How to Tile a Walk-In Shower

To tile a walk-in shower, waterproof first, set tile from a level ledger, then grout and seal after 24–48 hours.

Doing shower tile well comes down to prep, waterproofing, and steady layout. This guide walks you through the full sequence—demo, pan or tray, membrane, tile setting, and grout—so you get a tight, watertight result on day one. If you’ve searched how to tile a walk-in shower, the plan below shows the order, the tools, and the checks that matter.

How To Tile A Walk-In Shower: Full Plan At A Glance

Here’s the bird’s-eye view before the hands-on steps.

Stage	What You’ll Do	Pro Tips
Prep & Demo	Strip walls to studs, remove old pan, cap plumbing.	Photograph stud layout for later fastener checks.
Substrate	Install backer (cement board or foam panels) and blocking.	Leave 1/8-inch gaps at seams for tape and mortar.
Pan/Tray	Build a sloped mortar bed or set a pre-sloped tray.	Target 1/4-inch per foot fall to the drain.
Waterproof	Apply sheet or liquid membrane with proper overlaps.	Treat corners, seams, niches, and valve penetrations.
Layout	Dry-lay a course; snap plumb/level lines.	Use a ledger board to carry the first straight row.
Set Tile	Comb mortar, beat tiles in, keep joints even.	Back-butter large-format pieces.
Grout & Seal	Grout after cure; seal grout if the type calls for it.	Silicone all change-of-plane corners.

Tools And Materials

Gather gear before you start so you’re not scrambling mid-mix. Pick products that match your chosen system: a sheet membrane kit (like KERDI-style) or a liquid membrane kit. Stay consistent inside one shower.

Core Tools

Tile saw, trowels, mixing paddle, drill, level, chalk line, tape, knife, buckets, spacers, grout float, sponge, and a caulk gun.

Waterproofing Comes First

A tiled surface isn’t a waterproof surface. The waterproofing lives behind or directly under the tile. Bonded sheet membranes and liquid-applied membranes that meet ANSI A118.10 are the standard for wet areas. Brand systems publish step charts with overlaps, corner pieces, and flood-test guidance that keep water where it belongs. See Schluter’s overview of tiled shower waterproofing to understand a bonded-membrane approach.

Sheet Membrane Steps

Prep the substrate: fasten backer, leave clean surfaces free of dust.
Install the drain: set per the kit, check that weep paths stay open.
Embed membrane: comb thin-set with the specified trowel, press sheets flat with a drywall knife or float.
Band seams and corners: overlap the required distance (often 2 inches) with banding or preformed corners.
Seal penetrations: use pipe and mixing-valve seals; bed them in mortar.
Flood test: plug the drain and hold water 24 hours if your locale requires it; check for drops and damp spots.

Liquid Membrane Steps

Tape and mortar seams in cement board, then let them harden.
Prime if the brand calls for it.
Brush all corners and penetrations first, then roll broad fields.
Apply the second coat at 90° to the first to hit the right mil thickness.
Embed fabric at changes of plane and around the drain if required.
Observe cure times; some liquids are ready for a flood test in about 12 hours (see the Mapelastic AquaDefense data).

Layout That Saves Headaches

Layout is where a neat shower starts. Aim to avoid thin slivers at corners or at the ceiling. Dry-fit a row, mark a centerline on each wall, and decide whether you want balanced cuts at the corners or a full tile in the most visible corner.

Pick Tile Sizes And Patterns

Large-format tile on walls speeds coverage, while mosaics on the floor flex with the slope. Keep a consistent joint width across planes so the eye sees one rhythm.

Use A Ledger Board

Screw a straight board level across the three walls to carry the first course. Start a course or two above the pan, then fill in below after the floor is set. This keeps your first visible rows dead level even if the floor has slight variation.

Build The Shower Base

You can set a pre-sloped tray or float a mortar bed. Either way, water needs a fall toward the drain—target 1/4-inch per foot from the farthest wall. Pack the bed tight and screed to lines.

Pre-Sloped Trays

Foam trays match common sizes and save time. Trim evenly on all sides so the drain stays centered. Any big downsizing may distort slopes, so switch to a mortar bed when the footprint is far off the tray’s size.

Mortar Beds

Build screed rails around the perimeter, set the drain height, then fill with deck mud at a consistent fall. When cured, bond the membrane, then set the drain flange and seal the seams per the system.

