Building a shower isn’t rocket science. However it is a project with a lot of key steps that have to be done right. Here’s a very long and very detailed description for how to build a custom tile shower that describes literally all of these steps. I’ve written this post for folks who want to understand the process to make sure that an installer is doing their shower install right. However a really advanced DIYer can also use this as a guide to make sure that their first custom tile shower build will end with a leak-free finish.

Again, this isn’t rocket science. Patience and attention to detail is all that you need to install a custom tile shower that’ll last a lifetime. This post explains all the steps where patience is needed, and describes all the key details to ensure perfect results.

There are a lot of steps to properly build a custom tile shower. That’s why this post is 6,000 words long. If you want to read about just one or a couple of things, then here’s a handy TOC you can use for skipping to a particular topic:

Remember that you can make ANY complex project simple by simply breaking it down into small concrete steps. So here goes!

Step ONE: Demo

I’m assuming that if you’re reading this then you are a typical client of mine, who’s in one of two situations. You’ve bought a flipped reno house with a previous shower install that was badly done, is leaking, and needs to be completely redone. Or, you’re completely remodeling an existing bathroom with a shower that can be elarged or a tub that you want to convert into a walk-in shower. Either way, you’ll need to start with a demo.

And whomever does the demo needs to be careful. Slicing into remodel walls blindly with a sawzall is a recipe for popped pipes and cut electrical circuits. You also don’t want to just grab a full sized sledgehammer and start swinging away like Babe Ruth. Real world demo doesn’t work like HGTV un-reality.

Instead, you want to use an oscillating multi-tool and a small two to four pound hand sledge as your main tools for carefully carving into drywall and cracking out wall tile bit by bit. Add a plain ‘ol claw hammer, a good 21-in pry bar, some 5-gal buckets and 32-gal trash cans, a simple broom with a dustpan, and a regular cheap vacuum. That plus a cold chisel for shower floor tile and drypack concrete is all you need to expertly demolish an existing tile shower (or an entire bathroom) right down to the studs.

You will though need a full sized sawzall if you’re wanting to rip out a 1980s or later bathtub. The best way to rip out an acrylic plastic or steel enamel tub is to simply cut it into pieces. But again, you need to be careful when doing to the studs demo work, especially through tile walls.

Make exploratory holes to figure out where the water pipes, vent pipes, drain pipes, and electrical wires are before really going at it. You do NOT want to create more work for yourself with a haphazard demo.

Step TWO: Carpentry

You need a clear design plan beforehand to make this step pay dividends. Even if you are ‘just’ replacing a shower without changing the footprint, you’ll at least want to take advantage of the opportunity to add custom inset niche space. And if you are enlarging an existing shower space, then you will be removing walls or partitions and/or adding new ones. So think about how to get big design and usability payoffs for incremental added carpentry costs.

For example, you can make vintage shower bathroom spaces a lot more useable by installing pocket doors and/or getting rid of legacy ‘features’ like musty 1950s -era linen cabinet bult-ins.

You can also add or enlarge custom-sized windows to exterior walls to bring in natural light or to completely re-envision a custom shower space. This can be sneaky easy when you’re already demolishing walls to the studs.

For example, here’s an example of a badly flipped 1970s -era Austin home with a previously cave-like (and leaking mildew farm) shower that my clients’ creative design plan transformed into a groovy bright vaulted spa space that would’ve made the original homebulder blush with envy (right before inviting three friends over for a communal shower):

You can also use custom framed pony walls to creatively open up shower spaces and eliminate the need for glass partitions. Here’s a bath reno example that dramatically updated a space while also making it much more practically usable:

And here’s another example of a Hyde Park client’s full bath reno that transformed dark Clinton administration bad homeflip decor into a bright deco that matched the home’s vintage origins.

And here’s another example of how you can add windows as part of a tub surround replacement to totally transform a bath space with not a lot of extra carpentry or window cost expense.

