The Easiest Alternative to Installing Subway Tile in the Bathroom

How to Install Subway Tile in Your Bathroom Shower
Skill Level: Master
Materials Needed:

• Thin-set Mortar
• Screws
• Subway Tile
• Sanded Grout
• Unsanded Grout
• Fixtures
• Electric Screwdriver
• Spacers
• Pencil
• Sanding Block
• Rubber Grout Float
• Mask
• Notched Trowel
• Buckets
• Level
• Broom
• Tile Nippers
• Sponge
• Safety Glasses
• Tape Measure
• Wet Saw

1. Take measurements of your space to see how many subway tiles you’ll need. The number of tiles you buy will be dependent on the size of your shower and the size of the tile. Make sure to measure from the top and bottom of the shower wall check that your wall is straight. Otherwise, you may have to take extra steps to compensate for any sagging/bowing in your wall.
2. Lay out all of your subway tiles before mounting to the wall. This will give you an idea of how your pattern will look, see how many tiles will fit on your wall, and where you need to make cuts. Make sure you space out the tiles exactly how you want them on your wall or you won’t get an accurate measurement. After dry-laying the tile, determine the best place to start setting the tiles, working from the bottom-up.
3. There’s one more important step before you start setting tiles on your wall. Use a starter board as a straight edge to line up your tile. Screw the starter board into the cement backer board, making sure it’s completely level before drilling into the wall. If you don’t use a level straight-edge, you won’t have straight and level tiles. Simple pencil lines aren’t going to cut it here, as the first row of tiles can easily slide past that border. (Besides, pencil would most likely get covered up by the thinset mortar in the next step.) You can remove the starter board once you have the first series of subway tiles down.
4. After all of that prep, you’re finally ready to start setting tiles on your shower wall. You’ll need a non-sagging thinset mortar to keep your tiles from sliding down after they’re set. Use a notched trowel to glide the thinset over the cement backer. Once spread, push the tiles evenly into the thinset with your hands or with a grout float. Every time you finish a row of tiles, wipe them down with water and a clean sponge. Don’t forget to check the level of each row before you set a new row, or your tilework could look sloppy and uneven. Make sure to use spacers to hold tiles in place while they dry. Non-sagging thinset will only get you so far, and you’ll need those spacers to do their share of the work too. Work in sections so your thinset doesn’t dry out in the middle of your project.
5. What about the corner where there are gaps? This is where you’ll need to cut tiles. Cutting subway tile requires special tools. The best tool for the job is a wet saw, which will prevent your tile from breaking and splitting. Anyone comfortable with power tools will find this unintimidating, but to new DIY-ers, this could be the scariest part of the whole project. Measure out the size your tile will need to be after cutting, then mark the tile you’re resizing with a pencil where cuts are needed. Hold the piece firmly, then carefully cut the tile underneath the wet saw blade.
6. Phew! Your corner tiles are cut and ready to set. Cut tile pieces will have a straight edge that might look awkward with the smoother edges on the existing tile. If you don’t want the cut tiles to clash with the rest of your tiles, you’ll have to use a sanding stone to soften the edges. Set each cut tile individually along the edge using thinset, lining each piece up straight with the outside edge.
7. If you’re planning on using a mosaic border with your subway tile, make sure you use a thinner layer of thinset than the rest of your tiles on that section. Border tiles are usually thicker than regular subway tile. If you use the same thickness of thinset as the rest of your tiles, the border will jut out from the wall and leave you with an uneven surface. No one wants that.
8. If you apply too much thinset, you may find that the grout squeezes through the tiles. Take a screwdriver and scrape the excess out. When any extra thinset dries, you’ll be in for a nasty surprise; thinset is hard to remove and most likely won’t match the color of your grout.
9. You are finally ready to grout your shower walls. Wait for all of your tile to set, then prepare a mix of 75% sanded grout and 25% non-sanded grout. Why mix? Sanded grout is notoriously difficult to get into small joints. Unless you add sanded grout to the mix, anticipate extra headaches and hang-ups. Use a rubber float to apply the grout, starting at the bottom and working your way up. Keep the float at an angle to the joints for an even coat. Once every joint in a section is filled, let the grout dry and wipe off the extra with a sponge and clean water. Allow the grout to set and dry.
10. After all of your elbow-grease, blood, sweat, and tears, your shower remodel is finally complete. This process is clearly not for the faint of heart.

(Source: DIYNetwork)