Bathroom tilers for walls and floors

What bathroom tiling involves

A tiled bathroom finish is decided long before the first tile is stuck to the wall. The surfaces have to be flat and sound, the wet areas waterproofed, and the set-out worked out so cuts fall where they are least noticeable. Rushing those stages is what produces lipped tiles, slivers of cut tile at eye level and grout lines that wander.

Tiling is one of our own trades, so the preparation, the waterproofing and the tiling are done by the same team rather than handed between contractors. For kitchens and other rooms, see our main tiling service.

Set-out: the part you never see

Set-out means deciding where every tile will sit before any adhesive is mixed. The aim is a symmetrical layout with sensible sized cuts at the edges, no thin slithers beside the bath or around the window, and grout lines that line up between walls and floors where the tile sizes allow. We agree the set-out with you on the wall, in pencil, before tiling starts.

This is also when tile choice is finalised. Large format tiles mean fewer grout lines but demand flatter walls. Small mosaics cope with curves and slopes but take longer. Our guide to choosing bathroom tiles covers sizes, finishes and slip ratings.

Waterproofing behind the tiles

Tiles and grout resist water but do not stop it. In shower areas and around baths we apply a tanking membrane to the walls and floor junctions before tiling, with sealed corners and collars around pipe entries. Where old tiles are removed, the state of the wall behind them decides whether it can be patched and skimmed or needs reboarding first.

Bathroom floor tiles

Floors take more punishment than walls. The base has to be firm and level: flex in a timber floor cracks grout and eventually tiles, so loose boards are fixed and, where needed, a suitable backer board goes down first. On concrete, a self-levelling compound sorts out dips before tiling. Floor tiles for bathrooms should have a slip-resistant finish, which matters most in households with young children or older family members.

Grout, silicone and the finishing details

Grout is chosen to suit the tile and the joint width, and in wet areas we use grout and silicone designed for bathrooms. Every change of plane, where wall meets wall, wall meets bath and wall meets floor, is sealed with sanitary silicone rather than grouted, because those joints move and grout cracks there first. Trims, niches and boxing are finished to the same standard as the field tiles.

Retiling over old tiles or stripping back

Tiling over sound existing tiles is sometimes possible and saves mess, but only where the old tiles are firmly bonded, flat and dry, and the added thickness will not cause problems at fittings and edges. Our guide on tiling over existing tiles explains the checks. Where the old surface is doubtful, stripping back to a sound wall is the honest answer. The cost to tile a bathroom guide explains what shapes a tiling quote.

Quotes are free and in writing, and our tiling carries a 1-year workmanship warranty. To discuss a bathroom tiling job, call 01268 206409 or send photographs through the quote form. For the wider room, see our bathroom fitting page.