Tiling Your Shower: From No Clue to "Wow, You Did That?" - A Guide to Starting with Subway Tile
Let's face it, folks. Shower time is sacred. It's a chance to belt out show tunes, strategize your next genius invention with shampoo suds as inspiration, or simply contemplate the existential woes of why the shower curtain insists on clinging to you like a lovelorn barnacle. But what if your shower looked a little less, well, "dorm room chic" and a little more "spa retreat"? Enter the glorious world of subway tile!
However, staring down a blank shower wall and a box of subway tiles can be enough to make you want to retreat back to the trusty loofah and questionable shower curtain. Fear not, fellow shower enthusiast! This guide will take you from trembling newbie to weekend warrior, ready to impress your houseguests (or at least that friendly spider who keeps you company).
Step 1: Planning Like a Pro (Without the Monocle)
- Tiling Tetris: Imagine your shower wall as a giant Tetris game. How will the tiles fit? Will you have to cut slivers that resemble sad, forgotten pizza crusts at the edges? Draw a layout on graph paper (or a napkin, we're not judging) to avoid this tragic fate.
- Center Stage or Off-Broadway?: Decide on your layout. Will your tiles run vertically, creating a sleek, modern look, or horizontally, for a more classic vibe?
Pro Tip: Aim for full tiles or at least cuts larger than a postage stamp along the edges. No one wants a shower that looks like it was cobbled together by a squirrel with a serious case of the munchies.
Step 2: Gather Your Tile Tribe (Because Power Tools are More Fun with Friends)
- The Essential Crew: You'll need a notched trowel, a bucket for mixing thinset (the magical tile glue!), spacers to ensure even grout lines (because grout lines are like the sprinkles of the tile world - you want them even!), a level to make sure everything's straight (because leaning towers of Pisa are cool, but not in your shower), and a wet saw for cutting tiles (unless you enjoy the primal scream therapy of snapping tiles with your bare hands - not recommended).
Safety First, Friends! Wear gloves and eye protection when handling thinset and using the saw. We want DIY disasters, not ER visits.
Step 3: Apply the Magic Goop (Thinset, Not Actually Magic)
- Thinset Time! Following the package directions, mix up your thinset. Think of it as the delicious, gluey frosting that will hold your beautiful subway tile cookies to the wall. Don't make a vat - thinset has a limited working time, and you don't want it to harden before you get started (unless your goal is sculpting a permanent shower gnome - weird flex, but hey, you do you).
Remember: Apply the thinset to the wall, not directly to the back of every single tile. You'll get tired faster than a toddler at a museum, and it won't be nearly as fun.
Step 4: Tiling Like a Champ (Because You Basically Are Now)
- First Row Fun: The first row is crucial! Use your level to make sure it's perfectly straight. This is the foundation for your entire tiled masterpiece, so take your time and channel your inner Michelangelo.
Pro Tip 2: Start at the center of the wall and work your way out. This way, any wonky cuts can be hidden at the edges (because let's be honest, perfection is overrated).
And that, my friends, is the glorious beginning of your subway tile journey! Part two will cover grouting, sealing, and admiring your handiwork in the buff (because why not? It's your shower, you earned it!). Stay tuned, and in the meantime, happy tiling!
