I am new to tiling ... need some advice please

[wbmkk]

I am about to do my first bit of serious wall tiling, to a bathroom.

I was going to fix a timber batten exactly 1 tile height above the bath line, leaving just enough room underneath, for 1 tile as well as the bathroom sealing strip.

However, now I am a little worried, what if the bath isn’t 100% level and I have to cut off a fine slither of tile to get it to fit into place. I’ll be using 250mm (ht) x 200mm (w) tiles. Surely better, for example to leave a gap, of, say 230mm, then cut the all the bottom row tiles as required. If some end up a few mm less than the others, nobody will notice. Is this plan worthwhile.

Also, the bathroom walls have been skimmed, two weeks ago after all the old tiles were removed. Two walls are brick and the other two are plasterboard. One of the plasterboard walls is where the shower head will be situated, so do I need to do anything to the new plaster, before fitting the tiles. I’ve heard the word ‘tanking’ being mentioned, but I don’t recall my father ever doing this in the past, when he tiled his bathroom

 

[xr4x4]

Yes always cut the tiles to the bath, shower or floor.

 

[Nigel_Cro]

Move your batten down so that it is half a tile above the bath, then any cuts you make will be good clean cuts and you won't be nibbling away at the edges trying to take 1/16ths off.

Fill the bath with water before putting on the bottom row.

Lots and lots and lots of really good advice/how-to videos on YouTube. Spend half an hour or so reviewing a few and you will be good to go.

 

[CBF]

tank the shower area or use a waterproof backer board plus all new plaster or plasterboard must be sealed or your addy & in turn the tiles won't stick to the wall