Tile Learning Center

Large Tile Installations

Determine the height of the 2nd row and fasten a leveled straight edge with screws through the wood, Durock and into the studs.

Straight edges can be metal or a straight 1 x 4 board from Home Depot.

Now you're ready to start your tile installation on a solid, level and secure surface. Center the tile and install all the walls together and finish them to ceiling.

Install the floor tiles so they fit close to Durock. A factory edge of Durock makes a great straight edge and its flexibility works well on the sloping shower floor. 

Durock factory edge also works well on walls. You just cut them to size. Using Durock, tape at floor/wall transition helps waterproof and helps in future expansion/contraction and grout cracking.

After floor is installed and before the bottom row of tile is set, take your finger and fill with mortar where mosaic fits to Durock. In effect you are caulking with mortar and waterproofing. If there are no voids where water can settle the water has no choice but to go down the drain.

Never ever install the bottom row first, it's always last. If it were the other way water would have a direct path to the shower pan. With the wall tile on top of the floor, the water running down the wall hits the floor and takes the slope to the drain.

Continue up walls installing all walls together. Note: The WD 40 is for spraying trowels before use for easy clean up.

For a superior Stone Tile installation look layout all the walls ahead of time, arranging the tiles with respect to Mother Nature. note tilesetters: Natural Stone has a flow and usually a direction and installing tile like in nature will give you a big competitive advantage.

Transfer the layout to the wall using pieces of tape to let you know what direction to place the tile.

The shower when trimmed out will have 9 places where water can come out 8 on the walls and 1 on the ceiling.