Here’s the point. Any tile shower build will require some amount of carpentry to build the curb and for custom inset niche storage and added support for frameless glass or redone supply plumbing. If you’re replacing a leaky shower, then you’ll also probably need to cut out and replace damaged sillplate and subfloor framing. So make carpentry part of a purposeful new custom tile shower design plan. Completely reframing a shower space to add openess and light often doesn’t add much extra cost compared to the benefits.

PRO TIP #1: Frame your shower curb skinny. It’s common practice to use two or three stacked lengths of 2×4 screwed to the wood subfloor or glued to a concrete slab to make the core of a tiled shower curb. If you’re planning to use Kerdi waterproofing, then you might instead be tempted to use a fancy prefab Schluter “kerdi board” foam curb for the core. Either way, this will result in a finished tile curb that’s 5-in or 6-in wide. That’s why prefab solid stone shower threshold pieces are made to be five or six inches wide. But you don’t have to be constrained by this.

A skinny shower curb will give you more shower floor space, and especially makes sense for a tub to shower conversion where literally every inch of available width counts. Your finished shower curb only needs to be 3-in wide for code compliance, and a 3-1/2 inch wide shower curb will allow you to install literally any glass partition, even rolling bypass frameless glass. So don’t frame your shower curb core with full size 2×4 lumber. Instead, rip the lumber to 2-1/4 inches wide to start. You can then make the finished curb width nice and skinny at 3-in wide, or any wider width you choose.

PRO TIP #2: Make sure that ALL the shower framing is plumb and level. Here’s a dirty practical secret of homebuilding. Residential wall framing is typically NOT STRAIGHT OR PLUMB. That’s especially true for sill plates and studs that have seen some water damage. But even new build homes typically have studs that are not actually in line with each other or sections of wall framing that are not actually perpendicular to the subfloor. This will create a problem for trying to make the finished tiled walls of your new shower flat and the inside joints square. And it will create a real problem for installing glass with no gaps.

This is where using multiple tradespeople to build a tile shower can bite you in the ass. A carpenter doesn’t care about tile or glass people. They just want to finish their work quickly and move on to the next job. So it will be your job to make sure they take the extra time to ensure that all the shower wall and inset niche framing is square and level.

Here’s the bottom line. Every step of building a custom tile shower can introduce problems that will compound at each subsequent step. Don’t let this happen. Make sure that EVERY step is done correctly so that each subsequent step can then be done perfectly.

Step THREE: Supply Plumbing

You can usally re-use existing plumbing trim if you want, even with a complete to the studs shower replacement. If the screws that hold the shower faucet handle and faceplate aren’t stripped or corroded, then you can simply remove the faucet trim and showerhead before demo and reinstall the trim after everything else is done.

This will skip the labor cost for a plumber to install a new mixing valve for all new faucet trim (and of course the cost of new trim hardware, mixing valve, etc). However, it’ll also skip the opportunity to make your new shower truly custom.

PRO TIP #1: Consider Delta plumbing trim for lowest cost and maximum flexibility. Delta, Moen, and Kohler are the three largest name-brand shower faucet trim manufacturers, with lots of design selection and showering options. However, I’m a big fan of Delta because they are committed to universal design for all the shower trim kits that they sell.

Here’s an in-depth explanation. Shower faucet “trim” is the stuff you see (the handle, showerhead, etc). The shower handle trim is connected to a valve cartridge that actually controls the hot and cold water flow to the showerhead. And the cartridge fits inside a metal valve housing that connects to the hot and cold water pipes.

Both Kohler and Moen have a variety of different valve housings and cartridges. Kohler’s cardridge/housing combinations are kinda standardized, but not every Kohler trim kit will fit all of their cartridge variations. And Moen has a really complicated mishmash of cartridge/housing/trim compatibility requirements. In contrast, Delta uses just a few different cartridge types that all fit the same universal housing. And every Delta trim kit is designed to work with any of their valves. And, Delta valve housings are designed to be super-easy to install with any kind of existing plumbing.

This is why Delta plumbing valves are easiest (and therefore cheapest) to install, and easiest for picking trim for. Delta trim fixtures are also generally the least expensive since you can buy Delta shower trim kits anywhere. Low cost and maximum flexibility is a great combination.

