How to tile a wall

You can tile a wall easily by yourself, you just need to ensure you have the right tools, have measured the space correctly and follow a few simple steps. View our quick how-to video and our detailed step by step guide as we take you through how to tile a wall.

Measure the height and width of each area you are going to tile with a tape measure, times the two sizes together and you will get the number of square meters you will need. For irregular shaped rooms, divide the area up into different segments to work out individually, and then add together. Measure any doors, windows or obstructions and take the size away from the total. Remember to allow for an extra 10% for any breakages, cuts and wastage. 

If you are tiling in a herringbone pattern then 10-15% is advised. If you are unsure just take your measurements (height and width) of each wall you are tiling into your local store who will be happy to help and give any advice you may need for your project. Alternatively, try our online tile calculator.

- Lay the length of timber on a flat surface. 

- Place a tile on the length of timber, flush with the timber edge. 

- Mark the timber at the edge of the tile and ensure that the ‘marks’ are square. 

- Position the spacer at the edge of the tile and place a second tile against the spacer, again marking the timber at the edge of the tile. 

- Repeat the procedure until the end of timber is reached. This batten is now your gauge rod.

- Before tiling, remove all furniture, basins, etc. where possible. If you're unable to remove the sanitary ware then you will need to measure parts of the wall using the same technique as 'measuring your tiles' above to fit around the sanitary ware and then cut the tiles to the right shape to fit. The edge doesn't need to be exact as you can use a tile file and a coloured sealant on top to hide the edge. 

- Consider the natural focal point of the area being tiled and plan the tile layout around that starting point. 

- How to tile a whole wall for a professional finish is all in the planning. Find the centre of your area and mark a pencil line. Use a gauge rod to measure the halfway point to see where each tile would fall. 

- Your outside tiles should be roughly the same size, so reposition all the tiles accordingly to avoid thin strips of tiles at the edges of your area. 

- Work down the wall to the bottom tile and ensure it’s at least half the tile, if not, rearrange the pattern using the batten. Once happy, use a spirit level and draw a straight line across the wall. 

- Check the lines for pipes and cables using a stud detector. If clean, nail the timber baton onto the wall (don’t hammer in fully as you’ll be removing it later). 

- Use this baton as the starting point to tile up from to prevent the tiles from moving. 

- Mark the rod again, vertically, and hammer another baton up the wall making a right angle. 

- From this point you can start tiling. If you need to cut any tiles, do this before applying any adhesive. 

This technique works with all wall tiling but a batten to take the weight of the tile is a great tip when considering how to tile a bathroom wall with large tiles.

The internal corner is the corner join between two walls (the corner of a room or a door frame). 

The external corner is outward facing, it protrudes from the room such as a feature wall or a window recess. 

If no cuts are necessary to fill these spaces then jump ahead to applying your adhesive. If cuts are required, then follow these simple steps.

- Use the narrow end of a notched spreader to put adhesive on the back of the cut tile. Then press it into place so it’s level with the adjacent tile, using spacers if necessary. Move on to the next wall if applicable.

- Complete tiling your first wall then use a tape measure to measure the edge length where the tile trim will be fixed. 

- Mark the tile trim to the same size and then use a hacksaw to cut the tile trim to the desired length. 

- Apply a narrow strip of tile adhesive to the untiled wall using your notched trowel and gently press the trim to it. 

- Line up your trim with the tiles on the first wall and then place two spacers between the trim and tile (top and bottom) to leave a grout line. 

- Apply more tile adhesive to the untiled wall with the notched trowel, spread it vertically from top to bottom to avoid the tile trim with the trowel’s teeth. 

- Begin tiling the second wall, working away from the trim. As you place each tile, ensure to add a narrow grout line by inserting spacers as you go. The gap should stay the same and the trim firmly in place.

In summary on how to fit wall tiles, start by planning your wall tile positioning which will help calculate how many tiles you'll need. Prepare your walls properly according to what substrate you plan on tiling on to and then start tiling. It's key to use the right cutters, adhesive and grout for the type of tile and substrate you're tiling onto. 

You can find detailed information on all aspects of tiling in our knowledge base, from preparation through to fixing and finishing.