How do I prepare the new shower walls and add tile?
Ceramic tile clearly is the wall-finishing material of choice for bathrooms. It is attractive, durable and offers a variety of colors, patterns and textures. When properly installed and maintained, ceramic bathroom tile should last as long as the home. The first thing to do is let your remodeler know you want to install the ceramic tile yourself. This is important because ceramic tiles are rectangular, flat and rigid. Your remodeler should make every effort to ensure the walls are square and plumb. If the walls are not square, you will have to cut and hand-fit a lot more tiles than expected.Install cement backer board on the walls instead of standard drywall or water-resistant drywall. The cement board is more resistant to moisture and will create a better surface upon which to apply ceramic tile. Once the cement board is installed, all you have to do is fit and apply the tile.First figure out how much tile you will need. Your home center store may have a computerized tile calculator.
