📐The Transformation — Tiling & Grouting

(Part 4 of “The Bathroom Installation Process” Series)

Once the preparation, boarding, and waterproofing are complete, your bathroom finally reaches the stage where everything starts to look like a bathroom again — the tiling and grouting phase.

At Elite Plumbing & Construction Ltd, this is where the craftsmanship really shines.

Tiling is far more than sticking tiles to a wall. It’s geometry, precision, symmetry, and planning. One mistake now can throw off the entire look of your bathroom — so we treat this stage with the care and accuracy it deserves.

We’ve tiled hundreds of bathrooms across Dunstable, Luton, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, Hemel Hempstead and Hertfordshire, and the system we use ensures your tiles stay straight, even, and beautifully aligned for decades.

Let’s take you through the process.

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Step 1: Planning the Tile Layout (“Setting Out”)

Before a single tile goes up, our tilers map out the entire bathroom.

This includes:

• Deciding the starting point

• Balancing cuts around the room

• Ensuring symmetry

• Aligning tiles with niches, windows, and fixtures

• Avoiding thin “sliver cuts” that ruin the look

• Matching grout lines with key features

A professional tiler’s skill is in making the bathroom look intentional, not accidental.

Good tiling starts long before the adhesive is mixed.

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Step 2: Tile Adhesive, Tools & Technique

Different tiles require different adhesives — porcelain, ceramic, marble, large-format tiles, mosaics… they all behave differently.

We choose the correct adhesive for:

• Weight of tile

• Substrate type

• Wet or dry area

• Tile size

Then we use specialist tools to ensure accuracy:

• Laser levels

• Tile levelling systems

• Precision cutters

• Wet saws

• Paddle mixers

At this stage, we also maintain perfect spacing, consistent joints, and precision around corners and edges.

This is what gives that crisp “showroom finish.”

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Step 3: Wall Tiling — Where the Magic Happens

Once set-out is confirmed, wall tiling begins.

We:

• Apply the adhesive evenly

• Butter the back of large tiles when needed

• Level every row with lasers

• Check lines constantly to prevent drift

• Ensure tiles lock tightly into the tanked waterproof surface

Corners and edges are mitred or trim-finished depending on your chosen design.

This is the stage where customers walk in and go:

“Wow… it’s starting to look like a new room.”

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Step 4: Floor Tiling — Accuracy Matters Even More

Floors require:

• A flat, level substrate (already completed in Part 3)

• Exact spacing

• Perfect alignment with walls and door thresholds

• Sufficient adhesive coverage to prevent hollow spots

We test tile levels constantly to avoid “lippage” — uneven tile edges that catch your foot or look untidy.

For wet rooms or walk-in showers, we also tile to the correct gradients to ensure proper drainage.

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Step 5: Grouting — The Final Touch

Once tiles have fully set, grouting begins.

We use:

• Waterproof, mould-resistant grout

• Colour-matched grout for your tiles

• Clean, straight joints

• Proper smoothing for a consistent finish

Grout isn’t just cosmetic — it seals the tile joints and protects against moisture penetration.

A clean grout line is often what separates professional tiling from amateur work.

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Step 6: Silicone Sealing — Flexible Waterproof Protection

Silicone is applied around:

• Baths

• Shower trays

• Floors against walls

• Niches

• Worktops

• External corners

Correct silicone work:

• Prevents leaks

• Allows flexibility for movement

• Looks sharp and clean

We only use premium silicone that resists mould and discolouration.

This step is the quiet hero of a long-lasting bathroom.

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Step 7: Clean Down & Inspection

Before moving to installation, we:

• Clean all tiles

• Polish grout residue

• Remove spacers and wedges

• Check lines and levels

• Inspect corners and details

• Ensure everything is cured correctly

This is the point where your new bathroom truly comes to life.

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Final Thoughts

Tiling isn’t just a stage — it’s the visual identity of your bathroom.

Great prep creates stability.

Great tiling creates beauty.

At Elite Plumbing & Construction Ltd, our tilers treat every bathroom like a bespoke project, not a quick job.

Every cut, every grout line, every joint matters.

Whether you’re in Dunstable, Luton, Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead, or anywhere across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Hertfordshire, your tiling will be completed with accuracy, pride, and attention to detail.

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What’s Coming Next

In the next post, we move on to:

👉 “Stage 5: Installation — Fitting Your Suite, Fixtures & Furniture.”

We’ll show how your shower, bath, vanity, toilet, screen, radiator and all finishing touches come together to complete the transformation.

Follow us to continue the series.

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About Elite Plumbing & Construction Ltd

Elite Plumbing & Construction Ltd is a professional refurbishment company specialising in:

• Full bathroom refurbishments

• Wet rooms & walk-in showers

• Kitchen renovations

• Full property transformations

Proudly serving:

• Dunstable

• Luton

• Leighton Buzzard

• Milton Keynes

• Aylesbury

• Hemel Hempstead

• Bedfordshire • Buckinghamshire • Hertfordshire

📞 Phone: 07506 079189

📧 Email: info@epacltd.co.uk

🌐 Website: www.epacltd.co.uk

📍 Head Office: Dunstable, Bedfordshirehttp://Epacltd.co.uk