I had to rip out the master bath shower down to the studs due to a poorly prepared and executed tile job. They had used a lead pan, early 70's house, then put plywood on the walls that ran down into the pan. The plywood wicked water out of the pan and rotted studs, subfloor, and floor joists, what a mess that was. Wall tile was held on with construction adhesive to the bare plywood, when i started demo it just took one swat with a hammer and all the wall tile came crashing down - only the grout was holding it together. It is a wonder I didn't wind up falling through the floor into the garage, it was actually a spongy floor that tipped me off. |
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Quoted:
the one design touch that i like doesn't come across well in pictures: the shower curb top and the two wall inset shelves are cut from the same granite as the vanity top and the linen cabinet base -- this was an attempt to "glue" everything together like i knew what i was doing. while only 3/4" thick compared to the vanity's full thickness, the idea was to make it all tie together. naturally it looks better in person than in pictures. ar-jedi View Quote Attached File |
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