DIY: Creating A Beautiful Tile Shower In A Weekend

You can become an expert at creating a beautiful tile shower in only a weekend. All of the materials needed will be available at your nearby hardware store. First it is important to remove your old tile efficiently to ensure your new ones will look as good as possible. Wearing safety goggles and gloves, use a reciprocating saw to cut the edges of your old slabs and backer board. Do not cut too deep because there could be important plumbing behind it.

Then use a hammer to break and pull out the blocks and backer board. Remove all the debris. Install a new backer board and make sure the factory edge is on the bottom. Leave a half inch space between the board and the bath pan to ensure that water does not get behind the board.

Use your trowel to apply thin set mortar to the backer board. Apply it evenly then use the notched edge of the trowel to make ridges in the mortar. Only do small sections of mortar at a time because you do not want it to dry before you have placed the tile.

When you place the slabs, apply pressure evenly but not too hard or all the mortar will be pushed out to the sides. Twist the blocks into place so they are embedded in the mortar. Use safety goggles and gloves when you cut slabs to fit corners and plumbing. The best tool to use to cut them is a wet saw.

To ensure proper spacing between tiles, use plastic spacers in between each one. This is one of the most important steps when creating a beautiful shower because the slabs need to be even. Once you are finished, give the blocks 24 hours to set before you start grouting. Make sure to leave the spacers in while the tiles set.

Once you are ready to grout, use your grout float to press the grout over the slabs and into the cracks. Remove the excess with the float and then use a sponge to wipe it off the tiles. It is best to wipe diagonally. If some grout film remains on the blocks after they have dried you can use a soft cloth to polish it away.

Lastly, paint sealer on top of the grout with a small sponge brush after you are sure the grout has dried. If you follow these instructions you are sure to be a pro at creating a beautiful tile shower.