| Another option is individual boards installed one at a | | | | Whether you hire it done or do it yourself, you need |
| time. Redwood comes to mind due to its widespread | | | | to decide just how far up you want to come. The |
| use in saunas. It does work in bathrooms although | | | | majority of tiled walls seem to stop at a point 36" |
| you do have to be careful about the pattern you | | | | above the floor. That used to be pretty much in line |
| use. And if your bathroom is too small, what you | | | | with the top of the vanity backsplash. However, with |
| wind up with is something that looks like the inside of | | | | the advent of taller vanity bases -some of them |
| a walk-in closet. A reasonably experienced D-I-Y'er | | | | being as much as 36"- you may find a need to adjust |
| will have little problem installing solid lumber, but realize | | | | the height of the tiled wall. |
| that there's more to it than just nailing the lumber in | | | | If you're tiling part of the wall yourself, don't think |
| place. All those finishing nails used to install the lumber | | | | that you have to do it the way the manufacturers |
| will have to be countersunk with a nail set. Then you | | | | tell you. More often than most D-I-Yers care to |
| will have to sand the walls once the lumber is in and | | | | admit, you can't do it that way. For example, in order |
| finally apply a protective clear coat. It's a lot of work | | | | to get a proper fit of wall tile when the floor is not |
| and much more time consuming than pre-finished | | | | perfectly level, it may be necessary to do the exact |
| paneling, but the final appearance is certainly worth it. | | | | opposite of normal. Instead of starting at the bottom |
| Ceramic tile | | | | and working your way up, start with the bullnose tile |
| What? You thought ceramic tile only went on the | | | | piece (that's the piece that creates the finished |
| floor? Think again. Since you are likely installing | | | | edge) and work your way down. In this way, the |
| ceramic floor tile in your new or remodeled | | | | bottom piece can be cut so that it's an exact fit. |
| bathroom, why not use the same treatment on the | | | | Slower and against all the rules, but it works. And, as |
| wall? Basically, you have two choices: All the way to | | | | they say, if it works, don't knock it. |
| the ceiling or halfway up. The choice is yours, but the | | | | When you opt to tile only part of the wall, there's |
| thing that probably cautions against running tile all the | | | | the question of what do you use on the upper part. |
| way to the ceiling is that it winds up looking like a | | | | While it's possible to choose tile board or wood |
| commercial restroom. It's likely that you'll find the | | | | paneling, the probability is that you will prefer either |
| halfway approach to be the most attractive. | | | | wallpaper or paint. |