PRO TIP #2: Move the handle and showerhead for the best usability. It’s no extra cost to move the plumbing when you build a tile shower if you’re changing out the valve and trim anyway. You can put the showerhead stubout(s) and faucet handle anywhere you like. For example, are you tall? Then consider a nice high showerhead height for convenience.

You can also move shower plumbing fixtures to perfectly center with your new tile size and pattern. Or you can move them to a different wall entirely to maximize usability. It’s very easy to completely reconfigure the supply plumbing for a shower when all of the framing is done but before any of the walls are closed up. So make the replumbing step part of a purposeful new custom tile shower install plan.

Step FOUR: Drain Plumbing

Whether you’re planning to waterproof your tile shower using an old school fiberglass or flexible vinyl PVC “pan” liner or more modern materials like Kerdi fabric, you will need to redo the shower drain. This might require some jackhammering if you’re building a tile shower on a concrete slab foundation. Worst case, you’ll have to do some extensive jackhammering if you are replacing a very old shower with a cast iron drain. Or if you’re converting a tub to a shower on slab, then you’ll need to do some jackhammering to convert the 1-1/2 inch tub drain line to a 2-inch line.

Same thing applies if you want to move the drain location on slab. You’ll need to jackhammer a trench through the slab. The best case is if you are building a tile shower on slab with a modern three-piece drain assembly already installed in a location that works for your remodel. You can then just easily use a Schluter Kerdi drain adapter kit to make the existing drain install compatible with Kerdi fabric waterproofing.

This is the easiest, quickest, and least expensive way to redo an existing drain to build a tile shower on slab. You don’t have to do a single thing to the original shower drain base aside from making sure the bolt hole threads are clean. Just follow directions to install the Kerdi drain adapter and you’re ready for the next step.

Building a tile shower on a second floor or pier and beam wooden subfloor makes replumbing drains easy. You won’t have to do any jackhammering. Instead, you can simply cut out a section of the subfloor to get acess to the drain line and p-trap. You can then replumb the line from scratch, and put the new shower drain location exactly where you want.

Here’s the bottom line. Building a new tile shower will require some drain replumbing. I think that Kerdi fabric is the best material for waterproofing shower installations, so I always replumb new shower builds with a Schluter Kerdi drain flange set low to the subfloor or slab foundation to minimize the final shower curb height. Be certain that your installation uses the proper type of shower drain assembly to work with the waterproofing you’re going to use.

Step FIVE: Install the concrete base

This is the order of installation steps for a shower base that’s waterproofed using Schluter Kerdi or equivalent shower waterproofing fabric. This waterproofing method puts the waterproofing layer directy underneath the shower floor tile and grout. So the concrete base needs to go in first, and must be properly sloped to the drain.

If you want to use an old school 1980s -style vinyl PVC shower pan liner for your shower waterproofing, then the waterproofing liner goes in first and the concrete base gets packed in on top of it. Either way, you need to use a proper drypack concrete deck mud base to build your sloped shower floor base. Drypack concrete mix has the consistency of moistened beach sand, so it’s easy to pack and shape.

If you really want to mix and install the drypack concrete base for yourself, then here is a deep dive on how to do that. If it’s being done by a pro, then just make sure they do it right. The concrete mix is simply portland cement with added sand, using a 5 to 1 ratio of sand to cement. It’s made with very little water, so that the working mix barely holds together when pressed into a ball (just like sandcastle sand).

And the final slope needs to be 1/8-in per linear foot to the drain, with no low spots. Getting the shower base slope right at this step will make your final finished tiled shower floor drain perfectly.

Step SIX: Waterproof the floor and curb

Hopefully you’re okay with using Kerdi waterproofing fabric to make a watertight tile shower base. It is the absolute best way to build a tile shower that will last a literal lifetime. Using a traditional old school vinyl PVC shower “pan” liner is like using traditional asphalt shingles for your roof. A traditionally waterproofed shower will need to be replaced in 25-30 years. Using Kerdi, however, is like installing a metal or slate roof. It will last a literal lifetime.

