Tiling up to or under boxing?

[Laubi]

Hi all,

I'm thinking about making a box frame (tiled finish) at the end of the bath tub. Just wondering if its best to:

A) tile the whole wall first, then make the box and tile up to the wall. (so tiles would be running behind/inside the box)

or

B) do the box first and then the wall tiles up to the box. In this option, do I tile the box first or wall first?

 

[Wayners]

Do you want to be able to remove box?

Normally make box. Fit box. Work out how you will tile around the line up. Tile it all

 

[Laubi]

Do you want to be able to remove box?

Normally make box. Fit box. Work out how you will tile around the line up. Tile it all

I did want to make the top removable so can be used for extra storage but didnt want to risk any seals/waterproofing.

when you say work out how to tile around the line up, do you mean the box section above the bath?

I was going to replicate what ive done on the other sides of the bath - put in battens to support bath. find a piece of wood thats similar thickness (got one about 5mm thicker which can provide the extra gap for silicone above bath edge) and temporary screw into wall so I can tile on it. then remove it later and move bath in position.

So you would tile the box first and then tile to the tiled box?

 

[Wayners]

I'd fit boxing in then screw to wall.
Then measure to see how the tiles land and line up. You don't what 5 or 10mm cuts to slot in bits. You need to plan and set out tiles so it don't give you problems

 

[foxhole]

Or clad box with wall panel?[ Any tile movement against bath will cause a leak so has to be rock solid frame.]

 

[simplesteve]

100% agreee with Wayners: you want to fit the frame to the wall first and make the box before there’s any hint of a tile on the wall.
There’s two main things to think of which will determine how good and professional it looks :-
1. The depth of the box off the bath wall - it’s tricky ‘marrying up’ the front face of the box with the lip of the Bath Panel that’s still to go on. You deffo don’t want to go past the bath panel, this will give you very small tile cuts to do.
2. The height of the frame. Assuming your tiling that window wall, the professional look is to get the top of the box perfectly in line ( horizontally) with a grout line going across that wall. That means getting your heights and layouts bang on before you start. You’ll know where the grout lines are before you start tiling that wall, so your frame needs to be e.g 25 mm below that ( 12 for the plate, 10 for the tile, and 3 for the addy). If In doubt, go low - it’s a lot easier to raise up than try and reduce !

 

[Laubi]

thanks all. I'm building the box first.

Or clad box with wall panel?[ Any tile movement against bath will cause a leak so has to be rock solid frame.]

I was going to replicate what im doing on the other two sides - putting in a support batten on the boxing. silicone when pushing the bath in place. then the tiles on the box would be above the bath like the other walls.

100% agreee with Wayners: you want to fit the frame to the wall first and make the box before there’s any hint of a tile on the wall.
There’s two main things to think of which will determine how good and professional it looks :-
1. The depth of the box off the bath wall - it’s tricky ‘marrying up’ the front face of the box with the lip of the Bath Panel that’s still to go on. You deffo don’t want to go past the bath panel, this will give you very small tile cuts to do.
2. The height of the frame. Assuming your tiling that window wall, the professional look is to get the top of the box perfectly in line ( horizontally) with a grout line going across that wall. That means getting your heights and layouts bang on before you start. You’ll know where the grout lines are before you start tiling that wall, so your frame needs to be e.g 25 mm below that ( 12 for the plate, 10 for the tile, and 3 for the addy). If In doubt, go low - it’s a lot easier to raise up than try and reduce !

I was going to try and follow the grout line but decided against it as the box would be quite high due to the tiles being 330mm in height. we only wanted only a small upstand for aesthetics purpose. Where the tiles land horizontally, it would mean i just need to make small cut out in one 600mm long tile (as the box is only 220mm in depth and upstand about100mm).