Can You Tile Your Bathroom?

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Clik here to view.Bathrooms are the smallest rooms in the house. Maybe that’s why we like to update them more often, because we think small means less work. Bathrooms maybe small but they’re actually more difficult to paint than most rooms because you’ve got to cut around lots of things – the ceiling plus the bathtub/shower, toilet, vanity and more.

The same is true when laying tile. It might be a little more work to put down 8 feet of tile versus 4 feet but the hardest part is measuring and cutting tiles along edges and corners, so you’re not saving much with a smaller room. That’s why you want to consider what you’re trying to accomplish with tile and see if you can achieve the same results with fewer tiles.

Basic Tile Tips for Any Project

There’s a balancing act between minimizing the number of tiles you need to cut, and getting the best finished look. You should lay out enough tiles so you can see how they’ll look once they’re installed. The best designs start at the center of the room where someone’s eyes will look when they enter a room but that means cutting tiles that butt up to walls on both sides.

It’s also critical to prepare the surface on which the tiles will be installed. This is essential for every tile floor as tiles will crack when weight is applied and the underlying support isn’t even. Might seem obvious but with my handyman business, I’ve had to repair tile spanning both concrete and plywood subfloors around a fireplace and in one home, we had to add lolly columns in the basement to stop the floors flexing between the entry hallway and the kitchen.

Always buy more tile than you think you’ll need. My preference is to calculate the square footage needed, then add 10% contingency and round up to a full box. This should cover minor errors in measuring, bad tile cuts that have to be redone and enough tile for minor repairs a few years down the road when one/more tiles crack. It’s much cheaper than having to research and find a boutique tile manufacturer who’s minimum charge might exceed $100 plus shipping.

Tips for Picking Successful Tile Projects

Our goal isn’t to provide step-by-step instructions on how to install tile. There are plenty of videos online and if you’ve found some you like, please share your favorites with others by leaving a comment below. We want to help you pick the right project for your skill level and available hours to complete the project in a reasonable amount of time. Many homeowners skip this important step and end up hating their bathroom or worse, believe they can’t become DIYs after living with an unfinished project for months or years.

When investing in cabinets, counter tops and tile, natural or neutral colors work best. They’re easier to update with some towels, a shower curtain and a coat of paint. Remember the challenge of dealing with the pink and gray tile that was popular in the ’50s. If you are living with that pink, you might get enjoy the tips at RetroRenovation.com.

Bathroom Tile Projects
Bathroom Floor Tips Pick a larger tile as they’re easier to cut, and there will be fewer to measure and cut. Avoid diagonal designs which require more cuts – save that for your next tile floor when you’ve got more experience. Practice your cuts on the least visible wall behind the toilet.	Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Bathtub/Shower Surround Do your research and don’t skip steps to make the walls behind the tile water tight. Save on cuts by stopping tiles below the ceiling, i.e. around 6 ft. Remember the design rule for starting to lay your tile at the center, working out vertically and horizontally.	Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Tile Walls in a Bathroom Tile walls dress up a bathroom but there’s a lot of square feet in a small wall. Adding a tile chair rail creates the feeling of tile, for less time and money. Using different paint colors above and below, the tile gives more emphasis to the tile.	Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
A Splash of Tile Around the Sink Add just a hint of tile with a backsplash around the kitchen sink. Mix and match textures – porcelain sink, granite counter top and tile backsplash. Use natural or neutral colors that are ageless, so you can easily change the look of your bathroom with a new paint color.	Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.

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