0

I paid a contractor to install a shower for me. He did a decent job, but the “soap nook” edges look really rough.

rough tile edge

rough title edge too

I have since learned that I should have asked him to use rounded corners for the edges. But it is too late for that now. (I don’t really want to try to make him fix it.)

My question is if there is anything I can do from a DIY standpoint to improve these corners?

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    If the morter is on top of the tile you may be able to remove it, If the tile is broken have it replaced, It should have never been approved in its current condition. Overall you got a very poor job. Where is the trim on the front, the tile should not show. Get the contractor back and have it fixed correctly.
    – Gil
    Commented Apr 10, 2022 at 0:45
  • A good installer will know what to do without you having to ask for it. Some tile does not have any tile trim pieces available, but there are metal trim accessories from other vendors, if there is nothing available that the tile maker supplies.
    – Jack
    Commented Apr 10, 2022 at 2:22
  • 1
    You might be able to add outside metal corner trim to cover it up.
    – Steve Wellens
    Commented Apr 10, 2022 at 4:39
  • It needs "bull nose" tile for finished rounded edge.
    – blacksmith37
    Commented Apr 10, 2022 at 14:37

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

"He did a decent job"… No, he most certainly didn't. That's a classic case of "no clue, no care."

enter image description here

These edges should line up, the faces should be level, the edges should not have been cut with a blunt axe & he should have thought about what he was going to do with the unfinished faces. If there is no quarter-round for that tile, then he should have made best endeavour to use clean or uncut edges wherever visible or mentioned this could be the result without, and asked you which quarter-round you would prefer.

You're now going to have to cut that face back [red line] by the width of some quarter round.

He could also have bothered to finish off the grout properly [marked in blue]

Improve this answer
4
  • What would I use to cut the tile back? I am not a tile guy (which is why I hired it out) and I am worried I will crack the tile.
    – Vaccano
    Commented Apr 10, 2022 at 18:02
  • You're going to need something like an angle grinder. I'd get the so-called tiler back to fix that, don't DIY it if you have no experience. You'll make a worse job than he did. Tiling is only 'easy' if you have low expectation of the finish. Poor tiling is easy. Good tiling requires expertise. Patching up botch jobs requires both experience & attention to detail too.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Apr 10, 2022 at 18:19
  • Thanks! I fear he will not have the expertise needed to fix it (and may make it worse). I may just have to live with it if there is no DIY level thing that can be done to improve it.
    – Vaccano
    Commented Apr 10, 2022 at 23:07
  • You can get both wooden & metal L-Trim which could be used to lap the edges.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Apr 11, 2022 at 7:28

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.