This article is based on this video.
Ask enough tile installers whether the shower floor or the walls should be tiled first, and you’ll probably hear some pretty strong opinions.
Some installers always do the walls first.
Others always start with the floor.
Our answer is a little less exciting:
It depends.
In this shower, we agree with putting the floor tile in first. But that doesn’t mean the floor should automatically go first on every project.
The better question is: Which part of the tile installation is more complicated?
In This Shower, the Floor Is the Feature
The shower floor in this project uses a detailed mosaic pattern that continues through the zero-entry opening.
There are a lot of small pieces involved, and the pattern needs to look deliberate all the way across the floor.
Because that floor is the more intricate part of the installation, it makes sense to establish it first.
Once the mosaic is set exactly where it belongs, the larger wall tiles can be measured and cut down to meet the finished floor.
That gives the installer more control over the final appearance.
Let the Easier Tile Adapt to the Harder Tile
This is probably the simplest way to think about it.
If one material is complicated and the other is relatively easy to cut, let the complicated material determine the layout.
In this case, trying to make sheets of small mosaic tile adapt to finished wall tile could result in awkward little pieces around the perimeter.
A larger wall tile gives us much more room to make a clean, controlled cut.
So we establish the mosaic first and let the wall tile come down to it.
But that logic can work in the opposite direction too.
Sometimes the Walls Should Go First
Imagine a shower with a fairly basic two-inch mosaic on the floor, but the walls have a detailed pattern, decorative tile, or complicated layout.
Now the walls may be the part we want to establish first.
Once that pattern is exactly where we want it, the simpler floor mosaic can be cut to fit along the bottom.
There’s no prize for following the same installation sequence on every shower.
The goal is the finished result.
Why Many Installers Like Doing Walls First
There is another practical reason some installers prefer to complete most of the walls before setting the shower floor.
They don’t have to work over freshly installed floor tile.
During wall installation, there are buckets, spacers, tools, thinset, tile scraps, and occasionally something that falls despite everyone’s best intentions.
If the finished shower floor isn’t installed yet, there’s less to protect.
Once the walls are completed, the installer can set the floor and stay off it while it cures.
That can be a very efficient approach when the tile layout allows it.
If the Floor Goes First, Protect It
When we do choose to install the shower floor first, protecting it becomes important.
You don’t want to spend all that time installing a detailed mosaic only to drop a piece of wall tile on it the next morning.
The finished floor should be properly covered while the remaining work continues.
Good installation isn’t only about setting tile correctly. It’s also about protecting the work you’ve already completed.
Curbless Showers Make Layout Even More Important
This project also has a zero-entry, or curbless, shower.
Instead of stepping over a traditional curb, the bathroom floor transitions directly into the shower area.
It creates a very clean look, but it also means the installer has to think carefully about the floor before tile ever gets installed.
The slope toward the drain still needs to work correctly, the waterproofing has to remain continuous, and the tile pattern needs to transition naturally through the opening.
When the shower floor is visually connected to the bathroom floor, small layout decisions become much easier to notice.
That’s another reason planning matters more than blindly following a “floor first” or “walls first” rule.
There Isn’t One Right Answer for Every Shower
Good tile installation involves making decisions based on the actual shower in front of you.
We look at things like:
- Tile size
- Mosaic complexity
- Wall patterns
- Grout-joint locations
- Shower shape
- Drain placement
- Curbless transitions
- Where cuts will fall
- How finished surfaces will be protected
Then we choose the installation sequence that gives us the cleanest result.
In this particular shower, the detailed mosaic floor is the part that needs the most control, so putting it in first makes sense.
On another project, we may do exactly the opposite.
That isn’t breaking the rules.
That’s using the layout to decide the rules.
At Mann Tile, we install custom showers and tile throughout Charlotte, Sarasota and Lee counties, with an emphasis on thoughtful layout, proper waterproofing, and the little details that make a finished shower look right.
Looking to learn more about layout? here’s a good place to start!