How to Tile Around a Tub

By: Joseph Truini, This Old House magazine

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. GLAZED CERAMIC TILE

2. LATEX TILE MASTIC

3. UNSANDED TILE GROUT

4. CEMENT BACKER BOARD

5. BACKER BOARD SCREWS

6. FIBERGLASS-MESH JOINT TAPE

7. THINSET MORTAR
for skim-coating the backer board

8. LATEX-BASED GROUT ADDITIVE
to strengthen the grout

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Notched trowel,
  used to apply tile mastic
- Grout sponge,
  for wiping tiles clean
- Rubber trowel,
  for applying the grout
- Drill with diamond-grit hole saw,
  for drilling holes in tile
- Tile nippers,
  used to notch tiles to fit around plumbing
- Margin trowel,
  used to mix mortar and grout
- Tile cutter,
  rents for $15 to $20 a day
- Level and straightedge
- 4-in. drywall knife,
  to embed joint tape in mortar
- Caulking gun with siliconized acrylic caulk
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Photo by: Webb Chappell

1. Mark the Layout Lines

Start by measuring the height of the back wall from the lip of the tub to the top of the area to be tiled. Divide the dimension in half and make a mark there.

Check if you need to adjust this mark to avoid laying slivers of tile at the top and bottom. Calculate how many tiles it takes to reach from the center mark down to the tub. If you end up with less than half a tile at the tub, adjust the mark downward by the height of this partial tile so you end up with a full tile at the bottom and a larger cut tile at the top. Using a level, draw a horizontal line across the wall at this mark.

Next, measure the width of the back wall horizontally. Divide this dimension in half and draw a plumb line down the center of the wall. If this leaves tile slivers on both sides, adjust the line right or left as necessary.