Steps to Tile a Shower

Install Membrane and Backerboard

• Install a shower membrane or shower pan to prepare the shower space for the tile. A shower membrane is a plastic covering used when you're tiling the floor of the shower. The pan is a plastic shell used when you're only tiling the walls. After the base is ready, install cement backerboard on the walls. This is one of the best materials to base ceramic tile against as long as it is perfectly level and attached with corrosion-resistant screws. The boards come in sheets, so measure the shower carefully and cut the sheets with a handsaw or boxcutter to fit tightly into the shower space, drilling in the screws along the edges of the board.

Mix Tile Mortar

• Mix the tile mortar for the first part of the tile-laying project. There are two general options for tile mortar. The first is a common thin-set mortar that allows you to lay a thin layer of the mortar to fit tile accurately. The second type is a latex tile mastic that is more adhesive than the mortar, making it easier to lay tile without worrying about it sliding.

Install Floor

• Measure and install the floor first, using spacers to adjust for grout lines to ensure all the tiles are equally placed and level. Lay the ceramic tiles down on the mortar or mastic, then use your fingers to press down with gentle pressure. Measure the tiles for levelness and accuracy as you go, and leave the spacers in until the mortar dries.

Install Ceiling

• If the shower has a ceiling, tile the ceiling next. Most tile will stay in place, but you can support the tile with boards and planks for the day or so it takes to dry, if desired.

Install Walls

• Lastly, install the tile walls, including any extra components like soap dishes. The ceramic tile should stay in place, but you may want to duct tape soap dishes to the tile (after it has dried) to prevent the weight of the dish from tearing it off the component.

Grout

• After the mortar dries, apply matching grout, typically a sanded variety, into the tile spaces. You can grout one area at a time or the entire area at once using a rubber block to evenly spread the grout in the cracks. Once you spread the grout, wash the tile two or three times to remove the grout residue.

Caulk

• When the grout is dry, carefully caulk the shower, using a silicone or other waterproof caulk. Apply caulk wherever the tiled walls, ceiling and floor meet.