Layout Advice? 12 x 24 steam shower

[fogtown]

Currently walls prepped, base&kerdi-line to go in later. Sloped ceiling won't line up with wall layout, perhaps do half (squares) tiles there? Any advice on ceiling installation, was planning on burning kerdiboard and bullseye combing backs of porcelains. Corner shower with tub wainscot extending (freestanding tub). Tile is Refin Chromie. Kerdi-board tilebase with angled curb. Trying to come up with a layout that doesn't look crazy. Client likes the thirds offset. Baseline was starting whole tiles under windowsills ( sills to be marble) but wondering if there are guidelines beyond "try to minimize small pieces". Ceiling and bench layout not clear. Thinking of using Schluter Rondec metal on curb(s) and bench horizontal edges.
Also floor will Island Pebble sheets, is there a recommended enhancer/grout release method/product?
Thanks for all the great stuff on this forum!

[fogtown]

I'd generally tile a bathroom floor and then set base tile or baseboards, caulking the change of plane joint. Now going to lay a medium size pebble mosaic floor with a 4x24 porcelain base, seems that joint would appear cleaner if base is set and pebbles are placed and/or cut to match the line base tile face. It also seems easier to just run the pebbles to the wall and set the base tile on top , but with the wavy-ness of the pebble surface the joint between the two might look less than desirable. Any opinions?

[cx]

Jon, if you're not getting a timely response to your questions, make another post to your thread and bump it to the top of the queue for attention. Things get overlooked sometimes and purely aesthetic questions are something to which some of us don't always respond. But we do have people on board who like nothing better and have a good eye for it.

[Ken]

I would install the pebble floor before starting the walls.

Walls should always sit on top of the floor, unless you're using a cove base tile trim.

[fogtown]

Thanks CX!
I understand the point about aesthetic choices, although sensible layout and a maybe a method/hierarchy of making layout decisions is part of good practice? The baseboard to pebble issue isnt strictly an appearance consideration but perhaps one way is easier and or producing a better (and more aesthetic) installation? Seems to me , especially with different grout colors that setting the base first will be easier and cleaner although adding extra work in getting a straight pebble edge- it just seems wrong to set the floor prior to base (old finish carpenter).

Anyhows, went with the 1/3 offset on the 12 x 24 wall tile using Rondec at the curb and niche edges. Some lippage but it is minimal.

[cx]

Originally Posted by Jon

...it just seems wrong to set the floor prior to base (old finish carpenter).

As an older finish carpenter I would have trouble ever setting the base before the floor unless it's gonna be carpet.

[PC7060]

Agree with CX, base goes down after floor. I'll often scribe the base to get a perfect fit to the finished floor with no quarter round. Although with pebbles that would be a real challenge .

[fogtown]

I meant , it seems wrong to ever set base first!

[PC7060]

Brilliant minds think alike!

[fogtown]

I pretty much scribe all wooden base (mostly do remodels in old, (for CA) houses)- But I don't think anybody would try to scribe 4x24 porcelain tilebase to pebble floors!?

I was thinking of doing something like the shower floors illustrated by John Bridge, where you arrange the edge pebbles to ,make a decent line against wall tile:

[PC7060]

That's a nice look, look forward to seeing your finished steam room.

[Houston Remodeler]

It really annoys me when I can tell the sheet outlines after the tiles are set. You'll get a better result if you painstakingly pull each stone off one by one and re-arrange them to fit nicely along the wall and drain and all the other obsticles.

[fogtown]

I also planned to use the RONDEC corner trim on the bench in this steam shower to radius the edges. Will this be a problem with skin contact if grouted in and bedded with thinset to tile ?
The trim is aluminum with some kind of powder coating or other finish deposition. "Tuscan Beige".
Example of the corner treatment:

[WendyHMN]

I'd just like to totally agree with Paul. It's worth the extra hours of your time to avoid having grid lines in what is supposed to be a naturalistic install. Your eye will pick out patterns whether you want it to or not, so I tried to work a series of overlapping curves into my pebble design. I think it worked quite well and only took me three days to do the layout.

[fogtown]

This steam shower has had a lot of use at the point this photo was taken .