How to Tile a Tub

If you’ve been remodeling your bathroom or are working on a new home, you will need to tile the tub. In fact, tiling the bathtub is an essential addition to the home, and luckily, it is a fairly straight forward job, especially if you have some experience in tiling. That said; even if you’ve never done this before, consider these instructions to help you get the job done to satisfaction.

Step 1 – Strip the Area

If you are redoing the tub, remember the first thing to any installation job is to strip it bare, and a bathtub tiling job is no different. Begin by stripping the tub of its fixtures. Remove everything from the faucets, the shower stall, the studs to the additional fixtures like soap holders and so on. If this is a fresh install, place the tub in position and proceed with the next step.

Step 2 – Install the Vapor Barrier

The actual tiling of a tub begins with the installation of a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is a sheet that is specifically designed to hold off water vapor and moisture from causing damage like mold and mildew. Vapor barriers are available at every home improvement store and come in a variety of makes. Choose the one that suits your needs best. 

Step 3 – Place the Bottom Tiles

Along the bottom wall use a trowel to apply mortar up to a few feet of the bathtub opening. Then place the bottom tiles of your choice along the tub rim. Press them into the mortar so that they are securely held in place. Use tile spacers to make your work neat and uniform. Allow tiles to dry.

Step 4 – Use a Cement Board Backer

This is the trickiest step. While tiling the tub, you need to take into consideration the areas where the shower knobs, head and faucets go in. This isn’t as simple as tiling the rest of the tub. First cut a cement board backer into the required size and fit it in place. Now, mark out the openings for the shower knob, head and so forth on the board; saw these out.

Step 5 – Continue Tiling 

Once you saw the holes, it’s time to add the tiles to the board. First spread the mortar on the board. Then set the tiles in one at a time. Patience is the key to perfection here; it is the only way you’ll get an even row. Once you complete the bottom row, leave the tiles to set in for at least 24 hours, after which you repeat the process one more time.

Step 6 – Grout the Tiles   

Once all the tiles are up, you will need to grout them along the tile joints. Do so for the whole tub except the area between the bottom tile row and the tub rim. Let the grout sit overnight. The next day caulk the area between bottom tile row and tub rim space and use sealant to seal the tiles.