# Forum Home Renovation Bathrooms  Wall or floor tiles first?

## Billy22Bob

I would think "hydrodynamics would say floor first, but practicalities say wall first.....
Any thoughts. 
b22b

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## Gooner

Most tilers will do wall first then floor. Mainly because this will allow them to finish in one day. 
Thats the way I did it. (Even though it took me more like 4 days). 
Actual process is wall first, except last row near floor. Then floor. Then last row of wall.

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## Oldsaltoz

The code states that wall tiles must overlap floor tiles, also tiled hobs should a top tile that overlaps both vertical tiles on each side. 
When tiling a shower, do the floor first, then screw level batten to the wall just high enough to fit a tile under it at the lowest point, then tile the walls, by the time you have done this you should be able to remove the batten and cut the remaining bottom row of tiles for a perfect fit. 
Good luck. 
PS. Don't forget to seal the screw holes when you take the batten off, a dob of almost any sealant will be fine.

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## Billy22Bob

10mm for tile and 5mm for adhesive (10x10 notched trowel)
I've done this with my stack stone.
Or maybe it should be a 17mm packer to allow for 10mm tile, 5mm of adhesive and 2mm of grout between wall and floor. 
b22b

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## Oldsaltoz

Most tilers will fill the small gap between floor tile and wall with tile glue as this area will be covered by the bottom wall tile and the gap under it will be grouted.

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## Billy22Bob

I've just done some stack stone in the foyer, but before I tiled the floor.
I inserted a 20mm packer/spacer board underneath prior to starting the first row and then stacked over it.
The next day I've nocked the spacer out leaving a 16mm gap for me to adhesive (5mm) and set my floor tile (10mm) at a later time. Finally filling the remaining gap with grout.
Of course this assumes your floor is suitable to do such a thing well. Flat, level etc. 
Why wouldnt this be a common practice instead of stuffing around with the absent bottom row and damaging the villaboard/membranes with knock in knock out temp supports?

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## murray44

> I've just done some stack stone in the foyer, but before I tiled the floor.
> I inserted a 20mm packer/spacer board underneath prior to starting the first row and then stacked over it.
> The next day I've nocked the spacer out leaving a 16mm gap for me to adhesive (5mm) and set my floor tile (10mm) at a later time. Finally filling the remaining gap with grout.
> Of course this assumes your floor is suitable to do such a thing well. Flat, level etc. 
> Why wouldnt this be a common practice instead of stuffing around with the absent bottom row and damaging the villaboard/membranes with knock in knock out temp supports?

  BillyBob, 
I think your method works fine as long as the floor is flat and level all round. The theory about starting the wall on the second row is that you work from a straight and level line that you've marked, then you can come back and finish the bottom row which may need cutting if the floor isn't straight and level.
Murray

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## DNL

Murray - I originally did my bathroom leaving the bottom row until last.  
If I recall, I ended up cutting the bottom row of tiles to fit where the floor was uneven or not level. 
I am about to gut my bathroom and do it again, and will do the same. Leaving the bottom row until last after the floor tiles are laid. If needed, I'll trim tiles to ensure I get a consistent gap. At least this time I have a wet diamond blade table tile cutter so it will be easier. 
cheers
Dave

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## m6sports

walls first then floors 
Imagine if you had to cut every bottom tile so that it was level all the way around the bathroom  
just waterproof all the wall and floors and you wont have any problems 
Also i dont like the idea of using grout in the junction of the wall and floors as with any joint there will be movement and it will crack 
if your worried about " hydrodynamics " grout isnt water proof 
if you go packing the gap between the wall cuts and the floors it defeats the purpose 
water will still get behind it 
Sometime these people writing " The codes " have never had to do the work

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## Oldsaltoz

> walls first then floors 
> Imagine if you had to cut every bottom tile so that it was level all the way around the bathroom  
> just waterproof all the wall and floors and you wont have any problems 
> Also i dont like the idea of using grout in the junction of the wall and floors as with any joint there will be movement and it will crack 
> if your worried about " hydrodynamics " grout isnt water proof 
> if you go packing the gap between the wall cuts and the floors it defeats the purpose 
> water will still get behind it 
> Sometime these people writing " The codes " have never had to do the work

  Indeed, there are tiles that let water through as well. 
As for the practice of tilers filling the gap between the floor tiles with glue (Not grout), it should not matter if water passes through it, the waterproofing will be between the glue and and wall/floor. 
Though I do like the practice myself.

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## m6sports

then whats the reason to tile floors first 
doing the walls first will cut down on alot of extra cutting 
and IMO look better

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## murray44

> doing the walls first will cut down on alot of extra cutting

  Not sure why doing the walls first would reduce the amount of cutting? 
If you do the walls first, you start on the second row and then come back and cut and fit the bottom row to fit to the floor. You should end up with the same number of cuts no matter which you do first.

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## m6sports

> Not sure why doing the walls first would reduce the amount of cutting? 
> If you do the walls first, you start on the second row and then come back and cut and fit the bottom row to fit to the floor. You should end up with the same number of cuts no matter which you do first.

  doing the floors either way you will need to cut them to fit the layout 
but if you do the floors first you will need to cut the bottom row and top row of tiles compared to just cutting the top row of tiles to fit the wall  
also doing the walls first will protect them then doing the tilling of the walls 
from droped glue or tools

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## Oldsaltoz

> then whats the reason to tile floors first 
> doing the walls first will cut down on alot of extra cutting 
> and IMO look better

  
The BSA and Aust Standards state that vertical tiles must overlap horizontal tiles. 
This helps to reduce the amount of moisture that gets through the grout at the wall to floor interface and on tiled hobs. 
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Good Luck.  :Smilie:

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## m6sports

Billy22Bob so as stated if you want to do it by CODE
do the floors first  :Doh:  
But i know what i would be doing  :2thumbsup:

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## Oldsaltoz

You do not have to start on the floor tiles, in fact it would be a mistake to do the floor first because it could get damaged or covered in droppings. 
And, because the outer edge of the shower base may not be even all round the bottom row of tiles need cutting to fit properly. 
Most tilers will fit a level batten on the wall just one tile higher than the lowest point, then tile up the walls leaving the bottom row out. 
Then lay the floor tiles and return the next day or much later the same day and remove the battens and cut the bottom row of tiles in. 
This means more time tiling and less time waiting for clues to cure. 
Hope this helps. 
Good luck.  :Smilie:

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## victorianbathro

I usually tile the walls first because there's always some wall adhesive  and grout that seems to find it's way onto the floor no matter how many  dust sheets you put down.  I then talk the customer into a diamond  pattern on the floor which, looks better anyway.

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