By Kerry Hale

The Ultimate Guide to Bathroom Tiles

  • Monday 2 September 2024
  • 9 minute read

Welcome to our ultimate guide to bathroom tiles. Whether you’re tiling a new bathroom, removing old tiles, or regrouting existing ones, this guide covers everything you need to know for a stunning bathroom makeover.

Bathroom tile considerations

When redesigning your bathroom with new tiles, consider two key factors. First, choose a durable material. Second, think about your preferred style to create a bathroom that reflects your taste.

Bathroom tile materials

Ceramic and porcelain tiles offer both style and practicality for bathrooms and en-suites. These tiles create an impermeable barrier, preventing water from reaching more vulnerable areas of your home. Alternatively, consider using stone tiles, which add natural warmth to your bathroom and boast excellent durability and water resistance, ensuring they withstand the test of time.

Bathroom tile styles

The next step is to choose the style of your tiles. You have various options, whether you prefer an interesting pattern with mosaic, border, or patterned tiles or simple, solid-coloured tiles. It all comes down to your taste.

Explore our comprehensive guide for an array of shower tile style ideas.

How to tile a bathroom

Bathroom tiles are relatively straightforward to install and cost-effective, leaving you more budget for the rest of your bathroom renovation project. If you have full confidence in your DIY skills, follow our step-by-step guide to tiling your bathroom. Whether you’re tiling the walls or floor, you’ll find everything you need to know to make it a success.

How to tile a bathroom wall

  1. First, calculate how many tiles you need to cover your wall space and add 10 per cent to that figure. This allows for any breakages and spares, should you need them in the future.

  2. When buying your tiles, try to purchase all of them from the same batch for colour-matching purposes. The batch number is on the packaging.

  3. Prepare your walls for tiling by making sure they are sanded, flat and clean. You might have to score the plaster with a notched trowel to help the adhesive stick.

  4. If you’re using tiles made from porous material, they may need to be sealed before you begin.

  5. To achieve a symmetrical design, make a gauging stick using a length of wood slightly longer than half the wall you’re tiling. Lay it on the floor and place tiles and spacers lengthways along the stick, using a pencil to mark their position on the wood.

  6. To find the width of your tiles, repeat this process with another stick, placing the tiles widthways.

  7. Measure the width of the wall, then use a pencil and spirit level to draw a vertical line at the midway point. Do the same for the height of the wall. You should now have horizontal and vertical lines that intersect in the middle.

  8. Use your gauging sticks to determine where each tile will start and end, and mark these in pencil until you have a grid for the tiles marked out on your walls. Make sure the first and last tiles at the top, bottom, left, and right are all the same size.

  9. Place your first tile (with spacers) at the bottom, mark where it needs to be cut to fit into the space, and then cut it to size.

  10. Use a notched trowel to apply adhesive to the back of the tile and press it into place.

  11. Repeat this for all the tiles, placing spacers between them to allow room for grouting.

  12. Once all the tiles are in place, let them dry before grouting.

  13. Use a spreader or grout float to apply the grout to the walls, getting right into the spaces between the tiles without leaving any air bubbles. Wipe away any excess grout.

  14. Leave for 15 minutes, then wipe the tiles with a damp cloth.

  15. Finally, spray the tiles with a grout protector to prevent water or limescale from penetrating the grout. Explore our guide for more tips on keeping grout clean.

Looking for an alternative to tiling your shower walls? There are plenty of options, including wall panels. These versatile panels are ideal as splashbacks behind your basin and bath. They are more waterproof, quicker to install, and easier to cut to size than tiles.

 

How to tile bathroom floors

  1. Before tiling a bathroom floor, make sure it is clean, dry and completely level. If your floor is concrete, you can tile directly onto it. Timber floors will need to be covered with primed plywood before tiling.

  2. Work out the midpoints by following the same steps you took when tiling the wall.

  3. Dry lay your tiles with spacers, starting from the middle and working towards the walls or the nearest fixture, such as the bath, toilet, or sink pedestal.

  4. Mark the endpoint of the last whole tile before the wall or object. If you’re working on a concrete floor, draw a line from one wall to the other at the endpoint. If you’re working on plywood, drill a batten in at the endpoint, checking for hidden pipes and cables first.

  5. Repeat this step, working perpendicular to the previous direction.

  6. You should now have two battens or straight lines, creating a space that whole tiles can fill.

  7. Using adhesive, apply the tiles to the floor in a neat pattern, checking as you go that they are flat and straight. 

  8. If using battens, remove them now.

  9. Use paper to create templates to fit around the toilet and sink pedestals. Then, using tile clippers, cut tiles to this template and sand them. Use adhesive to apply.

