Adding tile to your bathroom, including walls, floors, and the shower, is an excellent way to increase its value. Hiring an expert to do this can be both costly and inconvenient. So, what is the average time it takes for a novice to tile a shower?
If you are a beginner, you may require around 10 to 16 hours to place the tile in the whole bathroom. In comparison, a professional can perform the bathroom tiling job within 6 to 8 hours.
There are several factors to consider when planning to tile your bathroom, and various questions may also arise. Besides answering all of these questions, I will explore a few other closely related topics.
What Is the Time It Takes to Tile a Bathroom?
You can save the most time tiling your bathroom by hiring a professional. However, this is not the cheapest option. It can take only six to eight hours for professionals to tile your bathroom.
It may be faster to hire a professional, but it may cost less money to do it yourself. If you aren’t an expert in home improvement, you can still do it.
It costs less than half as much to hire a professional if you know how to use a few tools and have a free weekend. The project should take you between 10 and 16 hours.
Tiling A Bathroom: Factors That Impact the Time
Following are the factors on which the tile for tiling a bathroom depends.
Preparation
When you prepare a project properly, you ensure that it will withstand time, traffic, and moisture. The long-run benefit is that you will save time.
It begins with a clean surface before you can begin your tiling project. Tiles must be installed in a clean, dust-free area and around it so that adhesives do not fail or tiles do not move.
The most reliable and effective way to remove old paint and residue before tiling or painting is to use trisodium phosphate solution or TSP. If you want a reliable TSP, I would recommend trying the Sunnyside 64216 TSP.
Floors
Ensure the floor foundation is even and level if you are tiling. Besides, examine that there are no holes or low spots on the cement floors.
For thin-set mortar, allow it to soak up all the water by allowing it to sit for about 10 minutes before spreading it. It will prevent chunks from forming in the mortar.
Walls
A smooth, even, and waterproof wall is essential if you are tiling. For a waterproof and even finish, you should utilize tile backer boards under and over shower surfaces.
It is also recommended that you use waterproof tile adhesive on your shower walls to prevent water damage.
Proper Materials
It can take time to travel between home improvement stores and your home. As a result, always measure a room a second time after it has been measured.
To avoid returning for more materials, make sure your measurements are accurate. I suggest you order 10% more tiles than the expected requirement to save you from revisiting the tile shop. Cutting tiles can be made faster and easier with diamond blades.
For trimming small bits and corners of tiles, tile nippers are also helpful. Besides, you should keep all the basic materials required to tile a bathroom. If you have the necessary material, things will get easier for you.
Size And Layout of Space
While tiling a bigger bathroom may take days, tiling a smaller bathroom may take hours. Furthermore, curved tiles have to be cut around pipes, corners, and angles which is also a time-consuming task.
When using a gauge stick, you can ensure the spacing between tiles is even and proper, and it will also save you some time. To make a gauge stick, mark the placement of the tiles on a stick of wood during a dry run so the stick can serve as a reference while laying the tile.
Tile Size
Since larger tiles make a room appear smaller, medium tiles are the best option for smaller bathrooms. Accent additions can add to the time it takes to complete your project despite adding detail to your floor or walls.
It can be challenging to cut odd-shaped tiles, especially when working around windows, pipes, or other hardware. Without your baseboards in place, the finishing of your room will look more professional since it does not require exact cuts.
Is It Fine to Tile a Bathroom During Day Time?
It may only take a few hours to lay the thin-set mortar in a bathroom, but the thin-set needs to dry overnight before the grout can be applied. The day before you begin tiling your floor, you might want to complete a few of the initial steps.
As discussed above, begin by gathering the materials you will need. Grab the chalk lines and measure the range from room center to the top.
After locating the center of the room, layout your tile, including spacers; before going ahead and laying tiles in real life, it is recommended to allow thin-set mortar and tile to dry overnight after cutting the tile with a wet tile cutter.
After it has been cured for three days, you can walk on it. The tile adhesive will cure properly, and you will avoid the repeated work of replacing broken or displaced tiles. Make sure the grout has fully dried before applying a sealant 48-72 hours after applying it.
To ensure the thin-set dries properly, the tile is recommended to lay with the thin set before the grout is spread. If the thin-set isn’t dried correctly, it may fail and cause your tiles to move. Your time and money will be wasted repairing this.
Although tiling your bathroom may seem like too much work for a weekend, it may save you hundreds of dollars. If you plan and do some research, you can take your bathroom from ordinary to extraordinary.