How to Tile a Bathroom: A Complete DIY Tiling Guide

After watching an online tiling video, I decided I would tile my bathroom splashback in a weekend. And I did eventually tile my splashback, but it certainly didn't happen in the time I'd expected. If you are thinking of learning how to tile a bathroom yourself, I hope this article will help you be more realistic about your tiling plans so that you do not end up having to call in a tiler once you have already bought a notched trowel.

DIY Tiling Assessment: What You Can Realistically Tile and What You Can't

Bathroom tiling can be an interesting one. There are some tiling projects you really can tile yourself and others you should probably just let a professional handle. Vertical wall tiling on simple walls (like a straightforward splashback in a separate powder room) is my recommendation for where DIY-ers can really have a go at tiling. The main concern when tiling on a wall is that if you make a mistake, you can just replace that single tile and you are unlikely to cause any major structural issues.
Wet-area walls (the walls inside a bathroom around your shower niche), however, are quite a different matter. This applies to floor tiles, too. The cost of fixing a failed tile job (like you forgetting to waterproof a shower base) or the cost of repairing water damage that you've caused while tiling is between $3,000 and $10,000. And that is not very much compared to what a tiler would cost you to tile your bathroom wet area, which would be anywhere between $80 and $120 per square metre. That seems like money well spent.

Substrate Preparation: Why It Makes or Breaks Your Tiling

And if I could give just one bit of advice to any tiler in the world who is planning on tiling their bathroom by themselves for the first time, this would be it: When learning how to tile a bathroom, most people fail during substrate preparation. This is the most important part of the job, and it is the one step that DIY-ers tend to skip. Ensure your substrate is flat, level, solid, and dry. Remove old tiles, lift or peel any painted areas, and scrape off old adhesive. Patch up any uneven areas or holes with cement filler and then wait for 48 hours before you apply any tile adhesive. Your materials cost will be around $200 to $500. The cost of replacing tiles that have either loosened or cracked as a result? Between $2,000 and $5,000. Give it two or three days to fully dry. This part of the job is not the most glamorous but, believe me, you can not afford to cut corners.

Tile Selection and Layout Planning for Your Bathroom

Finding the right tiles is perhaps not as challenging as you might have thought. Think about tiles that are 300mm and larger. Bigger format tiles are easier to lay and have fewer grout lines, or joints, and therefore less you will have to clean or replace when the time comes. If you choose to install small bathroom tiles, you are looking at more tile laying time as well as more time spent on cleaning afterward.
Different tile materials are available to choose from and they will affect what your cost is. A normal ceramic tile will be anywhere between $15 and $40 per square metre. A porcelain tile (a more sturdy option for indoor and outdoor applications, but especially wet areas) costs between $20 and $60 a square metre. If a stone tile you are thinking about sealing once or twice a year, the cost could be anywhere between $40 and $120 per square metre. There are some great bathroom wall ideas and floor tile product lines at stores to get ideas and inspiration. But before adhering any tiles to any surface lay your tile out to see how it will work. A common DIY tiling mistake is poor layout where the homeowner is left with very small pieces of tile on the outer edges. Take one hour to work out the layout of each tile so there are not too many pieces to cut at the ends of the surface.

Tools, Adhesives and Grout: Understanding Your Materials

What you need: a notched trowel ($10 to $20), tile cutter or angle grinder ($30 to $150), grout float ($10 to $20), spirit level ($15 to $30), and buckets and sponges. A bare minimum toolkit will cost between $85 and $240.
If you are new to DIY, consider premixed tile adhesive ($15 to $30 per bucket) which has a longer drying time to let you get the tiles in position. Adhesive in a powder form ($10 to $20 a bag) is cheaper and dries quicker. You will also need either epoxy grout ($30 to $50 per bag) which is stain resistant but hard to apply, or standard cement grout ($5 to $15 per bag) that is easier to use, but does need sealant afterwards. You need to think about your tile spacing if you have small baths or tight fixtures to give straight lines of tiles.

The Tiling Process: Step-by-Step Installation and Grouting

So you are ready to learn how to tile a bathroom correctly, here are the steps.
Use your spirit level to mark guidelines for you so your tiles are straight and you do not end up with tiles going slowly off the edge and creating a wobble at the ends of your work.
Use your notched trowel to apply adhesive to the floor or wall evenly and push tiles into the adhesive. Use spacers (between 3 to 5mm) for consistent gaps between tiles and use your level every three to four tiles to check you are level. Grout your tiles only after you have waited 24 hours for your adhesive to dry.
For grouting, fill your grout float at a 45-degree angle to force the grout into your gaps and allow to dry for 15 minutes before wiping excess off with a wet sponge. The golden rule here is do not let any water touch your new tiles for at least 72 hours. If you are tiling around a spa bath or free standing bathtubs, take more time with your sealant around the tiles and the fixture.
The DIY cost of bathroom flooring ideas ranges between $300 and $600 in materials, compared to a total of $2,000 to $4,000 to have an expert tile them.