Using Kerdi also puts the waterproofing directly underneath the surface shower floor tile and grout. This makes a fundamentally drier shower. Remember that tile and grout are not waterproof. So a traditional old school shower pan filled with a 2-4 inch layer of drypack concrete underneath the shower floor tile will absorb moisture with every use. With Kerdi, the waterproofing layer is on top of the drypack concrete.

You can read this deep dive for more details on the pros and cons of different shower base waterproofing methods. In this post, I’m assuming that you’re wanting to use Kerdi.

Kerdi is however not foolproof. For example, your installer needs to overlap the seams by at least 1-1/2 inches to make them waterproof. Also, the Kerdi fabric needs to wrap completely over the curb and extend up the walls to just above the curb height. I generally overpaint the wall and curb Kerdi with RedGard just for extra peace of mind.

PRO TIP #1: Use plain unmodified thinset for the Kerdi install. Using modified thinset will not get a good waterproof bond. Kerdi is designed to be used with unmodified thinset when installed on drypack and concrete backerboard. Also, don’t get talked into using Schluter branded “all-set” thinset for the Kerdi install. This is just regular unmodified white thinset for 5x the price. You can use any brand unmodified thinset.

PRO TIP #2: DO A FLOOD TEST! It will take 12-hrs for the thinset to fully cure and the Kerdi to be waterproof. So you can do a flood test the next day after installing the Kerdi waterproofing. Simply plug the drain (a simple 2-in drain plug will fit a Schluter drain flange perfectly). Then fill the shower floor with water and let it sit for at least an hour.

I like to leave the wall cavities open for this step by installing concrete backerboard just around the base for the Kerdi install. This way, you can literally see all the sill plate framing and the outside of the curb framing when doing the flood test. All of this framing must remain bone dry throughout the flood test. Doing a flood test on the Kerdi install will verify this. No matter what waterproofing method you use, YOU MUST NOT SKIP THE FLOOD TEST! Any reputable shower installer will stand by their waterproofing method. So any reputable installer will want do a flood test to show off the quality of their waterproofing install.

Step SEVEN: Waterproof the walls

You’re now halfway done building a tile shower. Next thing is to close up the walls with concrete backerboard. I prefer Fiberock brand backer board because it’s easy to cut with a simple circular saw. But any good quality dense concrete backer will do. Simply install it with exterior coated deck screws spaced every 8in or so. Then close up all the seams with either fiberglass mesh tape and unmodified thinset (the old school method) or a good quality masonry construction sealant (my preferred method).

Then apply a paint-on elastomeric waterproofer. I like to use RedGard, but there are other quality options if you want to spend more. Elastomeric waterproofer goes on like really thick gooey paint. You can use cheap rollers and disposable chip brushes to apply it. The waterproofer then dries to a hard slightly flexible plastic-like finish. Be sure to get full coverage for all the wet areas, and overlap the Kerdi a bit along the shower base.

PRO TIP: Apply THREE THICK COATS of the paint-on waterproofer. It will shrink a bit as it dries, which leaves little cracks and pinholes. You need to apply multiple coats for a truly effective waterproofing barrier. RedGard dries pretty quickly, so it only takes 90-min or so to apply each coat. So, don’t skimp!

Step EIGHT: Plan the tile layout

You can’t start slapping tiles on a wall with no preplanning and expect a great final result. You need to carefully preplan the field tile layout to figure out the best way to center the pattern on fixtures and niche inserts while also avoiding slivers in corners and at the perimeter. Putting the very first tile on the wall will literally set the entire resulting pattern in stone. So take some time to carefully consider the options.

Field tile layout usually involves at least one “Sophie’s Choice” -type tradeoff. Ideally, you want the field tile grout lines to center perfectly on the plumbing trim (not randomly offset from the faucet handle and showerhead). You also want the inside corners to look like they’ve been filled with a full tile (not little unbalanced slivers). And you don’t want little tile slivers around the niche openings. In addition, you don’t want little slivers where the field tile meets the edge trim. And you ideally want the bottom and top row of wall tile to look like full tiles, not skinny little slivers that look like a design mistake.

