- Tub surround tile work: $2,000 flat.
- Kitchen backsplash tile work: $1,000 flat, labor.
- Tile floors: $3 per square foot labor, or $2 per square foot labor on jobs of 2,000 square feet or more.
Replacing Aging Builder Surrounds in Round Rock Neighborhoods
Many master and guest bathrooms in Williamson County subdivisions built in the 1990s and 2000s still have the original one-piece fiberglass insert or thin ceramic tile glued directly to sheetrock. Over decades of daily showers, caulking around the tub joint hardens and separates. Water vapor and splash seep past the tub flange, softening the wallboard and loosening the bottom courses. When we walk into a Round Rock home to evaluate a bathroom, we check the stability of the tub, look for soft framing around the valve, and determine what needs removal before new tile goes up.
Tearing out an old fiberglass surround or builder tile requires steady hands to avoid gouging the bathtub or damaging the supply plumbing. Once the old walls are down, we inspect the wood framing and the tub lip. If there is old water damage around the mixing valve or along the back wall, we address it before closing the wall. We do not set new tile over spongy framing or damaged sheetrock. Tub surround tile work is $2,000 flat, and we handle the complete setting process from the bare studs to the final cleanup so the surround stays solid.
Proper Substrate Prep and Waterproofing at the Tub Flange
A tile installation is only as durable as the wall assembly behind it. In a high-moisture tub surround, water vapor and direct spray will find any unsealed gap in the wallboard. We build the substrate using cement backer board or a bonded waterproof membrane over a stable backing, fastening the panels with corrosion-resistant screws into every stud. We pay close attention to the tub flange where the vertical wall meets the bathtub deck. The backer board must sit slightly above the lip rather than resting hard against it, preventing water from wicking upward into the wall board over time.
- Fastening cement backer board to studs with proper spacing so the wall does not flex under pressure
- Sealing all panel joints and inside corners with alkali-resistant mesh tape and thinset mortar
- Applying a bonded waterproof membrane across the wet zone to stop moisture from reaching the framing
- Leaving an expansion gap along the tub flange before setting the bottom row of tile
Setting Level Courses and Balanced Corner Layouts
Bathtubs are rarely dead level across their entire rim, and wall corners in Central Texas homes often drift out of plumb. We establish a true level baseline around all three walls before mixing mortar. Instead of starting with full tiles off an uneven tub ledge, we scribe and cut the bottom row to follow the contour of the deck while keeping every course above it flat and level. We center the layout on the main back wall so the cut pieces in the inside corners are wide and balanced rather than narrow slivers. This layout keeps grout lines continuous around the entire room.
Whether you choose classic subway tile, large format porcelain, ceramic, natural marble, zellige, or terrazzo, maintaining full mortar coverage is critical. We use the correct notched trowel size for the tile profile, burning thinset into the substrate and back-buttering larger pieces to eliminate air pockets behind the tile. In the inside corners where walls meet, we leave an open movement joint rather than wedging tile edges tightly together. This prevents stress cracking when the house framing expands and contracts during seasonal temperature and humidity changes.
Finishing Recessed Niches, Outer Trims, and Movement Joints
Details define the durability and look of a finished tub surround. If you want a recessed shampoo niche between the wall studs, we frame and waterproof the box so the bottom shelf slopes slightly forward into the tub for drainage. We plan the niche height around the tile layout to avoid awkward narrow cuts around the border. To finish the exposed outside edges where tile meets painted drywall, we install metal profiles in satin or brass finishes, or set bullnose tile edges that blend smoothly into the bathroom wall.
Grouting fills the joints between tiles, but it should never be used where walls change plane. We pack the field joints solid with cement grout, sponge the surface clean, and allow it to cure without leaving a cloudy haze on the tile face. Along the tub deck and down the vertical inside corners, we apply a flexible, color-matched silicone sealant. Hard grout in those joints will crack as the tub settles under the weight of water and occupants. A proper flexible sealant joint keeps that transition watertight and easy to maintain.
Working with Merlan's Tile from Selection to Clean Bathroom
When you hire Merlan's Tile, the same people who look at your bathroom and take measurements are the people who do the physical work in your home. We do not pass your project off to outside subcontractors. You can supply your own tile, or you can come with us to the tile supply house in Temple to select your ceramic, porcelain, mosaic, or natural stone in person. Because we purchase material directly out of the Temple supply house, you know that the exact tile you choose is what gets installed on your walls.
Once the installation is finished, we wipe down all tile faces, clear out mortar scrapings, and leave your bathroom clean and ready for plumbing fixtures. Every installation carries our written one-year limited labor warranty from the date of completion, covering issues arising from the original installation. The warranty does not cover materials, which fall under the manufacturer warranty, and does not cover modifications made after the installation is complete. For homeowners in Round Rock, we provide honest, direct craftsmanship on every tub surround we build.