×

How to Install Granite Shower Walls

Robert Sylvus

Granite shower walls combine durability with elegance without costing much more than some ceramic tiles. The material prices for natural stone tile vary greatly. A stone tile that has a higher price does not mean that it has a higher quality, it just means it's a rarer stone. Granite tile requires solid wall construction with a cement backer board attached. Granite, an igneous rock, does not scratch easily. Clean granite showers with any mild soap and water mixture. Some cleaning chemicals will damage natural stones like granite.

Every granite shower wall has a one-of-a-kind pattern.
  1. Inspect the cement backer board for loose or missing screws. Screw in one-inch drywall screws every eight to 12 inches, using the drill.

  2. Measure from the floor up the wall the length of a piece of granite, using a tape measure. Draw a level pencil line all the way around the shower at this height, using a four-foot bubble level as a guide.

  3. Mix thinset tile mortar in a bucket with a drill equipped with a paddle bit. Mix the thinset until it has a creamy consistency.

  4. Spread the thinset with a 1/2-inch notched trowel from the line down to the floor.

  5. Lean the bottom of the granite against the wall. Press the top into the thinset. Tap the granite into place with a rubber mallet. When the void behind the stone has filled, the sound of the mallet striking the granite will change.

  6. Adjust the granite until the top lines up with the pencil line. Place shims between the low spots on the floor and the granite.

  7. Cut the corner pieces with a wet saw. Measure from the full piece to the wall and transfer this measurement to a piece of granite. Cut the line with a wet saw. Install the cut pieces. Allow the thinset on each row to dry before continuing onto the next row.

  8. Mix unsanded grout in a bucket with water, using a margin trowel. Stir the grout until it turns into a thick liquid.

  9. Fill the seams between the granite pieces with the unsanded grout, using a grout float.

  10. Clean the granite with a wet sponge.