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kberrie1_gw

How to tile bathtub

kberrie1
11 years ago

Ok, below is our bath layout (closet/bathtub/shower). We are almost ready to tile but I have no idea how to tile the front of the tub or if I should? It seems weird because the wall is flush with the linen closet so how/where would the tile end? Would you take it across to the edge of the door to the closet?

Would you even tile? I thought about just doing baseboard and then a tile/trim across the top.

Thanks for any suggestions or pics!

Comments (11)

  • elphaba_gw
    11 years ago

    is that a "drop in" tub? doesn't have porcelain on one side that could be the "wall" between tub and room?
    Is the wall between tub and rest of the room meant to function as a "curb" to keep water in the tub area?
    We will have a similar setup I think. Our design isn't "set in stone" yet. Ours will be a "drop in" but I hadn't thought about the "curb". We have room but looks to me that it detracts from aesthetics?
    Would you mind telling us what model tub you will have?

  • kberrie1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes it is a drop in and they have sheetrocked just like pictured here. I wish the tub was inset a little but it is not. It is flush with the linen closet and the wall between the shower. If it was inset, there would be a defined space for the tile.

    The tub is a Sterling Lawson 5' dropin.

  • kberrie1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I'm sorry the picture may be a little off, the wall in front of the tub is flush with the tub you can't really tell that here.

    Here's a better one:

  • doug_gb
    11 years ago

    I would tile the front of the tub including the edges of the tub walls. Water is going to splash on there, as well as people may put their hands on the edge of the tub wall when getting in/out of the tub.

  • elphaba_gw
    11 years ago

    If you scroll down this link, looked to me like some pictures of tile "trim" that might help you in extending the tub wall into the room beyond the adjacent closet and then "back tracking" (an inch or so) back to alignment with the adjacent wall. Looked like some form of a "quarter round" or maybe a special custom "surface bullnose" might be something you could use (unless I'm not understanding here which of course is totally possible).
    [https://www.houzz.com/magazine/the-perfect-finish-for-your-tile-stsetivw-vs~624321[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/the-perfect-finish-for-your-tile-stsetivw-vs~624321)

    Here is a link that might be useful: [Tile Trim info on houzz.com[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/the-perfect-finish-for-your-tile-stsetivw-vs~624321)

  • kberrie1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks!

    Here are two images of what (kinda) my dillema is? Where to end the tile since it seems natural to me to end at a door frame or wall I like #1 better but it's still asymmetrical...I think I like #3 better than #2.

    Any opinions?

  • kberrie1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Picture #2

  • kberrie1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Picture #3

  • elphaba_gw
    11 years ago

    I think your questions are focused on how it will look. But.. after doing some research and talking to my contractor, I have learned that waterproofing a drop-in tub in an alcove such as you have (and I will have) is not trivial.

    I did a google search for "kerdi" and "drop in tub" and got lots of good hits. I can't give you a link because gardenweb seems to think the John Bridge forum is spam which it definitely is not. (I am not affiliated.)
    Reason I included "kerdi" because that is the material my contractor included in his explanation on how he was going to waterproof the edge if I wanted a drop in tub.

    Bottom line - of course it must look nice but I would strongly suggest that you first understand what would be a fool proof waterproof plan before you decide how the tile will be layed out.

  • Gina_W
    11 years ago

    If the sheetrock is flush with the closet door trim, there won't be room to tile to the door trim. Are you tiling this yourself? If you have a tile professional, ask them for their advice as well.

  • weedyacres
    11 years ago

    You can just tile the top (deck) with a trim piece along the top of the front wall like these:

    This one had a painted wood trim piece with a rounded top edge (pre-remodel):

    Replaced with bullnose edge tile:

    A more decorative edging (this one with wood panel front wall, but same concept):

    Or you can tile the full face. If you do that, I'd go with photo #1: butt up to the linen closet casing on the left and go to the edge of the shower wall with a bullnose.