How I Trim and Finish a Tile Niche

Instagram - / todayiworkon
Contact - [e-mail]

[@cancun29]

Thank you for explaining the different ways of how the trim can go. I have watched 50 videos on trimming out a niche looking for exactly what you said about a “frame” or small profile depending on how the trim is set. You are the first video that explains that.

[@JeffreyFortuna]

I'm currently in the process of a bathroom remodel and your videos are both amazing and perfect timing as I'm almost down waterproofing and about to get started tiling! This is my second ever bathroom remodel and the first time I'll be doing anything with a shower. I went with a Tile Redi pan and that where I found your videos/channel. Massive thank you for the tips, making such detailed videos is a massive time and effort drain and staying motivated can be a struggle but your helping more people than you can imagine!

[@familyskills4582]

Some of the better videos IV seen since looking..very well done and nice explaining everything I love it...thanks alot

[@andrejr8392]

Niche King! Looks great! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@papajuancho1761]

Thank you so much for these videos!!

[@playeroflife]

Great job and great work. I’m just trying my first diy shower room remodel. I’m very nervous but your videos and advice helping me complete it. Thks from Ireland 🇮🇪 😊

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Can’t wait to visit Ireland one day play golf and drink a Guinness. Thanks for the kind words!!

[@michellediesterhaft456]

It looks so good! I am ready to do a double (with a shelf), so I get to do the cut on 8 pieces. YAY me! Thanks for the clarification. I think I've got this.

[@robertkemp9685]

Thankyou so much for showing me how its actually put together first one ive found that does. All the others seem to be adverts for their businesses and dont show the nuts and bolts of how to do it You have given me confidence to complete framing my niche. Best wishes and thanks again Robert

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Thank you for the kind words.

[@Rawdeals]

Great job. Thanks for the tips

[@tomintexas817]

Again thanks man great video and great niche

[@nickbrunette8292]

Great video helped me alot thanks!

[@retiredperson4054]

Great video Larry!

[@bobshannon4437]

Nice work!!

[@BonBon770]

Good video, you can do it that way, we do. Solid surface 2CM quartz made to match any near flat surfaces like curbs, niches, or shelves . the metal trim tends to hold water right on the edge . even if you wanted to do 2CM solid surface quartz on the bottom, and then which would be better put the 3 pieces of trim around it. Looks good...... Also, nobody knows the true length of metal trim inside a shower without rusting,even the best marine screws rust overtime . that's why we switch to quartz for niches also, and it's better for water intrusion doesn't let as much water in.

[@vbottoni]

love this guy. honest mook

[@TodayIWorkOn]

I couldn’t heart this comment fast enough!

[@PeterYurkins]

great vid! ty Mate

[@reidabercrombie9219]

Just like another commenter said, I have been thru tons of videos looking for just exactly what you showed, and you showed it so concisely and simply. Thank you for a great video. May sound silly, but I just wondered about if you did the tile leading up to the niche first or if you tried to do it all at once. Seemed too difficult to do all at once, so I was hoping to see someone else (a pro) do it where they ringed the niches, so to speak, and then came back and did the trim later. Your video has helped me. Thanks!

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Thanks for the kind words

[@Vera-xu3xw]

the only thing I would do differently is put in the back before the sides and top. i learned how to frame so thanks

[@stevenlaake9975]

Great thanks for sharing

[@Kse1010]

Nice work

[@robdylan2541]

Going to try this. thank you. Also when tiling the shower walls with 12 x 24 tile. Do you want the small cut piece at the top of the shower or the bottom. So full tiles all the way up with the finishing tile that gets cut at the bottom or the top?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Because nobody is perfect, I actually measured out this to fit perfectly with a 12x24 and messed up by not accounting for an extra 2x4, so I was 1.5 off which is why the top of the tile has a small 1.5” piece. 😞. Measure twice and tile once. It’s just an aesthetic thing. In summary, try and shoot for a full piece.

[@joeoliver9223]

Thanks

[@IVIoNtoNI]

nice Job

[@hddrummer29]

nice work! curious what you do about the mitered edge profile - caulk the tiny gap between the mitered pieces, or just leave it?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

If you cut it super tight, nothing. If there’s a 1/32” gap it usually fills with grout.

[@mesposito1625]

Thanks for the video! What kind of blade did you use on the miter saw to cut the schluter? Would a regular wet saw work?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

You can use a wet saw, but the carpenter in me likes using a real miter saw because it's WAY faster. Lol.

[@ChicoM16]

Good video my friend

[@brianderkacz652]

Great video! My question is, how is the mitered angle of the frame water proofed? I get that the grout seals the outside and inside edges, but the 45 degree miter is still not completely sealed

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Tile, grout, and trim are not supposed to be waterproof. The substrate behind it is the actual waterproofing. If water does get behind the trim, it will go and release in the pan or though a grout line. Most times some moisture will just get absorbed in the mortar behind the tile and it will end there. If you watch my video on how I waterproof the niche, I get into what actually waterproofs the shower as a whole. Most failures in a shower are due to a lack of proper waterproofing behind the tile. Tile, grout and trim is an aesthetic. The only exception to this rule is a waterproof silicone on an inside joint where a glass panel meets tile.

