Prepare, apply and level mortar. Seal the gap between the bottom row of tile and the shower pan with pure silicone caulk. Remove drywall where the new tile will go. We start by removing the faucet trim and base trim from the shower. Individual pieces make kit installation fast and relatively easy. They’re made to fit into corners and old bathtub alcoves. Spread a layer of thin-set mortar onto the backer board in the bottom center of the back wall of the shower. There is a considerable amount of tile cutting required, and drilling holes in tiles for shower fittings is frequently necessary. Using a level and straightedge, make vertical and horizontal layout lines on the cement board. And unlike acrylic, if one tile is damaged, you can easily replace the one, rather than replace the whole wall. Johnathan taught building construction for Rising Sun Energy in Berkeley California. Much of Nygren’s business involves creating custom shower and/or tub spaces along with a complete bathroom makeover. Screw the board to the walls with cement board screws, leaving a 1/4-inch gap between panels, then tape and mud the seams using thin-set adhesive applied with a smooth-edged trowel or drywall knife. On the other hand, high-end tile materials can cost as much as $30-50/sq.ft. On average, bathroom tile costs $25 per square foot to install when using a professional. Apply a bead of caulk around the perimeter of each wall of tile to fill the expansion joints, and allow it to cure for 24 hours. Mark the shower tile layout. The traditional method of tiling shower walls, demonstrated below, is to apply plastic sheeting against the wall studs. Shower Pan Cost Non-discounted retail pricing for: Tile ready single threshold shower pan with center drain (included). PVC finish resists stains, mold and mildew. Make sure all studs are free of nails and other protrusions. Shower pans are made to work with fiberglass shower surrounds and tiled walls. Over the plastic water barrier, standard waterproof cement board backer panels are installed, with the cracks between panels sealed with waterproof joint tape and thin-set adhesive. Average Shower Installation Cost. But one area I never touched was the kids’ avocado green fiberglass bathtub. If all the tiles are removed, this is a fairly easy-and-straightforward job, requiring a chisel, hammer, and pry bar. Less expensive - Fiberglass showers are the least expensive of all the shower materials on the market. Press the tiles into the mortar in the order you laid them out in your planning. They fit on the floor inside the shower and act like a tub keeping water off the floor. The cost to tile a shower will depend on the type of tile being used, the contractor performing the job, the design of the shower, the size of the shower and geographical location. In addition to endless options of tile, your shower size greatly affects the total cost. Plan on tearing out everything right down to the studs to ensure you are installing the tile on a stable, water-resistant surface that will protect your framing. Disadvantages of Tile Shower Walls. By using The Spruce, you accept our. Cost to Replace Tub With Tile Shower. How to Repair Water-Damaged Tile Shower Walls, How to Prepare a Vinyl or Linoleum Floor for Ceramic Tile, Adhesive Tile Mat Backsplash Review: Pros and Cons, 28 Amazing Design Ideas for Kitchen Backsplashes, How to Replace a Cracked Marble Floor Tile. This adjustment can eliminate the need to cut thin segments of tiles at the sides. Bathtub: identical dimensions replacement 60" x 30" Kohler Villager™ bathtub, almond color. 1 pan: $713.93: $1,700.98: Shower Pan Installation Labor, Basic Basic labor to install shower pan with favorable site conditions. Sealing is especially useful in a shower installation, where mildew is a frequent problem. Cut up the existing shower stall with a reciprocating saw into manageable sections to remove it, and then pull the sections out with a pry bar. Years ago I tackled this bathroom makeover, removing and replacing the matching green toilet, painting the vanity, removing the wallpaper, adding new tile flooring over the vinyl, and even installing board and batten.It’s been quite a transformation! At some point, you may want to replace those low-cost surround panels with something more stylish. Just make sure to get a few extra tiles when you install it. Seal the grout joints with a grout sealer, using a foam brush as an applicator. When completely replacing your shower, you must remove the old tile first. Let the caulk dry for 24 hours before using the shower. If you choose to create an accent wall in the shower, consider using either the wall you see when you first enter the shower or the wall behind the shower valve. Tiling shower walls is really no harder than any form of ceramic tile installation—which is to say that it is a moderately advanced project. … 3 yr limited warranty. The process involves leaving the current shower pan in place, but removing the wall panels and replacing them