Coming up 1/4" short with shower tile at the ceiling..

I'm trying to lay out my 4x12 subway tile from the shower base to the ceiling. After laying them on the floor with the 1/8" spacers I end up a 1/4" short at the ceiling, my measurement from the base to the ceiling is 93 1/2 inches. I know the standard height between your bottom tile and shower base should be 1/8", if I was to raise the bottom tile up and leave a 1/4" gap, that would gave me a 1/8" caulk gap at my ceiling. Only problem is I'm bringing my tile out pass my shower base 2 inches and putting in a small piece from the bottom tile to the floor, am I'm going to show a 1/4" grout line from my bottom tile to the floor? Any ideas?

 

what if you expanded the gap between rows of tile just a tad?

 

I was thinking about doing that, I was just worried I may get a few rows off wider than the other ones, then hope I can get he other side to match. I was just looking at it again and if I moved the bottom tile up an extra 1/8" I wouldn't have a problem keeping all my grout lines at a 1/8" even passed my shower base. I would only have a 1/4" bottom tile gap that I would have to caulk to the end of the base, then around and down to the floor. I was just wondering if a 1/4" is too wide to have on the bottom tile to the base?

 

You could install molding around the top to conceal any gap. Leaving extra space at the top also allows you extra fudge room if your grout spacing gets a little wide.

If you want to space out your grout lines to run tile right to the ceiling I would measure both sides of the wall and pop horizontal chalk lines periodically. You can use the chalk lines to make sure your tile stays at the right height to end up perfect at the ceiling. I mentioned "both sides of the wall" because it's common for a wall to be slightly different height at each end. If started early you can burry the difference so it's not noticed and avoid a pie shaped grout line at the top.

 

You could insert two rows of 2.x12 tiles, and get an extra 1/4 gap in the column.