[@DavidKlausa]

@@TodayIWorkOn That said, it wouldn't hurt to put a little dab of silicone between the mitered edges.

[@alfgomez6575]

I have a question. Great video btw. My question is where does the tile need to end?right at the edge of the niche or does it have to past the edge of niche!

[@TodayIWorkOn]

I usually go about 1/8 past the niche box with the tile so i have some wiggle room for adjustments.

[@deaneng8540]

How did you do such an excellent job cutting out the big tile around the niche?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Clean cuts with the grinder then a little polisher action

[@bala3253]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@RAPTOR8ASDF]

Thanks for your video! Hope you can help me with something I've not been able to find on youtube. Since you installed large format 12x24 tiles, I assume the tiles you cut for the inside of the niche were 3/8" thick. What height Jolly trim did you use? 3/8" or 1/2"? Thanks.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

This is a great question with a complicated answer. Schluter says to use the next step up on height for the jolly. So, if the tile is 3/8 schluter recommends per my tile company to go 1/2. I have always gone against that rule and have gone with the same size jolly with the same size tile. So, 3/8 tile, 3/8 jolly. What people don’t realize is the base of the jolly already sticks the tile out 1/8 of an inch. If you get a jolly that’s 1/8” bigger than the tile, you have to now build out the tile 1/4”, which is a lot and it’s very hard to make it look right. In conclusion, stick with the same tile/jolly measurement and you will be gucci.

[@RAPTOR8ASDF]

@@TodayIWorkOn THANKS MAN!!! You are the first person that answered the question of jolly height for 3/8" thick tiles. I even called Schluter and the tech did not (could not) answer my question directly. I will like your video and subscribe to your channel to help you out. Thanks again!!!

[@michaelnitzel4738]

Good video! A question that I do not want to come off as a criticism because I'm only in the process of learning how to tile and I just want to know for my own edification. Why didn't you raise the location of the shower niche so that the top and the bottom of the niche hit the horizontal grout lines of the tile? Wouldn't that have saved a lot of tile cutting and eliminated the need for grout lines in the niche other than at the corners? Thx so much!

[@TodayIWorkOn]

That was the plan, but when I was recording the video, I mis measured. Lol recording while working is very hard. I made up for it in my wall to wall niche video. 😉

[@smfstreet]

Poor planning

[@vanessap8717]

Hi, do you grout the miter corners on the jolly trim as well?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

The miter should be so tight, there should be no room to grout them. The tighter it looks the better.

[@vanessap8717]

Awesome, thanks so much:)

[@kaptincrazy]

what type of glue for pebble backing to niche

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Thinset for sure. Can you get away with Mastic, yes.... but the tile pros will say Mastic is not going to work(it does)

[@stephenbailey5958]

Should have aligned with the tile.

[@holterpa123]

What glue did you use for the accent piece?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

I actually used tile mastic(the white glue) since I didn’t have any thinset on me, but the proper way to install the mosaics would be a modified thinset mortar. These mosaics held up fine, but if you had to choose two, go with modified thinset.

[@Pure3nrg]

Mastic for the pebbles is an orangic material. I thought the rule was never use it for tile that gets wets as it can mold and break apart.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

If it was on a shower pan, sure. Mastic is fine for an application like this. It’s not submerged in water. Don’t over think, use common sense with some applications. Redguard is not organic. The netting on the back of the pebbles is not organic. The pebbles are sealed. The polymer on the grout is not organic. What exactly going to fall apart? I appreciate your comments and thoughts!

[@nailbndr9869]

Personally, I'd never use mastic in a wet area, especially a shower... Quality work until then

[@donitamatcovschi1912]

what are the name of the cutters you are using?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

www.montolit.com/en/product-category/tile-cutters-manual/

[@theaveragesoldier1029]

How long have you been doing this? I'm on my first DIY bathroom Reno and it's not fun. I originally started thinking I could do the demo and all the prep work, but the tile company I called kinda gave me the piss of vibe and never returned my calls. 8 months later I'm still trying to get it done. Work, family and side project balance 😢. I highly recommend doing a ton of research before attempting this on your own with no help around but KZbin

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Started the trade in 1998. I started my own remodeling business in 2002. 😅. Tile is hard. It’s an art. To be really good it takes years of honing in the craft. I’m an ok tiler, but there’s many that are way better than me.

[@Hades9809]

You didn’t say what tool you used to cut the trims?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

In the video I specifically say “miter saw”. 😬

[@justanotherchannel6097]

Shouldn’t the back be done first similar to a shower ground first than walls.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Way too difficult in a niche. You get better lines this way.

[@shaneclarry9549]

Excellent work. Pity the box wasn’t another inch or so higher. 👍

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Agreed. Math error. 😞

[@diamantshala9824]

Why didnt you just not place a tile and make it fit seamlessly in that spot ?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Designer designed the niche to have pebbles, I install pebbles! The beauty of having so many options to choose from. My own bath, I have a full piece of tile, everyone has different tastes.