That’s FIVE different tile layout goals. It’s practically impossible to make every one of them work when you’re building a tile shower in an arbitrarily sized remodel space. You will always have to prioritize a couple layout goals over the others, and figure out what the best of all your options are.

This is why you need to budget at least a couple hours with your tile installer to talk through different layout possibilities. It’s a really good idea to go ahead and draw grout line patterns right on the wall for this. The waterproofing doesn’t care about marker ink. And it’s a great way to make certain that you’re clearly communicating.

I cannot emphasize enough how important this planning step is for a custom tile shower build, and how important it is to be open to different layout possibilities. Don’t get hung up on a full subway offset, for example, if a 1/3 offset or a stacked pattern would make the overall pattern a lot more centered and balanced. Take your time to make certain sure that the layout you picture in your mind’s eye will actually work on your actual shower walls.

Step NINE: Install the wall tile

This is where the thinking can ideally stop. If the walls are level and plumb, and the pattern is preplanned, then actually putting tiles on the wall is easy. Simply start with the first full row of field tile (NOT right at the floor) and slap ’em up. There are, however, some things to still pay attention to.

PRO TIP #1: Use the proper thinset. Each type of tile will demand a different kind of thinset. For example, glass tile needs an unmodified but white thinset. You don’t want a dull grey thinset hue to darken the final appearance of what should be a bright glossy glass tile finish. Natural stone tile, in contrast, requires using a highly modified thinset that’ll really get into the stone pores and cure slowly for good adhesion. And natural marble tile in particular requires a white modified thinset to not dull the final look.

So talk to your installer about the type of thinset they’re planning to use for the tile install. Don’t presume to tell them what you think is best. Presumably, you’ve hired skilled labor for their experience and expertise. But do ask them what kind of thinset they’re planning to use and why. Any good tile installer will be totally jazzed to geek out with ya on the pros and cons of different thinset types.

PRO TIP #2: Backbutter each tile. This is especially important for heavy large format tile. You use a notched trowel to spread thinset on the wall to install tile. But simply pressing dry tile into this thinset layer often isn’t enough to ensure a good bond. Backbuttering is a technique where you also use the trowel to spread a thin layer of thinset directly to the back of each tile. This pushes the thinset into all the little pores and cavities on the back of clay core and natural stone tile, which then creates a nice tight bond to the thinset that’s trowled onto the wall.

I’ve demo’d many installs where the tiles literally fell right off the wall with just a hammer tap. Properly backbuttering a tile install will ensure that you get better results.

PRO TIP #3: Install patterned tile carefully in corners. If you’re using natural marble or any kind of ceramic tile that’s made to mimic natural stone, then you need to pay extra attention to inside corner seams. Ideally, you want any partial tiles that meet in inside corners to look like a full tile that’s been squished into that spot. If you just use random tile pieces, you’ll often end up with inside corner seams that look obviously mismatched. Here’s an example of how to do it right:

Keeping track of which cut pieces need to go where in a natural or faux-natural stone tile install takes some extra install time. The payoff though is a lifetime of not having to look at obviously mismatched rando tile pieces in your shower.

Step TEN: Install the floor tile

You can use any mosaic tile that’s no larger than 2-in for your shower floor. Larger tile won’t work because your shower floor isn’t flat. It’s a funnel, sloped 1/8- to 1/4-in per foot in all directions towards the drain. So the shower floor tile needs to follow this slope. That’s why large format tile won’t work for a normal shower floor (no matter what you’ve seen on Instagram).

Slapping down mosaic tile mats might seem easy, but it’s not. Unless you’re fine with a slapdash result like this that shows every individual mat seam (NOT my work btw).

So again, you’ll want to talk with your installer about the mosaic you’re wanting to use and what it will take to get a perfectly seamless result with that particular tile. Or maybe you want to try your hand at installing the shower floor tile yourself with seamless results. Either way, here’s some advice.

PRO TIP #1: Dryfit and label for a seamless install. I’ve got an entire post about this. Some mosaic tile mats will be more challenging to install than others. Ideally, every mat should fit together seamlessly like identical puzzle pieces where every side matches every other side. But this never happens in real life. So you need to play around with the mats on the actual shower floor to figure out how they can fit together best. Then label each mat with some masking tape and a pen so you can work quickly once you actually start the install.

