If your shower isn’t tiled, remove the existing material or shower surround, instead. Remove the backing board behind the tile with a crowbar. When you’re done, you should see insulation and studs. If you’re working on a brand new shower, you don’t need to do any demo. Make sure you’ve installed a shower pan or bathtub before tiling the shower. If you’re planning on tiling the shower floor, you don’t need a shower pan.

If you fail to install a vapor barrier, you might grow mold and mildew as moisture from your shower escapes through the tiles and into walls. [3] X Expert Source Art FrickeHome Renovation & Repair Specialist Expert Interview. 1 July 2020.

Be sure to cut out any notches for your shower head and handles using a saw or a box cutter. Putting up cement board is just like putting up drywall. Apply 100% silicone caulk behind the board on the studs and also use it to seal the seams between the panels. Add some seam tape between the panels as well.

Keep this seam tight. Aim for a gap of 3/16” or smaller.

Use a paint brush to get into nooks and crannies, too.

Your shower pan may not be totally level, so don’t use it as a straight edge guide. You can either use a pencil to mark out your lines, or you can nail a board to the wall and use it as a straight guide. Ceramic tile, porcelain tile, and quarry tile are best for shower walls. Planning to tile the shower floor? Make sure you use floor tiles, not wall tiles. Then, continue your tile pattern down to the floor.

Keep an eye on the consistency of your thin-set. If it’s too thick, it might dry out, and if it’s too thin, it will have a hard time setting. Do not use mastic as the adhesive for tile in a shower or a tub surround, as it will allow mold to grow. [9] X Expert Source Art FrickeHome Renovation & Repair Specialist Expert Interview. 1 July 2020.

Spread the thin-set onto the wall about 1 in (2. 5 cm) thick.

Small pieces of cardboard work great as makeshift shims between your tile and shower pan. After the mortar is set, you can simply remove these shims and caulk between the lip of the pan and the bottom of the tile.

If you are tiling your shower floor as well, switch to floor tiles as soon as you reach the floor. Apply the tiles using mortar and spacers the same way that you put them on the wall.

You can also cut tile with a wet saw, if you have one. Use the same tools to cut notches for your shower head and handles.

Make sure to measure every third or fourth row to ensure that you have an even grout line. If you don’t, gently pry the tile off and try again.

It’s important to work in small sections so that the grout doesn’t dry on the tiles. Grouting a shower wall is similar to grouting a tile floor.

The tiles may look a bit hazy even after wiping, so you may have to buff them with a clean sponge to get rid of this haze.

Sealer isn’t strictly necessary, but it will extend the grout’s lifespan and make your shower more resistant to mold and mildew.

Keep the tip angled as you run the bead along the joint. Match the speed with which you pull the caulk gun trigger with the rate at which you pull the gun along the joint. You don’t want to be pulling the gun fast but triggering slowly, or vice versa. After applying the bead of caulk, “bed” it by running a damp finger across the bead with light pressure.