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- 1). Lay a line of your self-spacing tiles on the floor the width of the shower/tub wall, letting the nubs on the sides properly space them. Set the 1-by-2-inch board (with the matching length) on top of the row of tiles.
- 2). Mark the board with your pencil at each space between the tiles. Extend the line across the surface of the board with your try square.
- 3). Mark a vertical line in the center of the wall, from the tub rim to the ceiling, using your level and pencil. Set your marked board next to this vertical line. Mark the wall, next to the vertical line, at each place where there is a mark on the board indicating the spaces between the tiles. Do this all the way to the ceiling.
- 4). Hold the board horizontally against the wall, at the tub rim. Position the board with its top edge sitting just under the bottom mark on the vertical line. This will put the top of the board at the level where the top of the tiles will be, if you start laying full tiles at the tub rim.
- 5). Put your level on top of the board to ensure it's level. The top of the board will show where the horizontal plane of each row of tiles will be. The marks on the board will show where the sides of each tile will be.
- 6). Move the board up the wall to the next mark on the vertical line, then the next. At each mark, visually assess where the top of the board is positioned in relation to the plumbing fixtures and other obstructions along the wall. Look for any instances where you will have a sliver of tile around a fixture, such as a faucet that is within an inch of a tile edge.
- 7). Adjust your vertical line and the horizontal marks on it, as needed, to avoid any instances of bad cuts. For instance, if the layout requires a sliver cut along the top of one tile, move the first line of tiles down. That means you'll start at the tub rim with half-tiles instead of full ones.
- 8). Mark the wall with horizontal and vertical starting lines to show the necessary adjustments and to provide a starting point for the bottom row of tiles.
- 9). Repeat the layout process for each wall around the tub.
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