with ceramic tile surfaces. If necessary to achieve a pleasing layout, you can now adjust the vertical layout line to the left or right. Firmly press the tiles to the adhesive; they should stick without any other aid. Tile the two side walls next, beginning at the back of the shower stall and moving toward the front. This may tear the wallboard behind it, as well. After the tile adhesive sets for 20 to 30 minutes, remove the plastic spacers between tiles. Retiling a standalone shower using a professional will cost between $1,600-$2,120 for a ceramic tile shower. By his estimate, a typical job that includes replacing an old shower or tub with a custom shower pan, new wall tile, a new shower head, a glass surround and a custom glass shower door ranges in cost from about $4,000 to $5,000. Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 12 years. Spread the grout over the tiles with a grout float, and then let it set up for 10 minutes. Labor intensive: When constructed with a custom tile shower pan, this is a difficult project for most DIYers and a lengthy, labor-intensive project for pros. If any water were to penetrate a crack in the tile, it could seep through the backer board to the studs. Use a notched trowel to apply an even coat of thin-set to the wall below the marked lines. This is a project best suited for DIYers who have had successful experience with tiling and who have a good degree of patience. A new form of backer board is also available that allows you to bypass the plastic sheeting water barrier. Leave a 1/4-inch gap between the tile and the shower pan, which will serve as the caulk seam. Although this sealing step is sometimes omitted, it is recommended to help prevent staining and to make the grout easier to clean. Adjust the cost to where you live with your ZIP Code. Wipe away excess sealer on the face of the tiles using a dry cloth. High cost: Custom tile showers are almost always more expensive than pre-fabricated shower units. Tap them in with a rubber mallet to ensure good mortar coverage on their backs. Many fiberglass showers are one piece, so to remove it, you need to cut it into pieces and tear it out. The point of having a shower pan is one part versatility and one part convenience. You’re endlessly cutting the tiles and … Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. A complete tile shower installed by a professional can cost between $6,000 to $12,000, depending on the choice of tile and the size of the shower. Turning an old fiberglass or acrylic shower alcove into a custom-tiled shower is easier than you think. Make sure the vertical seams between sheets overlap by at least 3 inches and that the bottom of the plastic slightly overlaps the edges of the shower pan. Johnathan C. Brewer II is a licensed general contractor specializing in kitchen, bath remodels, and general construction with two decades of professional experience. Water-resistant and easy to install, prefabricated shower stalls can be found in many bathrooms. Apply the first row of tiles to the wall, using the layout line to maintain a level row. Mix a batch of grout as directed by the manufacturer. The estimated cost to replace a bathtub and shower is around $975 for a 60″ fiberglass or acrylic resin kit with shower walls, new tub, and DIY installation. Shower Tile Installation Cost The average cost to tile a shower is $1,250, however, we have seen prices as low as $0.49/sf to as high as $84/sf. Begin with the faucet parts and other hardware, then move to the surround panels. Replace Fiberglass Shower with Tile Cost . Also tape and mud and tape the joints where the cement board meets the surrounding drywall. UL listed. Use plastic spacers to maintain uniform gaps between tiles. How to Tile Around a Shower After Removing an Old Fiberglass Shower, Tips on Laying Wall Tiles in Standard Bathtub Areas, How to Install Travertine Tiles on a Shower Wall. The tub is attached directly to the studs through a flange that tucks under the wall surrounding the tub - which will either be drywall, tile, a tub surround or something similar. Sold under brand names such as Denshield, these products have a waterproof membrane built into the panels. If you currently have a prefab, fiberglass shower, replacing it with tile can give your bathroom a fresh new look. Multiple passes of the grout float may be needed to fully fill the joints. Continue to the top of the tiled area or to the ceiling, as desired. Wash the surface of the tiles with a grout sponge to clean them. You can also use a grout haze remover to speed up the work and to remove any stubborn grout or stains. Allow the mortar to cure for 24 hours, and then grout the stall. DIYers may choose a middle option: mating a fiberglass/acrylic shower pan with tile walls. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Installing a tile baseboard (labor only) can cost $200-375. From here, installation of tile proceeds as for any ceramic tile—the tiles are glued to the backer board with thin-set adhesive, then grouted with a mortar-based grout, and sealed with a liquid sealer. Install the remaining rows of tile using the same techniques used for the first row. $557: set: 1: $557: 3. Begin removing the old shower pan. They’re typically made of acrylic or fiberglass, and include pre-made sides, a lightweight floor pan with curbs and a drain hole, and ¼” hinged glass door. One-piece fiberglass shower units usually cost anywhere from $300 to $1,000. Tile and cement backer board together protect your walls from moisture, but they aren't completely impervious to the humidity and spray in the shower. You should expect any estimate to be presented with an in-depth sales pitch/presentation. When the grout is dry to the touch, buff the tile with a clean cloth to remove the whitish haze left by the grout. Properly installed, the moisture barrier will direct any water that penetrates the tile surface down into the shower pan. Cost to Replace a Tub With a Shower Remodeling a bathroom and want to know how much it costs to replace a bathtub with a shower? Cost To Tile A Shower. A basic shower enclosure may cost as little as $400 to $600, while a combination bath/shower unit or a top-of-the-line surround could cost $1,500 to $3,000 or more. If you have a fiberglass tub surround, remove that first. The average 5 ft. x 8 ft. bathroom costs approximately $1,000-$1,500 to demo and install new floor tile and tub surround. Replacing a tub with a tile shower costs $2,150 to $7,950. There are many different types of prefabricated showers, as well as many types of wallboard that may be installed behind them. Faucet and drain set: install high-grade tub-shower units. Cutting panels can be done with a circular saw or by scoring and snapping the panels. (Be sure to choose a type of grout with a color that complements your tile.) Unlike a standard ceramic shower, a tile shower can be a great focal point, adding a lot of decor to any sized bathroom. Scraping diagonally across the joints is the best technique for removing excess grout. Check the studs with a level and straightedge to make sure they are plumb and that the front faces are flush with one another. Stand in the doorway of the shower; the wall you face is the first wall you tile, beginning at the bottom center and moving out evenly to each side. Staple sheets 4- or 6-mil plastic sheeting over the studs to serve as a moisture barrier. Hauling of current fixtures. If your shower has a shower pan, replacing just the pan is possible, but not always advisable. Install tile in any pattern or design in place of the old shower to create an entirely new look. $656: each: 1: $656: 2. Partial tiles can be cut with a ceramic tile snap cutter, or with a power wet saw, available for rent at home improvement centers and tool lease outlets. A very handy homeowner can make the switch for $1,320. The cost to retile a shower runs $1,000 to $3,000. When it comes to all of the different tile shower options out there, the sky is the limit. Although these stalls are fairly low-maintenance, they don't offer much in the way of style. Electric or Steam Shower Cost Cut and attach 1/2-inch-thick cement board backer panels  to the studs. The average cost to tile a shower varies greatly. Fiberglass shower bases typically cost $150 to $400. Use a saw and a sledgehammer to tear out the existing wallboard until you get right down to the studs. Wipe diagonally to prevent pulling grout from the joints. If the tile job meets drywall at the top rather than running all the way to the ceiling, the front face of the cement board should be flush with the drywall. Fiberglass Shower Cost . Shop shower wall panels and a variety of bathroom products online at Lowes.com. Do You Need a Moisture Barrier When Building a Shower Enclosure? Remove everything in the shower alcove down to the studs. Expect costs starting at around $5 a square foot 1 for the removal. Find Fiberglass/Plastic composite shower wall panels at Lowe's today. The price you pay depends mostly on the tiles, which range from $0.50 to $15 per square foot. A member in good standing with the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Asaff has working knowledge of all areas of home design. A showerhead replacement can be as affordable as $20, or as high as $300 for more advanced and eco-friendly designs. What Is Cement Backer Board and How Is It Used? If you're stopping below the ceiling, use bullnose tile for the top row to create a finished edge. Make sure you mark a horizontal line at the bottom of the wall to indicate the location of the first row of tiles. Usually these estimates will be "free". Let the grout cure as directed. The seams are then sealed, and ceramic tile is applied with thin-set adhesive. Removing and replacing prefabricated showers with tile stalls gives the entire bathroom a face-lift. Before installing the tile for your new shower stall, take the time to plan the layout and placement of the tiles. 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