Laying Marble Tile in a Shower Corner

Preparing the Layout

• 1

  Measure two adjacent shower walls at the floor. Divide both measurements by two to find the midway point of both walls. Draw two chalk lines on the shower floor, one horizontal and one vertical, that intersect at this point.

• 2

  Lay out your marble tile using the right angle of the two chalk lines as your starting point. Place spacers between each tile if you have them. If not, maintain the desired joint distance between each tile when laying out the pattern. For example, if you want a joint space of 1/8 inch between each marble tile when you install them, leave 1/8 inch of space between each tile during the layout. Continue laying tiles until you reach the shower corners.

• 3

  Measure the empty space left in each corner. Subtract the joint space from each side. For example, if you want a 1/8-inch joint space, subtract 1/8 inch from both sides of the corner measurement.

• 4

  Draw a chalk line on the back of each corner tile that corresponds to the desired tile size.

• 5

  Cut each corner tile three-quarters of the way down the chalk line with a wet saw. Turn the tile around and finish the cut from the opposite direction. The National Association of REALTORS website notes that this cutting method reduces the chance that your marble tile will crack during cutting.

• 6

  Fit each corner tile into place to ensure that the cuts are accurate and that each tile fits neatly into its respective shower corner.

Installing the Tile

• 7

  Mix a batch of thin set tile adhesive in a plastic bucket. Follow the manufacturer's instructions when preparing the adhesive.

• 8

  Spread a thin layer of tile adhesive on the shower floor with a trowel. Smooth out the adhesive as much as possible with the trowel.

• 9

  Lay out your tile in the pattern you established. Press each tile down firmly into the tile adhesive. Let the tile dry overnight before grouting and sealing it.