TILING

Tile a shower niche

Tile a waterproofed shower niche neatly, cutting and fixing tiles, trim and grout for a durable, leak-free finish.

TN-01Check the niche is ready to tileConfirm any tanking membrane or liquid waterproofing inside the niche has fully cured — follow the manufacturer's time, usually 24-48 hours. Press the niche board with your hand; it should feel solid, dry and flat with no flex or hollow give. Do not tile over a damp, unsealed or bouncy board.
TN-02Work out what's behind the niche boardBefore you drill anything, find out what you're dealing with. Run a stud detector or a magnet across the wall either side of the niche, tracking a line of screw heads under the board. A dull, deadened sound when you tap means solid masonry or dot-and-dab; a hollow drum sound between fixings usually means a stud wall.
1 each · Stud detector
1 each · Small magnet
TN-03Re-fix any loose board and drill safelyCables and pipes can run almost anywhere near a bathroom wall — a detector helps but can miss deep cables, metal conduit or anything behind metal-backed board, so still treat every hole as if something could be there. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns before you start. If in doubt, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn off the water at the stopcock before drilling near any pipe run. Drill a small pilot hole first: fine pale dust means timber stud, grey powder means masonry or dot-and-dab, and bright metal swarf means a metal stud. Fix into a timber stud with a 40mm wood screw driven into its centre; for a metal stud use a self-drilling metal-stud screw or snap-toggle fixing, never a wood screw or plastic plug, which strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Into solid masonry behind the board, drill to the plug's stated depth and fit a plug and screw rated for the load. Behind dot-and-dab, use a fixing long enough to pass through the board, the adhesive dabs and still bite at least 25mm into the masonry, typically 60-75mm overall.
1 box · Wood screws 40mm (box of 25)
1 pack · Self-drilling metal-stud screws (pack)
4 each · Snap-toggle fixings
8 each · Wall plugs and screws for masonry
6 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (75mm)
TN-04Plan your tile layoutMeasure the back, sides, top and bottom of the niche in mm. Dry-lay tiles to work out a layout that avoids thin slivers at the edges, adjusting the starting point if needed. Decide whether edges will be mitred tile-to-tile or finished with trim, and mark your cut lines with a pencil.
1 each · Tape measure
1 each · Spirit level (600mm)
TN-05Cut the tilesCut straight pieces on a tile cutter or wet saw. For a mitred corner finish, cut the edge tiles at 45° with a diamond blade so back and side tiles meet cleanly without a visible trim. Dry-fit every cut piece in position before you mix any adhesive.
1 each · Diamond blade for wet saw
TN-06Tile the back panelComb flexible, waterproof tile adhesive onto the back wall of the niche with a notched trowel. Press tiles into place working from the centre out, checking each one is flat and level, and insert spacers to keep even joints of 1.5-2mm.
5 kg · Flexible waterproof tile adhesive
20 each · Tile spacers 2mm
TN-07Tile the sides, top and bottomTile the two sides, top and bottom next, so their mitred or straight edges sit flush against the back panel and the front opening of the niche. Keep everything flush with the surrounding wall tile line so trim or grout lines up neatly. Wipe off any adhesive squeezed into the joints before it skins over.
TN-08Fit edge trimIf you're finishing the niche opening with trim rather than mitred tile edges, cut PVC or metal tile trim to length, mitring the corners with a junior hacksaw. Bed the trim into a thin bed of adhesive along the opening edge rather than screwing it, so you don't pierce the waterproofing behind the board.
2 each · PVC tile trim (2.5m length)
TN-09Grout the nicheLeave the adhesive to cure fully, typically 24 hours, before grouting. Use a flexible, mould-resistant grout suitable for wet areas, pressing it into the joints with a rubber float held at an angle. Wipe off excess with a damp sponge, then polish the tiles once the grout haze has dried.
2 kg · Flexible mould-resistant grout
1 each · Grout float
TN-10Seal the corners and finishGrout cracks at movement joints, so use sanitary-grade silicone sealant, not grout, at every internal corner of the niche and where the niche meets the surrounding wall tiles. Apply a neat bead, tool it smooth with a wet finger or applicator, and remove masking tape while the silicone is still workable. Wipe down all tiles and leave the sealant and grout to cure fully, usually 24-48 hours, before anyone showers.
1 tube · Sanitary silicone sealant
1 roll · Masking tape

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