Setting Tile: Walls First, Then Floor

Mix mortar to peanut-butter consistency and let it slake as the bag directs. Comb straight ridges and press tiles with a slight slide to collapse them. Back-butter big tiles. Pull a tile now and then to check coverage.

Keep Lines True

Use spacers and a level as you go. Re-check plumb at corners. Nudge joints while the mortar is fresh. Clean squeeze-out before it hardens so grout has depth later.

Inside Corners And Planes

Meet corners with a tiny gap and use silicone later, not grout. Where walls meet the floor, and at niches or benches, handle them as movement joints to avoid cracks.

Cutting Around Valves And Niches

Hole saws and an angle grinder with a diamond blade make clean cutouts. Dry-fit trims on niche edges before committing to mortar so reveals look even.

Grout, Caulk, And Seal

When the tile mortar cures, pack joints with grout and strike them clean with a float. Wipe with a damp sponge, then buff haze with a dry towel. Use color-matched silicone in every change-of-plane joint. If your grout needs sealer, wait until it cures, then apply per the label.

Task	Typical Wait	Notes
Walk on shower floor tile	24 hours	Extend if temps are low or humidity is high.
Grout after setting walls	24 hours	Follow the thin-set’s cure chart.
Flood test (membrane)	Per brand	Some liquids allow 12-hour tests; sheet systems often wait longer.
Seal cement grout	72 hours	Some grouts are self-sealing—check the bag.
Use the shower	At least 24 hours after grouting	Give caulk time to set.
Caulk change-of-plane	When grout cures	Tool with a wet finger for a smooth bead.

Taking A Walk-In Shower From Studs To Tile: Step-By-Step

This section strings every task into a clean sequence.

1) Prep And Backer

Demo to a clean cavity. Replace moldy or soft framing.
Add blocking for future grab bars and for a door if you’ll have one.
Hang cement board or foam panels per the brand. Fasten on layout, keep fasteners out of the wet curb top.
Tape seams with alkali-resistant mesh and thin-set if using cement board.

2) Pan, Drain, And Slope

Dry-fit the drain body and check the trap.
Set a tray or pack deck mud to a 1/4-inch per foot fall to the drain.
Install the bonding flange or clamping drain per the kit.

3) Waterproof The Shell

Run membrane on walls first, down to the pan.
Wrap corners and the curb with banding; seal valve and pipe sleeves.
Continue the membrane on the bathroom floor if you’re building curbless.
Do a flood test if your inspector asks for one.

4) Tile The Walls

Set from the ledger up. Stagger or stack per your plan.
Check each row for level, each column for plumb.
Leave a small gap at corners and changes of plane.

5) Tile The Floor

Set mosaics last. Comb mortar in straight lines toward the drain.
Use a grout float as a beater to seat sheets without crushing them.
Trim around the drain for clean, even rings.

6) Grout And Caulk

Mix small batches and keep rinse water clean.
Tool silicone in corners once grout has set.

Close Variant: Tiling A Walk-In Shower—Rules, Sizes, And Layout

Tile size and joints drive the look and feel. A 3/16-inch joint hides minor size variation; a tight 1/16-inch joint needs flat walls and rectified tile. Floors handle 2-inch mosaics well because they follow curves and give grip. Match trim profiles or bullnose to your tile thickness for clean edges.

Grout Choices

Cement grout is budget-friendly and easy to work with. High-performance grouts cost more but resist stains and need no sealer. Epoxy grouts shine in heavy-use showers. Read the bag for cure times and cleanup windows.

Movement Joints

Showers expand and contract with temperature swings. A small silicone joint at changes of plane protects the field grout from stress and keeps the envelope flexible where it needs give.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Skipping waterproofing or mixing systems from different brands.
Blocking weep holes at the drain.
Starting on the floor before setting a straight ledger course on the walls.
Letting mortar skin over before setting tile.
Grouting corners instead of using silicone.

How Long Does It Take?

Plan one day for demo and backer, one day for pan and waterproofing, one day for wall tile, one for floor tile and grout, then idle days while things cure. If you’re still weighing how to tile a walk-in shower, block the calendar so each cure step gets its window.

How To Tile A Walk-In Shower: Final Checklist

Pre-plan the layout and ledger height.
Confirm a 1/4-inch per foot slope to the drain.
Use one membrane system end-to-end.
Band every seam and corner; seal valves and pipes.
Set walls first, keep lines true, clean joints as you go.
Use silicone at every change of plane.
Follow cure windows before grouting, sealing, and showering.