Expert Answer: How Long Does It Take To Tile a Bathroom?

Last Updated on January 10, 2023

How long does it take to tile a bathroom? It’s a reasonable question to ask if you’re thinking of reviving your bathroom design with some new tiling choices. Of course, it’s hard to determine exactly how long a tiling job is going to take at a glance.

From tile flooring to tiles on your shower walls, the amount of time and work that goes into your tiling project will depend on several factors. For instance, the installation process you use, the square foot size of your bathroom, and even the complexity of your tiling design will all contribute to how long the project will take.

The good news is that tiling a bathroom doesn’t have to be highly time-consuming. If you can find tiles that are relatively easy to use, you don’t necessarily need a professional tiler to help you either. You might be able to finish tiling your aesthetically appealing new bathroom in one day.

What Factors Affect the Length of a Tiling Job?

As mentioned above, there are many factors which can influence the length of the installation process for your bathroom. Tiling an entire bathroom will usually take a good 6 to 12 hours, depending on how big your bathroom is and how complicated the project might be.

As a rule of thumb, it’s best to have a free weekend aside to ensure you have enough time to save money and install your bathroom floor or shower tiling yourself. The last thing you want to do is rush the process and end up with a design that doesn’t fit perfectly into your bathroom. Go too quickly with your grout and tile application, and you could end up with a ruined finished product.

Some of the most common factors influencing the time it takes for your tile floor installation or bathroom shower tiling project include:

The Size of the Room

The square foot size of the room will make a significant difference in how long a tile job takes. It’s also worth noting that if your tiles or bathroom are an unusual shape, it’s also more likely you’ll need extra time for the tiling process.

Removal of Previous Tiles

If you need to remove other tiles from a bathroom before you can get started, then you’ll need to ensure the space you are tiling is completely flat before you begin the next stage of your tile installation. This can take extra time and work.

The Grouting Process

The grout mixing and drying time can be a little bit of a time-consuming process. You’ll need to ensure the grout is mixed correctly so your tiles will adhere properly to your bathroom spaces.

Moisture

Even in a small bathroom, it can take longer to apply tiles if the various surfaces of your bathroom are already wet or damp. It’s best to avoid high moisture levels before you start laying tiles. This is particularly true in a larger bathroom.

Layout Time

The time it takes to apply your tile to a backer board or floor will differ depending on the style of your tiles. Larger tiles with an easy pattern will be easier to transform into an aesthetically appealing finish.

Skill Level

If you’ve never applied tile to a floor or bathroom wall before, you might need to take longer to get the right results. Learning how to cover protrusions and arrange tile correctly around difficult spaces like a window or a drain takes practice. With that in mind, the skill level is one of the many factors which can influence tiling hours.

How Long Does It Take To Install Tile to Bathroom Floor?

The question “how long does it take to tile a bathroom” can be challenging to answer. The exact time you need to dedicate to the project will depend on what bathroom tiles you’re using, what sort of room you want to cover, etc. A professional tiler can apply bigger tiles to a large bathroom and get the whole job done the same day.

If you’re tiling a bathroom floor rather than your shower walls, you’ll usually need at least 6 hours to cover an average-sized floor. The more space you need to cover, the more time it will take to tile the area.

If you have absolutely no understanding of tiling and how to mix grout for your floors, you may need to contact a tiler to get the job done. You can save time on a complete grouting and tiling process if you speak to a professional. However, learning how to tile the space yourself will definitely save you some money.

How Long Does It Take To Tile a Bathroom Shower?

The time it takes to complete a shower space when you’re covering the walls of your bathrooms with tiles will depend on various factors. There’s often more space to cover when you’re tiling walls than floors, and you may need to mix more grout and wait for the grouting to dry.

If you’re only tiling a single wall for a small shower, you can usually cover the space in a couple of hours. If you have a large bathroom with an average-sized shower, you can still usually apply the tiles on the same day, covering the space in around 3-4 hours.

For a particularly large walk-in shower space, where you need to cut tiles to fit perfectly, you may need at least 6 hours. Remember to consider keeping extra time aside if you want to apply other floor covers to the tile flooring at the same time you apply your shower tiles.

Tips to Help You Tile a Bathroom Faster

When applying tile to bathroom floors and walls, it’s important not to rush the process. An extra hour or two to cover the whole space will be worth it if it means you get an excellent finished result for your bathroom.

However, there are some quick ways to improve your chances of a rapid installation time:

Use the Right Tools

Consider large tiles instead of other small tile options to make your tile process go a little more smoothly. Make sure you’re using the correct adhesives for your chosen tile size, and ensure you have everything you need before you get started.

Prepare the Surface

Give the space a few washes with soapy water to ensure it’s free from debris before you get started. After this, ensure the surface is dry before you begin tiling. A moist surface means your grout will take longer to cure.

Tile Only What You Need

Depending on your requirements, you don’t necessarily need to cover your entire bathroom in tile. If you only partially tile a bathroom, you can save a lot of time and effort on getting the right results.

Can You Tile a Bathroom in One Day?

The number of hours it takes to finish tiling bathrooms and kitchens depends on the factors above. It will take a little longer if you’ve got a complex bathroom with more difficult areas you need to apply tiles and grouting to, like a window or a drain area.

If you want to tile the entire room and make sure the tiles fit perfectly into the overall structure of the bathroom, then you may need at least three days to complete the project.

Alternatively, if you’re just applying tiles to a small amount of wall or backer board, you may not need as long. The average time it takes to apply tiles to a bathroom will usually be:

• 4-6 hours for a small bathroom up to 40 square feet in size.
• 6-8 hours for a mid-sized bathroom up to 100 square feet in size
• 8-12 hours for a larger bathroom up to 200 square feet in size

Keep in mind that the installation estimate time will depend on the above factors. If you have smaller tiles than the average size and you’re applying bottom tiling around raised seams and complex designs, this will ultimately slow down your tile project.