# New tiles on shower wall: How even should they be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2019, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800 "2019-05-10T23:02:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/21 "2019-05-11T02:44:43Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > That’s why installers use a thick bed of thin-set. > > It allows them to level the tile on a slightly uneven surface. Like the joint between two sheets of Wonder board. > > The tile floats on the thin-set. If the tile and the board both end at the same spot it’s got potential to jut out, free of its neighbor. I’d say this guy used a thin layer of thin set. I can trace the outcrop in the boards that are still exposed beside it, with the same pattern. Same gap. Or maybe the edge has a lip pushing the thing up. It’s obvious to me now I’ve seen it once. It’s basically ribbed by the striation of the backing. How hard is it to get one piece backing? Is he saving $ on these boards? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/22 "2019-05-11T02:46:17Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Yeah, the level rocking across the tile is a bad sign. > > That’s the most important thing to check. > > The tiles are supposed to be laid level too. So when I see them I can take a level and just say that that represents a problem with the job? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/23 "2019-05-11T02:50:37Z")
That’s what I would do. Ask why some of the tiles are higher than the others. You said in the OP that some tiles were sticking out. The level just confirmed what you saw. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/24 "2019-05-11T02:54:04Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > What about at the ceiling border? Can you be as exacting there? A professional ought to be able to do it. Now, if your wall isn’t square, it might be tricky to make it look good. In the bathroom I recently had redone, the window was crooked with respect to the floor. The contractor was able to make it look square by using a not-quite-square piece of (wooden) moulding under it. My ceiling is also sloped, because it’s right under the roof. But that’s sloped enough to look intentional. The time guy cut the tiles where the wall meets the ceiling. The cut edges of those tiles meet the ceiling tiles perfectly, though. Can your guy do it? Who knows? Can you make him do it right? Only if he has the skills to do it. Best wishes. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/25 "2019-05-11T02:58:30Z")
Right now in my hallway there are 2 virgin wonderboards. They are big without seams 36 by 64 in. in the shower it looks like they are placed horizontally and have a couple of breaks. They don’t look like the flattest things on earth, but whatever. So what is it like for someone who has had someone do a job again? Can you be aggressive with them in some way? Maybe ask for something or someone else, etc.? Should I request another tradesperson do it? Whats the ettiquette? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/26 "2019-05-11T02:59:16Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > A professional ought to be able to do it. > > Now, if your wall isn’t square, it might be tricky to make it look good. In the bathroom I recently had redone, the window was crooked with respect to the floor. The contractor was able to make it look square by using a not-quite-square piece of (wooden) moulding under it. My ceiling is also sloped, because it’s right under the roof. But that’s sloped enough to look intentional. The time guy cut the tiles where the wall meets the ceiling. The cut edges of those tiles meet the ceiling tiles perfectly, though. > > Can your guy do it? Who knows? Can you make him do it right? Only if he has the skills to do it. > > Best wishes. That’s a good point. Walls aren’t perfect and a good tile installer has to make small adjustments to compensate. Sounds like you had a experienced installer. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/27 "2019-05-11T03:25:59Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > That’s a good point. Walls aren’t perfect and a good tile installer has to make small adjustments to compensate. > > Sounds like you had a experienced installer. Yeah, there are things I’m not completely happy with from the bathroom job, but the carpenter and the tile guy were both extremely skilled competent craftsmen, and their work was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/28 "2019-05-11T03:27:18Z")
On further examination and watching some youtube I think there is a seam treatment that was not done or done inadequately to even out the surface. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/29 "2019-05-11T16:49:23Z")
The boss came and checked it out. He’s going to have a more careful artiste come in. He’s going to try and keep the boards and replace some tiles and rows to make it more uniform. Do I have good cause to ask for any discount consideration for this? I had planned on today for drying (the work) and a functional shower tonight, Saturday. As it is I will be showering elsewhere til Tues or Wed. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/30 "2019-05-11T23:04:47Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > The boss came and checked it out. He’s going to have a more careful artiste come in. He’s going to try and keep the boards and replace some tiles and rows to make it more uniform. > > Do I have good cause to ask for any discount consideration for this? I had planned on today for drying (the work) and a functional shower tonight, Saturday. As it is I will be showering elsewhere til Tues or Wed. I would say no. It’s inconvenient but they are making it right. If it’s STILL messed up after the “better” guy comes in, I think at that point I’d ask for a discount (or fire them and not pay the rest). But that depends on a lot of factors including what you want your relationship with the contractor to be down the road, if any. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/31 "2019-05-11T23:55:22Z")
I once had my bathrooms remodeled. The shower stall was tiled and after the floor tiles were set, I complained that they were not aligned with the wall. The contractor argued that the stall walls weren’t completely square so the tiles couldn’t follow the walls. I agreed but pointed out that the tiles were not aligned with ANY of the walls. It would look much better if they were aligned with the back wall at least. He agreed and ripped out the entire floor and retiled it. He didn’t charge me for the extra tiles of course. I did not ask for any additional consideration for the mistake, nor would I consider it fair for me to have done so. He took a fairly large financial hit (almost a day of labor plus the cost of the tiles) to make it right and that satisfied me. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/32 "2019-05-12T02:42:08Z")
Thanks! Great answers from many here. It really helped me the last 24 hours. I have a feeling the guy was an (older) trainee and they kind of give him a chance, you complain if you want, but he gets experience. They sold me on a one day tiling job, but it’s really two. Now about that bulge on the row 5 I’m going to grill the guy on how he’s going to make that reasonably flat. I have to see it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800/33 "2019-05-12T04:23:41Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I once had my bathrooms remodeled. The shower stall was tiled and after the floor tiles were set, I complained that they were not aligned with the wall. The contractor argued that the stall walls weren’t completely square so the tiles couldn’t follow the walls. I agreed but pointed out that the tiles were not aligned with ANY of the walls. It would look much better if they were aligned with the back wall at least. He agreed and ripped out the entire floor and retiled it. He didn’t charge me for the extra tiles of course. I did not ask for any additional consideration for the mistake, nor would I consider it fair for me to have done so. He took a fairly large financial hit (almost a day of labor plus the cost of the tiles) to make it right and that satisfied me. My mother had her guest bathroom floor tiled. The tiles are aligned to two of the walls, and look really weird at the other side, where they aren’t aligned. To avoid that problem, I asked the tile guys to tile my bathroom on the diagonal instead of parallel to any wall – so the misfit wouldn’t show. It costs a little more, because they need to cut (and use) more tiles. But it came out looking great, and you’d never notice the floor isn’t square. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-tiles-on-shower-wall-how-even-should-they-be/833800.md?page=1)