The simplest tile pattern shower for the tile do-it yourselfer part 1

pic #1 raw concrete floor ready to tile

Broke joint tile or brick pattern offset tile is by far the easiest tile to install.And If I was to advise the homeowner of a tile that they could install themselves with limited experience this would be it.The pictures below show the work and the process of 3 hours of working time on my job this week.I will walk you through it and hopefully you will get the idea of how to do it and why its by far the easiest tile to lay yourself.picture  

2 below shows the standard 6 by 6 ceramic tile.Picture 3 and 4 show the tile cutting machine and the 6 by 6 tiles cut in halves ready to start laying tile on the wall

picture 5 and 6 show the first level line of tile on the back wall and the beginning of the second and third course. Notice how on the straight part of the wall where the tile starts on the first row is a half tile then second row is a whole tile then third row a half again.  This starting off with half whole half whole gives you the offset brick like pattern. Picture 7 and 8 show thinset mortar on the wall ready to continue tile up the wall and the 1/4 notched trowel used to put it on the wall. Picture 9  10 and 11 show the wall tile as it progresses up to 6 courses high. picture  12 is of a bear right side wall ready for tile ,The first thing is to install 2 by 6 bullnose on a level vertical line just past the joint of the durock and the finish wall.Picture 13 and 14 are side and full views of the bullnose .Picture 15 shows the first piece of bullnose installed on the wall and you can see the level horizontal line for the first course of tile .Picture 16 shows the horizontal first course line in a better perspective.Picture 17 and 18 are both side ways and show the bullnose as it works up the wall again these photos are sideways, please excuse my disabilities with tech stuff, I couldn't for the life of me figure how to rotate the photos.Picture 19 shows the finished bullnose to the ceiling on the right side wall.Picture 20 shows the first line of tile on the right side wall laid on the level line ready to stack rows of tile on top.Picture 21 shows where the right wall tile meets the back wall and matches the corner meeting lines.Pictures 22 and 23 show the  6 inch wide by 5 ft long marble threshold that will finish off the top of the curb.picture 24 shows 6 full courses of tile finished on back and right side wall and picture 25 shows the first corner soap dish installed on the top corner of the six courses.Picture 26 lets you see how to get and draw your level lines around and over your corner soap dish  to make your precise cuts.Pictures 27 and 28 show the back wall with 3 more courses above the soap dish.Picture 29 shows the side right wall with 3 more courses filling all around the corner soap dish.Picture 30 and 31 show the second corner soap dish on top of the ninth course and the wall soap dish installed Finally The last photo ITS LUNCH TIME ha ha . All these photos and work was done in 3 hours from 9 am to noon.This tile installation is one of the more simpler installations because the tile lines are offset like bricks and no straight lines are required.If you start simply with a first row of level tile then progress off of one wall with a half tile then a whole tile one course at a time you cant go wrong.The finish product looks very nice and as you will see in part 2 add a little color with a design strip and you have a wonderful design shower!!So be on the look out for the second part of this blog when we do the rest of the walls,the floors,and finish the curb  and complete this project with more photos 



 pic #2  6 by 6 tiles for brick pattern

 pic #3  6 by 6's cut in cut in half ready

 pic #4  6 by 6's cut in half



pic #5  first line of level tile and beginning second and third row with offset joint

pic #6  close up of 1st row and second and 3rd starting course

pic #7  thin set applied on wall to continue 2nd and 3rd course

 pic #8   1/4 inch notches trowel to apply thinset to walls

pic #9  3 rows of tile completed on back wall

pic #10 closer view back wall 3 rows

pic #11  6 rows completed on back wall

pic # 12  right wall bear and ready for tile

pic#13 close up of 2 inch by 6 inch bullnose tile

pic #14 full view of 2 inch by 6 inch tile

pic#15 first piece of bullnose on wall with level line

pic #16 level horizontal line on wall ready to start first level line of tile

pic #17 is sideways but shows level line for bullnose

pis #18 is as well sideways showing thinseted bullnose

pic #19 shows completed bullnose tile laid to ceiling on right  side wall



pic #20 shows first level line of tile to bullnose on right side wall

pic#21 shows exact level line meeting corner from right side wall to back wall

pic#22 shows marble threshold that will finish top of curb

pic #23 close up of 6 inch wide 5 ft long marble threshold

pic#24     6 rows of tile finished on back and right side wall

pic #25  first corner soap dish installed

pic # 26 level lines  drawn from next course tile to gauge cuts around corner soap dish

pic#27 3 rows of tile above corner dish on back wall

pic#28 shows close up around corner dish with visual gauge line on right wall

pic #29  corner soap dish with completed 9 courses of tile

pic#30 second corner soap dish

pic # 31 finally the wall soap dish is installed

Its LUNCH time and the end of part !