| Tiling around your bathtub is a fairly | | | | Laying the Tile |
| straightforward procedure that most | | | | Once you have your tile layout all planned out, |
| homeowners can pull off with just a little learning | | | | start tiling at the center mark and work outwards. |
| and patience. Tiles are a good choice for the | | | | Mastic will last about twenty minutes once it is laid |
| bathroom, as they are easy to keep clean in | | | | on, so don’t lay too much at once. Don’t |
| what is essentially a very damp atmosphere. Tiles | | | | forget to make the deep ridges with the trowel |
| for around a bath may be ceramic, glass or stone. | | | | to help the mastic spread out and adhere to the |
| The choice is up to you and depends on things | | | | tiles correctly. In addition, you should use tile |
| such as the look you are going for and what fits | | | | spacers to ensure the tiles are laid evenly and |
| with the décor of the rest of the room. | | | | that there aren’t any vast expanses of grout. |
| Getting Started | | | | You will also need to leave space between the |
| To get started, you’ll need to make sure you | | | | bottom row and the tub for caulk. |
| lay all the tiles out very precisely. This is an | | | | Some tiles will need to be cut to fit edges, or |
| important step because this is a labor-intensive | | | | around faucets. Remember the rule: measure |
| job when it comes to measuring and cutting. You | | | | twice, cut once. Having a few extra tiles that you |
| might also want to consider using mastic instead | | | | need is also useful in case of breakages. |
| of thinset for this job. Mastic is much stickier than | | | | Finishing the Job |
| thinset and will prevent the tiles from slipping | | | | Grouting is the last thing you will have to do in |
| down the wall or otherwise out of place. | | | | order to fill in the gaps between the tiles and hold |
| You will then need to measure the height of each | | | | them fast. Push the grout gently into the gaps |
| wall that is located above the tub. By dividing this | | | | and wipe off any excess grout with a damp |
| number in half, you can find the halfway point on | | | | sponge. A final buff can be done the following day |
| the wall. Then, measure how many tiles above | | | | after it has all had a good chance to dry. |
| and below this line will fit. If you end up with less | | | | If you are not feeling too confident about |
| than half a tile at the top and bottom, adjust the | | | | embarking upon the project on your own, taking |
| center mark to give yourself more space to | | | | a course in tiling may be just what you need, as a |
| work with. A small sliver will look odd and may | | | | course will teach you all the skills you need to |
| not cut straight or stay stuck. | | | | make your home improvements look professional. |