Zellige Bathroom Remodel
Canyon Lake, TX
This bathroom in a Canyon Lake hillside property was updated with handmade cream zellige square tiles on the tub surround walls and a matching floor tile on the bathroom floor. Zellige tiles are produced by hand in Morocco and have dimensional variation from tile to tile, which means they can't be installed the same way as factory-produced porcelain. We sorted the tiles by thickness before setting and adjusted the mortar bed under each tile individually to maintain a flat surface.
The tub surround installation included cement backer board, a liquid-applied waterproofing membrane, and a warm white grout to complement the natural color variation in the tiles. A separate penetrating sealer was applied to both the tile faces and the grout joints after curing.
What We Did
- Removed existing tile and damaged drywall; installed cement backer board with corrosion-resistant fasteners
- Applied liquid waterproofing membrane to full wet zone; extended membrane onto floor and behind tub flange
- Sorted zellige tiles by thickness; set with back-buttered mortar, adjusting for dimensional variation
- Grouted with warm white sanded grout; sealed tile faces and grout joints after full cure
Project Details
- Service
- Bathroom & Shower Tile
- Area
- Canyon Lake, TX
- Materials
- Handmade cream zellige square tiles; liquid waterproofing membrane; cement backer board; warm white grout
- Scope
- Residential bathroom, tub surround and floor
- Timeline
- Multi-day install