[@diamantshala9824]

@@TodayIWorkOn gotta do what the client wants ... Just my ocd bro lol

[@rayboots2082]

Why did you not have the Niche a little higher so the tile on the top and bottom didn't need to be notched?

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Well.... nobody is perfect? I Was videoing how to install this and messed up my measurements. It's a lot of work to video, work on a clients house, and be efficient. I have changed how I measure and have not made that mistake again. Watch my whole wall niche video, I make up for the mistake here, there, lol.

[@rayboots2082]

@@TodayIWorkOn Oh I understand, I had this happen on one of my personnel projects. It takes me longer to get the niche positioned correct than it takes to put up the tile. Thanks for your response.

[@robertmeder7410]

I'm sorry but why didn't you plan out the niche by raising it or lowering the tile to eliminate the small sliver at the top? it would've been a lot less work to cut in the side tiles.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Read the comments, explained there. 😬

[@KJB0001]

Eliot Loudermilk!!!!!

[@danbartstow9829]

We all learned from mistakes…Great job but install the niche after a couple rows up to a full tile..You will figure out how to do that and waterproof it as you go..Great job though!

[@LABoyko]

Appreciate how you took a bland, antiseptic, cookie-cutter motif and spiced it up with creative niche placement. Getting a big kick out the comments from two-dimensional thinkers driven crazy by your lack of conformity to insipid convention.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Like and subscribe to the channel for more bland, antiseptic, and cookie cutter content I try to spice up!

[@ohmsweethohm7259]

You used mastic in the back of your niche? Sorry for whoever that shower is for. It’s got it written on the bucket in red letters “Not for wet areas” that’s because it’s an organic adhesive and will delaminate when exposed to moisture as in a shower.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Have a beer and relax, It’s going to be ok. 🤣. You actually just gave me a great idea for a video!

[@brianterry5837]

@@TodayIWorkOn Stick to gutters and screen doors tallying is not your niche.

[@jorgesuarez1078]

Warning: do not put that frame on the bottom part of the niche because even with an angled bottom the frame blocks the water from draining out and it floods the niche. It happened in my shower b

[@TodayIWorkOn]

There should be zero room for any water to get in…. That’s install error. Sorry that happened to you, but this is way to install a schluter jolly happens like this thousands of times a day. One bad experience does not mean not to do it. It just means to do it correctly. 😉

[@geissler35]

Never use mastic in a wet area, even on mosaics

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Still rock solid after 2 years. Wet is being, aggressive. I’ll update your colorful comment in 3 years and let you know if the house fell down. 🤣

[@donr2686]

Sooner or later that Jolly is going to kick back aqt you because you don't cut the webbing behind cut. other than that nice job.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Explain further.

[@05_Dmax]

Just a little higher and all you would have done was cut one tile

[@TodayIWorkOn]

I like to make things difficult.

[@Rocky-xx2zg]

Tile Niche? A No, No! I'm sure all the contractors who install a Tile Niche do an amazing job. The problem is after. People put those ugly plastic bottles in there, and it detracts from the beauty of the Shower. There is a better way. JMO

[@colinnicols5387]

Id say thats their problem😂

[@steveh6976]

Agree wirh @ Adam , attention to details will make or break a project. This looks terrible.

[@smfstreet]

Did u just randomly place the height of niche? That's embarrassing, and hard to look at... Gotta plan ahead.

[@marcopoulin1897]

Well i dont call that custom niche i call that huge mistake

[@simplygilgh]

Why, please?

[@felipecruz3407]

???

[@ohmsweethohm7259]

No reason he couldn’t have dropped his tile 2 inches or raised his niche two inches and hit them grout lines perfect! I can’t understand why he wouldn’t he obviously centered it in the wall and his tile layout isn’t horrible. So close but yet so far away.

[@denniskesik1531]

Sorry but your layout was bad

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Thanks for watching. 😬

[@adamwest3266]

I'd be pissed if my niche was offset and off center from the tile like you have it. Looks bad. AND you're supposed to install the back wall of the niche first....but hey, every one is in a rush to start a youtube channel.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

It might take a while to recover from this comment. Ok, I’m recovered.

[@adamwest3266]

@@TodayIWorkOn Sarcasm will not make you better at your trade. However it does reflect in your work. Hence the bad tile job. Not surprised at all. And none of the lame retorts you have will correct that bad tile job.

[@TodayIWorkOn]

@@adamwest3266 it’s truly horrible. It’s why I’m no longer a remodeler and will build my own houses from here on out so I’m the client and contractor! Now you can rest easy. Wait for a bunch of mistakes and follies while I build my 12,000 sqft house. It’s gonna be super fun!

[@adamwest3266]

@@TodayIWorkOn ...and your stupidity continues.

[@SavedbyGraceCT]

Looked for this comment. The offset would drive me crazy. 😂

[@deeznutz-kd6yr]

What kind of blade you use to cut the trim

[@TodayIWorkOn]

Miter saw finish blade.