How to tile a bathroom wall

Inspired by a helpful YouTube guide. This walk-through draws on "How to Tile a Bathroom Wall" from Wickes, one of the UK's leading home improvement retailers. Their video is clear on the layout planning stage — often glossed over in tiling tutorials — which really is where a good-looking bathroom wall starts.

1. Plan the layout before you mix a thing

Hold tiles against the wall (no adhesive) and work out where your cuts will fall. Ideally you want cut tiles at the edges, with whole tiles centred on the most visible part of the wall — usually behind the bath or directly above the basin.

Avoid tiny slivers of cut tile at corners or edges. If the layout leaves you with a thin strip, shift the whole arrangement by half a tile width. It takes a few minutes now and saves an awkward-looking result later.

2. Prepare the surface

Tiles need a solid, stable base. Plasterboard in good condition is fine; old paint should be keyed with coarse sandpaper; any loose, flaky, or damp areas need fixing before you tile over them.

For areas that will get direct water — around a shower or bath — tile backer board is a better surface than ordinary plasterboard. Worth the extra cost.

3. Set your horizontal datum line

Find the lowest point where a full tile will sit comfortably — typically just above the bath or shower tray rim — and draw a level horizontal line across the wall at that height. This is your starting line.

Pin a timber batten along this line to support the weight of the tiles as the adhesive sets. Without it, tiles on the first course tend to slide slowly downward while the adhesive is wet.

4. Mix and apply tile adhesive

Use a flexible tile adhesive for wet areas. Mix to a peanut-butter consistency if using powder, or use ready-mixed from a tub for smaller areas. Apply to the wall with a notched adhesive trowel, spreading about a square metre at a time — enough to keep you working steadily without the adhesive skinning over.

Comb the adhesive in one direction with the notched edge. This creates ridges that the tile back bonds into when pressed home.

5. Set tiles with spacers

Press each tile firmly into the adhesive with a slight twisting motion, then push plastic tile spacers into each corner joint. This keeps the grout lines consistent. Check level and plumb regularly as you work — do not assume the wall is straight.

Tap tiles gently with a rubber mallet or the handle of a trowel to bed them evenly. Stand back occasionally to check the alignment across several tiles at once rather than just the one you are placing.

6. Cut edge tiles

Measure and mark each cut tile individually — walls are rarely consistent enough to cut a batch the same size. An electric tile cutter gives the cleanest edges. For straight cuts, a manual score-and-snap cutter works well on standard ceramic tiles.

Smooth any sharp cut edges with a tile file before setting. That is particularly important near showers where someone might brush a hand along the edge.

7. Allow the adhesive to cure, then grout

Leave the adhesive to cure fully — usually 24 hours, though check the product instructions. Remove the spacers and batten, then apply grout with a grout float, pressing it firmly into the joints. Diagonal strokes help fill the joints evenly without pulling grout back out.

Clean the tile faces with a damp sponge before the grout hardens, changing the water frequently. Leave a haze on the tiles, wipe again when fully dry, and buff to a clean finish.

8. Seal the perimeter joints

Where tiles meet the bath, shower tray, or an internal corner, use silicone sealant rather than grout. Grout in these joints cracks as the bath flexes; silicone accommodates the movement. Apply with a cartridge gun and smooth with a wetted finger or seam tool.

When to call a handyman

Richard can help with bathroom tiling, including prep, setting out, and fixing. Larger jobs or rooms with a lot of cutting — alcoves, arches, shower enclosures — are the ones where having someone experienced makes the most difference to the finished result.