How long does a tile shower take to install?

Five to eight working days for waterproofing, tile, cure time and grout — plus one to two weeks for custom frameless glass measured after tile is complete.

Should I use tile or a slab for my backsplash?

A slab backsplash is seamless and maintenance-free but costs more. Tile offers far more design range at a lower price with grout lines to maintain.

Is Schluter waterproofing better than a mortar bed?

Both work when installed correctly. Bonded membrane systems dry faster and are more forgiving; traditional mortar beds allow more slope shaping. What matters is that a tested assembly is used, not cement board plus a thin sealer coat.

Metro Charlotte Service

Charlotte Custom Tile Showers & Backsplash Installation

Tile is where a remodel is judged. Lippage across a large-format porcelain wall, a layout that dies into a corner with a one-inch sliver, or grout joints that wander are all layout failures decided before the first tile is set. The tile specialists in our network dry-lay and laser-align before they mix thinset.

Typical range: $1,800 - $15,000 depending on area and material
Timeline: 3 days to 2 weeks
Licensing: Licensed NC & SC contractors only

(704) 555-0199

Layout decisions that determine the result

Start point, cut balance and grout joint width get decided at layout. A herringbone marble backsplash centered on the range hood reads intentional; the same tile started from a corner reads like a mistake for the life of the kitchen. Large-format wall tile also needs a leveling system and a substrate flat to 1/8 inch in 10 feet, or lippage will telegraph across the wall.

Dry-lay and laser layout before setting
Leveling clip systems for large-format porcelain
Schluter waterproofing, niches, benches and curbs
Slab backsplashes and full-height stone walls

Slab backsplash versus tile

A full-height slab backsplash cut from the same material as the countertop eliminates grout entirely and is the cleanest look available behind a range. It costs more than tile and requires the wall to be reasonably flat, but there is nothing to clean and nothing to reseal.

Grout, sealing and long-term maintenance

Use a high-performance cement grout or epoxy in wet areas and seal cement grout on completion. Natural stone tile — marble mosaics especially — needs an impregnating sealer before grouting so pigment does not stain the stone.