confusing myself over shower bullnose and transitions (have pics)
Hi all- Thanks again, great site that has been very helpful all along the way w/ this project...so much that I bought John's book. I am in the final stages, tiling new shower/tub now, and am getting myself confused about how to handle some transitions w/ bullnose on the curb and on my "step" wall. Any help would be appreciated, as I need to get this figured out to move on . Here is the plan:
Shower will be open with no door, and there will be a glass block wall that begins on the wall that looks like steps and follows the angle turns of the curb heading toward the other wall that curb ends on (see pics). I will be putting glass block that will basically follow the step pattern (a column of 4 8" glass blocks on highest step, 6 8" blocks on next step down, 8 45 degree angle blocks, then at the curb 2 full 10 block columns, then another full column of 45 degree turn blocks, then 1 last column of 'finished' blocks). The remaining open space will serve as shower door. The tub surround has 8"X12" wall tile (I just started tiling), with a decorative piece on top, and then bullnose to finish up to the drywall. This pattern will follow around to the shower step wall. As you can see, at the left most side of the step wall, I left a thin area where the wall is textured and painted above where the deco piece and bullnose would end. Then, about 2" above that starts that middle 'step' where the glass block will be. I was intending on running bullnose along the top of the shower curb (along the inside and outside edge, probably w/ a cut piece of tile in the middle), and following it right up the 'step wall.' Keep in mind, the great majority of this area will then be covered by glass blocks, except for the open door threshold. Another klinker I realized was that I didn't buy enough bullnose, so I figured I'd get a different color for inside the shower (around niches, bench, and top/side edge). My questions are this:
If I follow my plan, I will have the piece of bullnose that is on top of the deco piece, running perpendicular into the vertical edge of the 'middle step' on the wall. This poses a problem because on the edge of that wall, I would also have vertical bullnose running up it, but at the point that my wall tile, deco piece, and top bullnose end, you would see the clay color of the underside of the vertical bullnose tile, because it would overhang the 2" section of textured and painted drywall.
After the glass block goes on, you will see about 1" of the tile sticking out under the block on the outside of the shower (block will be flush w/ curb on inside of shower), so it is important that the outside edge look good/finished. I've seen other pictures on this site of people that use the wall tile but cut it to size to fit on the top of the curb instead of using bullnose along the top of the curb? Would this be a good option? Again, then how do I wind up not seeing the clay side of tile on the corner/how do I finish the corner?
I was reading in John's book about back mitering? would this be an option?
I think I've seen the term 'surface cap'...what is that? and is that a possible solution?
It would probably be easier to avoid using bullnose the whole length of curb and edge of step wall since I won't have enough to do inside of shower too (I'll run out).
Any suggestions/links to pics that would help would be greatly appreciated, as this is kind of holding me up from finishing the rest of the tile job.
Thanks, chowfun (Brian)
ps. I've tiled the floor of my house, but the wall tile and associated bullnose is a new thing to me.
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