In this video, Rob Reacts to a TikTok by Jeff Thorman, where he says:
“If you want something done right, do it yourself.”
Sometimes that’s good advice.
Sometimes it’s how we end up getting a phone call halfway through a bathroom remodel.
In the video Rob is reacting to, the installer gives some genuinely good tile-setting advice—especially about directional troweling and getting proper mortar coverage. Where Rob pushes back is the idea that doing it yourself is automatically the best way to make sure the job is done right.
DIY can absolutely work.
But with tile, knowing what to do and having the experience to actually do it are two different things.
The Installer Is Right About Directional Troweling
One thing we definitely agree with in the original video is the mortar technique.
When thinset mortar is spread under tile, the installer creates ridges with a notched trowel. Those ridges shouldn’t be going in random directions or swirling around in circles.
Instead, we generally want them running in the same direction.
Why?
Because when the tile is pressed and moved across those ridges, the mortar can collapse more evenly and allow trapped air to escape.
The result is better contact between the tile and the surface underneath it.
That’s what we mean when we talk about mortar coverage.
Good Coverage Matters More Than You Can See
Once a tile is installed, you can’t see what’s underneath it.
That makes coverage easy to overlook.
A floor may look beautiful from above while having large hollow areas underneath the tile. Those unsupported areas can contribute to cracked or loose tile later.
In wet areas, proper mortar coverage becomes even more important.
This is why professional installers occasionally lift a freshly set tile to check the back.
We want to see that the mortar actually transferred properly—not just assume it did because the tile stuck to the floor.
It’s a small detail that can have a big effect on the life of the installation.
Watching the Technique Is the Easy Part
Here’s where DIY gets tricky.
Directional troweling itself isn’t especially complicated.
You can watch somebody demonstrate it in a short video and understand the concept pretty quickly.
But that is only one piece of installing tile correctly.
You also need to understand things like:
- Whether the surface is flat enough for the tile
- Which mortar is appropriate
- How to mix it correctly
- How much mortar to apply
- How quickly you can work before the mortar starts skinning over
- How to maintain consistent grout joints
- How to control lippage
- How to plan cuts and layout
And if you’re working inside a shower, waterproofing adds an entirely different set of considerations.
That’s a lot to learn while you’re also trying to finish your bathroom.
DIY Makes More Sense When You Have Some Experience
Rob’s point isn’t that homeowners should never work on their own houses.
Plenty of people are capable of doing excellent DIY work.
If you’ve installed tile before, understand the materials, have the right tools, and are comfortable correcting problems as they come up, you may be perfectly capable of tackling a project.
But your first experience setting tile probably shouldn’t be an elaborate curbless shower with large-format porcelain, a niche, a bench, and an expensive mosaic floor.
There are easier places to learn.
A backsplash, laundry room, or small straightforward floor gives you a lot more room to figure things out without putting the structure of your house at risk.
“It Looks Easy on Video” Can Be Dangerous
Experienced tradespeople have a bad habit of making difficult things look easy.
You see an installer spread mortar, drop a tile into place, move it slightly, and suddenly the floor looks perfect.
What the video doesn’t show is the experience behind those few seconds.
The installer has already learned how the mortar should feel, how long it stays workable, how much pressure to use, and what a properly set tile feels like.
Those instincts usually come from installing thousands of square feet—not from watching three Shorts the night before.
YouTube can teach you a lot.
It just can’t give you ten years of jobsite experience over the weekend.
Know When DIY Is Worth It
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to save money or work on your own home.
Just evaluate the risk along with the savings.
If a mistake means pulling up a few backsplash tiles, that’s one thing.
If a mistake means tearing out a finished shower because the waterproofing or tile installation failed, the inexpensive DIY project can become very expensive.
So yes, learn the proper techniques. Directional troweling and good mortar coverage absolutely matter.
But when someone says, “If you want it done right, do it yourself,” we’d add one small condition:
Make sure you know how to do it right first.
For homeowners in Englewood, Venice, North Port, and throughout Southwest Florida, we have the experience, we have the tools, we’ve done it for years, we’d love to help you on your next project!
Thank you for reading!
We think you might enjoy this other article about the biggest mistake that we see on showers.