  10. Now, apply the tiles around the edges. Measure the distance between the last whole tile in each row and the wall, as it might not be uniform. Cut the tile to size and apply with adhesive.

  11. Leave to dry, then grout your tiles using the same method outlined for walls.

How to remove bathroom tiles

Before you start removing tiles from the walls or floor, ensure you have the following safety equipment and tools:

  • Safety goggles

  • Gloves

  • Dust mask

  • Cardboard or dust sheets to protect surfaces around the room

  • Masonry chisel

  • Hammer or mallet

  • Scraper

  • Drill

Step-by-step guide to removing bathroom tiles

Once you’ve protected the space with cardboard or dust sheets to prevent scratches and put on your PPE to keep yourself safe, you can start the removal process.

  1. Removing the first tile: Look for a loose tile that you can pry out with a chisel. If there isn’t one, you’ll need to break a tile. Place a chisel in the centre of the tile and hit it with a hammer. Be cautious, as the tile will shatter into small pieces. Use a cardboard box or bucket to collect the broken tiles.

  2. Accessing surrounding tiles: Once the first tile is removed, accessing nearby tiles becomes easier. Position the chisel against the wall or floor, tuck the end behind the tile, and tap it with the hammer to secure it. Then, move the chisel toward you to remove the tile.

  3. Removing adhesive: After detaching all tiles, use a scraper to get rid of as much dried adhesive as possible. This will create a smoother surface for any additional work (such as re-tiling, adding wall panels, plastering, or painting).

  4. Collecting debris: Gather debris by hand and then use a dustpan and brush to remove the remaining bits. Finally, vacuum the room and wipe down the surfaces to eliminate dust.

How to remove adhesive from wall tiles

Use the scraper tool to remove dried adhesive from wall tiles. For stubborn glue, soak the tile in hot water until it softens, then try again.

How to remove dry grout from tiles

To remove dry or hardened grout from tiles, start by using a scouring pad or wire wool. Be cautious, though, as these methods can scratch the tile surface. For stubborn grout, opt for a scraper tool, working at an acute angle to avoid damaging the tiles.

 

If you’re planning to replace old tiles with new ones, learn how to tile your bathroom in our handy guide.

How to regrout bathroom tiles

Over time, the grout between your bathroom tiles can discolour and erode. Not only does this look unsightly, but water can seep into the walls, causing damp and mould. The problem is often worse wherever water collects, so you’ll probably notice it first in the areas around the bottom of showers, sinks, baths and windowsills. Fortunately, it’s easy to learn how to clean, remove, repair and re-grout your bathroom tiles.

Clean dirty grout

Begin by thoroughly cleaning the grout. This step alone can significantly improve the appearance of grubby-looking grout. However, if the damage is extensive and cleaning doesn’t make a difference, consider re-grouting. For example, if the grout has worn away and become lumpy, it’s time to remove it and start fresh.

Can you re-grout over old grout?

When repairing small areas of existing grout, it might be tempting to patch them up with new grout. However, for a clean finish and long-lasting results, it’s essential to remove the old grout before re-grouting.

Step-by-step guide to re-grouting

Before you start, ensure you’re wearing old clothes, a pair of gloves and eye protection. It’s also a good idea to put a dust sheet on the floor to catch any dust or debris. Then, follow our step-by-step instructions:

  1. Remove old grout: To avoid scratching the tiles, use a proper grout rake, work in one direction, and push the rake between the tiles to dig out old grout. You can also use an electric grout grinder, but be careful not to scratch the tiles.

  2. Prepare new grout: Once you’ve removed the old grout, prepare your new grout. If you’re using powdered grout, mix it up in a bucket according to the packet instructions. Opted for ready-mixed grout? You’re ready to start.

  3. Apply new grout: Use a small tiling trowel to apply the grout, saving time and helping you achieve a much neater finish. Fill every grout line and corner without leaving any gaps. Don’t worry about being messy here, as you can always tidy it up afterwards.

  4. Finishing touches: Once the tiles are filled, use a damp cloth (or your finger) to smooth down the lines and compact the grout. If you notice any air pockets or holes, apply more grout and smooth it over until you’re happy with the finish.

 

Discover a variety of bathroom upgrades at Mira. Explore our selection of parts and accessories to give your bathroom a modern touch.

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