How To Float A Shower Wall For Tile

Vacuum to remove dust.

How to float a shower wall for tile.

Patch any holes or cracks with spackling compound and sand the entire surface with medium grit sandpaper. Mix up your desired grout color according to manufacturer directions. One way to limit tile lippage is to stagger large format tiles into thirds. This in turn creates a slight lip between two adjacent tiles.

Work it into the spaces using a diagonal motion. Large tiles tend to cup or bow upward in the middle of the tile. Once the bathroom tile has set and cured for 24 hours remove the tile spacers. Make sure the cement backer board is flush with the shower pan.

The staggering of tiles in thirds helps limit this effect. This will even out the surface for tiling. Place tape over the seam and feather over it with thin set mortar. Using a runner float apply grout in small areas at a time.

Let the compound dry for 10. Scrape the wall to remove any texture and to create a flat surface. Most tile have a recommended grout that works well with them so check your manufacturer s instructions. Remove any remaining dust oils and grease from the wall with tsp tri sodium phosphate or an ammonia based cleanser.

Mix a small amount of grout at a time and apply it with a rubber float. Make sure to apply 100 silicone caulk to any seams between the boards to prevent moisture from getting through.