PRO TIP #2: Use a really thin 1/16-in V-notch trowel. It doesn’t take more than a thin layer of thinset to stick mosaic tile to a floor. Remember that floor tile just has to lay flat and not move. And mosaic floor tile will get a lot of grout that’ll further stick each piece firmly in place. It doesn’t take more than a scratch coat of thinset to achieve these goals.

What you do not want is lots of thinset oozing up and through the mosaic tile joints. You’ll have to pick out any thinset that’s squeezed up through the tile joints before grouting. So save yourself some tedious work by using a thin thinset layer.

Just be sure to work quickly in sections so the thinset doesn’t skim over. This is where taking the time to preplan, dryfit, and label each mat pays off. The actual install can go very fast.

PRO TIP #3: Use highly modified thinset blended to best match the eventual grout color. You’ll probably end up with at least some thinset to pick out before grouting. So, make this step easy. Highly modified thinset has latex additives that makes it dry and cure more slowly than unmodified thinset (which is basically just really fine portland cement). So, it’s easier to pick out of tile joints without scratching the tile finish even a day or two after you’ve installed the mosaic tile shower floor. I’m a big fan of Custom Building Products’ “ProLite” thinset for just about any tile application for all these reasons.

You don’t want bits of thinset sticking up through the grout to mar the shower floor finish. So another thing you can do is help the thinset to match the finish grout. For example, if you want to use white or any light colored grout for your shower floor, then use white thinset for the mosaic tile install. Or if you know you’ll finish with grey or darker grout, then use a grey thinset mix. This will make it easier for your installer to save time (and therefore money) getting a perfect result. It’s another reason why you need good communication when you build a tile shower with hired help.

Step ELEVEN: Install the trim tile

Now you’re in the home stretch, and also discovering why you wait ’till last to install the bottom row of field tile on the shower walls. With the floor tile now installed, the bottom row of wall tile will cover the edge gaps just like baseboard. This install finish sequence (floor tile, THEN bottom row of wall tile) ensures a nice even seamless result.

This step is also where precisely plumb and level framing pays dividends again. A proper shower curb needs to be perfectly perpendicular to the wall tile, perfectly level, and pitched inward to drain water into the shower instead of out onto your bathroom floor. This will make the shower glass installer’s job easy, and will mean you don’t have to live with stupid hard to clean plastic sweeps.

The same goes for tiled niche spaces, by the way. The bottom of a niche must be level from left to right and tilted outward a bit to shed water evenly and effectively. A tiled shower niche will be a nightmare to keep clean otherwise.

Finally, it’s a very good idea to use large format (12×24-in) solid stone tile for a shower curb. This will allow an installer to cut the solid tile pieces to custom size, minimizing joints and eliminating the need for edge trim. This will make your new custom tile shower a lot easier to keep clean. For example, here’s what a shower curb looks like if you try to wrap it with field tile and metal edge trim (note, NOT my work):

And here is the exact same shower curb rebuilt with solid stone pieces cut from 12×24-in marble tiles. Which option do you think will be easiest to clean for years and decades?

All of the trim installs (curb, niche, walls where open-edge tile ends) happens at this step. So have a plan for what you want to trim everything with beforehand so you don’t have to make your tile installer wait to install the final bits.

Step TWELVE: Install the grout

Now you’re in the home stretch, but a bad grout job can still botch an otherwise perfect tile shower build finish. Here are some tips to ensure great results.

First, pick a grout formulation that will last. While no grout is waterproof, a dense sanded grout with sealant additives will be more water resistant than the plain unsanded grout that you’d use for a decorative backsplash. You can read this post for a deep dive on different grout types and formulations. But here’s the bottom line. I always use Mapei’s “Ultracolor Plus” grout for tile shower floors and walls. It’s super dense, presealed, and very consistent to work with. I recommend it for any wet area application.

