How to Lay a Tile Shower Floor

Home improvement and hardware stores offer the consumer a lot of choices on tiles for use to tile a shower floor. Choices for these tiles include ceramic, porcelain, or stone tiles. Prior to putting tiles on shower floors, pre-slope mortar should be applied first to the shower pan, which will make the sub-flooring ready for the tile application. Below are the materials that you need along with the instructions on how to lay a tile shower floor.

Step 1-Readying the Tiles to be Used

Ready the tiles to be used by determining that its size fits the shower floor where it will be laid. If adjustments need to be made, cut to the appropriate size or adjust on the design pattern.  Position the tiles to test fit after the adjustments are made and prior to putting the pre-slope mortar or the tile adhesive.

Step 2-Application of the Backer Board and Pre-Slope Mortar

When installing ceramic tiles for the shower floor, a backer board should be placed over the shower pan using a trowel. The backer board should be allowed to cure. Then, the pre-slope mortar should be applied to the backer board and be allowed to cure as well.

Step 3-Marking the Center Point

The center of the shower floor should be determined. An “X” design should serve as a mark for the center point, which should be marked with a pencil or tape. 

Step 4-Starting the Tile Application from to the Left of the Center Point

Starting at the center mark, the shower adhesive should be applied. The first tile to be applied must be at the center point. Tile the shower floor from the center going toward the left until the wall is reached. Adjust the tiles placed on the wall areas of the shower floor.

Step 5-Application of Tiles to the Right of the Center Point

Work on putting the tiles on the shower floor to the right of the center until the wall on that side is reached. Adjust the tiles that will be placed on the wall area by cutting to fit the space like in Step 4.

Step 6-Apply Tiles to the Back of the Shower Area

Tiles should be applied from the center piece going towards the wall against the entrance of the shower. Position a row of tiles from the center going towards the back of the shower. Adjust the size of the tile as necessary.

Step 7-Apply Tiles to the Shower Wall

The work of putting the tiles will be downward from the center towards the shower entrance. Position the tiles in a row from the center heading towards the shower wall. After this application, a cross design on the tiles would have been formed on the shower floor.

Step 8-Second Row of Tile Application

The next row of tiles should be applied following the same pattern by starting from the center then working to the left and then right.  Finish the tile application until the entire shower flooring is fully tiled, following Steps 4-7.