Tile Above Shower

[Dahammer]

What is the best way to tile a backsplash above a fiberglass shower? It’s painted greenboard drywall at the moment. It gets splashed sometimes and but no water running down the wall or anything. I’m thinking of just tiling over the drywall 12-18” or so up (9’ painted ceiling) with thinset. But I’m not sure that’s the best/correct way.

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Hit the paint with some sandpaper to scuff it up. Wipe it free of dust. And tile away. Leave 1/8” gap at the corners to be caulked with a flexible sealant like 100% silicone. Except the gap at the painted ceiling. Since silicone is not paintable, it’s one of the very few times I use acrylic caulk. For setting the tile, thinset mortar is a very good choice.

What size of tile, what kind of tile, and what thinset mortar were you considering?

[Dahammer]

Thanks for the info!

We haven’t picked out the tile yet but probably something simple like 6x6 that I can get bullnose for. I just bought a bag of Flexbond a couple days ago to replace a couple broken porcelain floor tiles, so I was hoping to be able to use it for this also. But I can get something else if need be.

[cx]

Welcome back, Greg.

The FlexBond would be substantially more than adequate for that application.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Dahammer]

Life happened and I’m just now getting back to this project. We’ve had a slight change in plans so I wanted to get some advice on how best to do this from you guys. We’ve decided to use a 3x12 subway tile on the 3 walls above the fiberglass shower. But we’re thinking of only going about 2 feet, which means the tile won’t go all the way to the ceiling (9’ ceiling).

We’ve bought a matching ceramic quarter round trim to cap the top row of tile, down both sides, and return into the fiberglass shower. So my first question is, can I add the quarter round trim last, after getting walls all set? Or should I set it as I go? Seems like it would be easier to get the miters aligned if I did it last but I’m not sure how well such narrow strip of trim will adhere if it’s added after the wall tiles have set.

Also I was laying it out yesterday and found that one of the inside corners is out if plumb probably 5/8”. It’s bowed right in the corner. Out a few inches from the corner the wall is flat, so I’m sure it’s just drywall mud buildup. Plus the drywall laps over the shower stall lip and there is a high spot along back wall at that juncture, maybe 3/16”. Setting the first row of tile looks like it will be the hard part, above that the wall is pretty flat and plumb. How would you deal with that short of ripping it all out down to the studs, furring the studs out and starting over? I’m thinking I can sand/cut some of it out to get it a little flatter but probably don’t want to go too deep into it. How close does it need to be?

[cx]

Greg, without some photos I'm afraid I'm at a complete loss to visualize what you've got.

You sure quarter-round is going to fit your application? You plan to add depth to the wall portions you plan to tile?

[Dahammer]

Yeah, no problem, thanks for your help. I'm not the best at explaining it.

As far as the quarter round trim (if that's what it's called) goes. It may not be the correct trim. It looks like it will sit flat on the wall and its edge is rolled under somewhat. But something like a pencil trim might work better and be easier, I'm not sure. We basically just want to hide the exposed edges of the tile along the top and the sides of the tile on the front & back wall. I have a wet saw, so I was thinking I could 45 the corners. I've attached a picture of a makeshift mock up of the pattern I was thinking of.

The picture with the laser in the corner should show what I'm dealing with in one of the corners. I think it looks worse in the photo than it is but basically the drywall is kicked out at the bottom where it is lapped over the shower flange/lip. Plus there is some drywall compound build up where it meets the shower. It's not that bad 6 inches of so out from the corner. The opposite corner isn't like that at all and is within an 1/8" top to bottom.

I could rip out the drywall but I hate too go to all of that trouble for no more than we are doing. I'd like to just remove the fiberglass shower entirely and have someone build a tile shower in its place but that's just not in the cards right now.

[Tool Guy - Kg]

While that 1/4 round is meant to be installed with one leg on the wall and one leg up against the side of the tile, you could install it flat if you like that look.

As far as the greenboard being out soooooo far out of plumb: Have you considered trimming the bottom edge of the greenboard so that it's not overlapping the shower flange? That would make for a potentially quick and easy correction.

[Dahammer]

After looking at it closer I think I’m just going to use a bullnose tile around the edge.

I might could straighten it out by cutting the drywall above the flange. I’ll look at that. Thanks.

[Tool Guy - Kg]

If you have access to an oscillating tool with a drywall blade, trimming that drywall would be a piece of cake.

[Tile & Stone Guild]

They leave the openings for these enclosure big so they fit easy at install. I think you'll find that the wall is flare everywhere it meets the tub. If you cut the drywall be prepared it could end up behind the flange depending on how much room they left.

I'll stop short of being a killjoy.