Bathroom tiling
We tile and waterproof bathrooms, ensuites and showers across Adelaide. This page covers the tiling: the shower walls and floor, the niche, the bathroom floor and the surface underneath.
Behind the tiles
In a shower, the tiles are what you see. The waterproofing behind them is what protects the walls and floor from water damage. We do our own waterproofing for bathrooms and showers and we don't subcontract it. There's more on our waterproofing page.
Once the tiles are down, nobody sees the waterproofing again. So we take extra care with the corners, the wall-to-floor joins, the niche and the drain. The surface has to be clean, sound and shaped properly before we start.
Water in a shower and on a bathroom floor needs to run to the waste. Where the floor needs it, we screed first, so it's even and falls the right way before we waterproof and tile. See screeding.
A floor that's flat but doesn't fall to the drain leaves puddles. A floor that falls too much looks wrong and feels wrong underfoot. We aim for a gentle, even fall that carries water to the waste without being obvious once the tiles are down.
Large tiles need the falls planned more carefully, because a big tile can't bend to follow a slope. Tell us the tile you have in mind and we'll talk through how to shape the floor for it.
The finish
We set the tiles out carefully so the lines run straight and the cuts land in sensible places. The grout is even and the edges are tidy. Walls and floors are different jobs, so we plan each one before the first tile goes on.
In a shower, the layout decides how the niche, the corners and the screen sit against the tile lines. We work out where the full tiles land and where the cuts go, so the finished wall looks planned, not squeezed in. Then grout goes in the flat joints and flexible silicone goes in the corners and wherever two surfaces meet and can move.
Almost any tile can go in a bathroom, but your choice changes the job. Floors, and shower floors in particular, suit a tile with some grip when it's wet. Large wall tiles mean fewer grout lines but need a flatter wall. Small mosaics follow curves and falls easily, with more joints to keep clean. Patterned and herringbone layouts need more cutting and planning.
Tell us about your tile choice early and we'll say if it affects the preparation, the layout or the order of work. If you haven't chosen yet, talk to us before you buy.
Before we start
A little preparation on your side makes the first day easier.
Feature walls and patterns are where setting-out matters most. A pattern needs a starting point, a plan for the edges and a decision about where it finishes. Send us a photo or an idea when you enquire and we'll talk through what's practical for your room.
