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How to tile a Shower niche using subway tile?

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I've roughed in a three-section pre-fab shower niche shelf from Tile-Redi. The tile is 12" long by 4" wide, is a ceramic tile, and is being laid in a subway tile format all around the shower area above the tub.

I'm really not sure how to finish the edges of the niche? Do I need to put in a border like a picture frame around the niche and have the interior horizontal and vertical pieces but up against it, or do I use schluter edging (not a look I like).

All the videos I see online are using natural stone so they can cut the edges of the tile to make the installation look nice, but I am using ceramic... how best to finish it? Do I leave a bit of a gap and the grout becomes the edge?

Featured Answer

ceezeecz

9 years ago

No, it's on small risers. Once a week at most, I move it out of the way and clean the floor. Simple and easy. I've had it a year and a half. Zero problems. And the perfect height for shaving legs. lol

Everyone I show the bathroom to remarks about how great the bench is.

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Comments (6)

ceezeecz
9 years ago
This is my shower niche.

They used two full subway tile to go around on both the inside right and left and split the bottom so there's a joint right down the center. The back is the small tiles from the shower floor and there's one glass shelf. The two shelves slant a hair down and it's on the opposite side of the shower head so it never gets all that wet. The subway tiles they used on the inside are billnose.
Don Andrews
Original Author
9 years ago
What kind of an edge is exposed on the vertical pieces? I'm using ceramic glazed tile, so the edges of my tile are not finished.
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Are your tiles white or cream? I'm glad you said that! I wasn't sure which pic you were talking about, and the white one just above your post is NOT one of mine. It was posted in here about two years ago, and was MY inspiration for the one I posted at the beginning of this thread. As for that one, it's Dal's Salerno series 12x12 ceramic tile with a 3/16" grout joint. The chair rail around it is real travertine (although I can't remember which one) set with a 1/16" grout joint, and the shelves are (I believe) dakota mahogany granite 12x12 tiles cut down, radiused, bullnosed, and polished.
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Can’t help you with your dilemma, but I would like to say a nay for a niche. Yucky to clean. If you have this possibility, use a shelf instead.
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There initially was a comment before mine dated May 26, 2017 which was deleted. It does look silly without it still being there. Many pros look at the date prior to opening a thread. There is a current thread in the pro to pro section on this very topic due to some recent Houzz format changes. By using an old thread you are short changing yourself on available advise. Also due to the rapid advances in technology and products available now many responses given 5 years ago will not be the same as the ones provided to you today. Not to say there is not valuable information in older threads. That's why I bring it up and why you should care. There is your 2017 answer:)
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Sorry I think you misunderstood, its a shower panel not a shower enclosure. A shower panel is a panel that has a shower head and body sprays on one panel. To install it they will have to drill through subway tile glass to screw in the mounting brackets and my tile guy doesn't know how they will drill through the glass subway tile he installed without cracking it. That is why I was wondering if anyone had experience with this without cracking the tile and the best method to be used.
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Bunny
9 years ago
ceezeecz, that's a great looking niche? Where did you get the bench? How do you like it?
ceezeecz
9 years ago
Don, it's a bullnose subway tile. Hopefully you can get a bullnose of your tile.

Linelle, I think that bench makes the bathroom! I got it on Wayfair. Solid, heavy teak I love it!

Here's the link to the bench. Out of stock now, but they can email you when they get it again.
Bunny
9 years ago
ceezeecz, thank you!!! It's lovely. When I do my MBath, I don't want a constructed and tiled seat/bench. Does it get funky under its feet?

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