Second, choose your grout color carefully. Unlike wall paint, it’s impossible to change your mind and regrout with a different color once installed. Just like Eminem, you only get one shot. Fortunately, grouting obviously happens after all the tile is done. So you can take your time to see what the finished tile actually looks like (how it looks in the room light, how it coordinates with the other colors in your bathroom, etc) before making a final grout color decision. You can also ask your installer to take some extra time to make up a sample board:

Third, consider cleaning when you think about grout color. Even a good presealed dense sanded grout will still require periodic cleaning to keep it looking good. You’ll mainly need to clean soap scum and mineral deposit residue, which shows up really quickly on both black or bright white grout (just like a jet black or bright white car shows all the dust and pollen). So consider off-white instead of bright white, or grey instead of black. These grout colors will hide soap scum etc, making it a lot less work to keep your tile shower looking clean.

Finally, don’t try installing grout yourself in a tile shower unless you already have lots of experience grouting other tile projects. Grouting an entire shower is not a great first time DIY project idea.

Step THIRTEEN: Seam caulk & plumbing trim

This is a step that actually anyone with basic DIY skills can manage. Installing plumbing trim (the shower faucet plate & handle, and the showerhead) just takes a screwdriver, allen wrench, pliers, and some teflon thread tape. And installing sanded grout caulk with perfect precision only requires masking tape, latex gloves, a caulk gun, and careful attention to detail. So, here are the details!

First, understand why your tile shower needs caulk in the inside seams. It’s not for waterproofing. Remember that tile and grout aren’t waterproof to begin with. That’s why the shower waterproofing happens underneath the tile layer. Instead, caulking the shower seams simply makes them look good. Grout won’t stick in inside seams well. So trying to pack the inside seams of your tile shower with grout will result in a cracked crumbly mess in just a few years.

This is why every grout manufacturer makes color-matched grout caulk. Since I always recommend Mapei grout for shower installs, I also recommend Mapei’s “Keracaulk S” sanded grout caulk. It dries and cures to be almost as dense and durable as grout.

Second, use masking tape to install grout caulk with perfect seams. Don’t try to just use your finger or any gimmicky magic caulk smoothing tools (that won’t actually work). Instead just treat caulk like you would paint. This pic montage shows how easy it is to caulk joints with just some patience and a roll of quality masking tape:

It takes several hours to carefully tape off all the caulk seams for a 3×5-ft size shower. But then it’ll take just a few minutes to actually install the sanded color matched grout caulk. Just apply a bead all along the taped seams, smooth it with your fingers (use disposable latex gloves!), and then carefully pull away the masking tape. Viola! You’ll end up with perfectly precise caulk joints.

Finally, installing the plumbing trim is just a matter of following directions. The trim hardware will come with instructions for install, and include the proper size wrench for the allen screws that you’ll have to tighten the faucet handle with. Most trim kits also include the teflon tape you’ll need for the showerhead install. So installing the shower hardware yourself is an easy DIY project if you want to get involved with finishing your new tile shower build.

Finish bits & final thoughts

That’s how to build a tile shower from scratch in “just” thirteen steps. There might be some additional finish bits to take care of like installing shelves in a tall vertical niche or getting a custom glass enclosure installed. But you can take all the time you want to complete any additional finishes because you can start using your new tile shower right away once it’s grouted and seam caulked.

You can especially take your time for deciding on glass. Custom glass has at least a 2-week lead time, and a glass installer won’t even measure a shower until it’s completed. This is because no glass person trusts rando tile installers to make everything plumb and flush and level. Your new tile shower will of course be super easy for a custom glass installer to measure, because you will have taken the time and care to make sure it was done correctly right from the initial framing step. Still, it can pay to be deliberate.

PRO TIP: Experiment with a shower curtain before making glass decisions. You can start using your new custom tile shower right away with a simple cheap curtain and rod. So take some time and experiement to see if a simple glass panel will work for your showering style. If so, then you’ll be able to save a lot. Glass is expensive, but glass that moves is the most expensive.

So that’s it for how to build a custom tile shower. You’ve reached the end of a very long read. Congrats! Now go get yourself a nice steamy warm shower.