Remodeling Your Shower: How to Transition From Tile to Drywall

It’s funny – most people, no matter how familiar they are with home improvement, never really think about how they should finish the tile edgings when they meet the wall until they’re actually at that point. Then they begin asking all the questions: Should they just stop? Grout the spot? Add a metal profile or commercial edging? What would be the costs?

The easiest way to transition from tile to drywall will be using what’s called a Schluter Profile — it is a material often used by professional builders and usually adds a metal accent to your finish. These are premade metal bars that are designed to fit over the tiles’ edges.

When it comes to tile-to-wall transition, there are many questions needed to be asked. For example: what look are you going after? What is your budget? Are you comfortable enough with tearing certain parts out and switching in a different backing material, or are you directly tiling on top of the drywall?

These are all factors that can affect your final edging option that will complete the tile to drywall transition in bathroom remodeling, and this guide is going to walk you through the process, so next time you know what you are doing before you even start planning.

First of all, why would anyone remodel their shower and put in tiles? Well, the answer is actually quite simple. Besides the endless possibilities in texture, imagery, and other aesthetics tiles bring, tiles are durable and moisture-resistant. This feature extends your shower’s lifespan, and you never need to worry about walls catching mold.

Also, tiled walls are a lot easier to maintain and clean. There are plenty of products designed for tile-cleaning, while drywall has been notorious for being difficult. On the other hand, tiles are one of the most affordable solutions compared to other water-resistant materials, such as marble. Tiling a bathroom could cost you as little as $25 per sqft, and even cheaper if you are doing the installation yourself.

The most popular edging option is a Schulter Profile, or Schulter Edge Trim. It creates a beautiful, modern metal accent by covering the raw tile edges with a pre-cut bar. Schulter Profiles is also one of the most affordable edging options. The pricing range from $10 to $30 depending on the length needed to complete your tile to wall transition.

Schulter Profiles will create a slightly raised transition with a sleek finish, perfect for those interested in having a minimalistic, futuristic shower room.

One alternative is to cover all four walls with tiles in your shower or bathroom. You can switch between different colors and textures for a more vibrant look, and you don’t need to worry about transitioning at all. The only drywall left when you choose the full-tiling route will be the ceiling.

Some individuals choose to smooth out the popcorn texture on their bathroom ceiling; others prefer to cover the ceilings with tiles as well. But at the end of the day, it’s all about creating a smooth, seamless transition, so your remodeled shower doesn’t look unfinished.

If you decide to hire someone for shower remodeling, the labor cost is typically something around $500 for a regular-size shower. Overall, you are looking at a minimum of $700 to complete your project when you add on the material cost. However, a professional handyman will take care of everything from tiling to transition and save you time and money in the long run.

In addition, the shape of your bathroom, the size of the remodeling area, the materials you prefer to use, and any specific request will all affect your final cost.

Throughout the entire shower remodeling process, proper tiling is the most challenging part. The tile to drywall transition? Not so much. After all, it’s just about putting in edgings. Therefore, many homeowners choose to combine professional labor and DIY work.

A good approach will be asking a professional handyman to handle the trickier tasks, such as mitering around challenging corners. Once that is done, you can take care of the rest yourself. So, have you thought about what look you want to go with?