Walk-in shower or bathtub?

A walk-in shower suits ensuites and anyone who wants an easy step-in. A bathtub suits main family bathrooms with young children, and homes where it would be the only tub — many buyers look for one.

What size tile works in a small bathroom?

12" x 24" works in almost any bathroom, including small ones. 12" x 12" suits uneven floors and tighter budgets. 24" x 48" is best kept for large rooms, because most tiles get cut in a small one.

RedGard, Schluter or DensShield?

All three work when installed as a complete system. RedGard (a liquid painted over cement board) suits showers with lots of corners and niches; Schluter Kerdi (a sheet membrane) suits curbless and steam showers; DensShield (a water-resistant board) suits shower and tub walls but isn’t used on shower floors.

Linear drain or regular drain?

A linear drain slopes the floor one way, so large tile and a no-step entry are possible. A round or square centre drain costs less and works best with mosaic tile.

How big and how quiet should the fan be?

About 1 CFM per square foot: 50 CFM for a small bathroom, 80 CFM for a typical main bathroom, 100–110 CFM for a larger one. 1.0 sone or less is quiet; 0.3 sones is almost silent.

Bathroom Design Guide: Shower, Tile & Waterproofing

A bathroom renovation comes down to a handful of choices. The first few shape the layout and most of the budget; the rest are about comfort and finish. Most photos here come from bathrooms we renovated, including one we rebuilt from the studs in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Key takeaways

01The shower sets everything else. Tub, walk-in or custom glass decides the layout, the glass and a big share of the budget.
02Moving the toilet costs the most. It needs a new drain and venting; keeping fixtures in place keeps costs down.
03Drain and floor tile go together. Mosaic works with a round or square drain; large tile needs a linear drain.
0412" x 24" is the most popular tile size. Bigger tiles suit bigger rooms and flat floors.
05Waterproofing matters more than the tile. RedGard, Schluter Kerdi and DensShield all work as one complete system.
06Fans: about 1 CFM per square foot. Under 1.0 sone is quiet enough that people actually use it.

Tub, walk-in or custom glass shower?

The biggest decision in any bathroom. It sets the layout, the glass and a large part of the cost.

Bathtub with shower
A tub with sliding glass doors or a curtain. Doubles as a bath and a shower.
SuitsFamilies with young kids · Main bathrooms · The only tub in the house
Our KW build
Walk-in shower
A tiled shower with one fixed glass panel and an open entry — no door to clean.
SuitsEnsuites · Easy step-in · Making a room feel bigger
Custom glass shower
Glass panels and a door made to measure, closing the shower in fully.
SuitsOdd sizes and corners · Keeping steam in · High-end frameless look

Keep the layout or move things?

Keep fixtures in place
The toilet, shower and vanity stay where the drains already are. Everything else can still be brand new.
SuitsControlling cost · Faster timelines · Layouts that already work
Move fixtures
A new spot for the toilet or shower means new drains and venting, and often a permit.
SuitsAwkward layouts · Adding a larger shower · Ensuites and basement bathrooms

Shower floor: drain and tile go together

The drain decides how the shower floor slopes — and that decides which tile can go on it.

Round drain + mosaic
The floor slopes from all four sides. Small mosaic tiles bend with the slope and give the best grip.
SuitsBudget projects · Kids and seniors · Classic look
Square drain + medium tile
Same four-way slope with a cleaner look. Some take a tile insert so the drain almost disappears.
SuitsModern look · Mosaic or medium tile
Linear drain + large tile
A long drain along one wall. The floor slopes one way, so large tiles fit and the step can go.
SuitsLarge tile · Curbless (no step) · Seamless floors

Curb or no curb? The same choice seen on two real showers:

Curbed shower
A low tiled curb holds the water in. The shower floor slopes from all sides to a centre drain, here with mosaic tile.
SuitsMost showers · Round or square drains · Any floor framing
Curbless shower
No step: the bathroom floor runs straight under the glass to a linear drain at the back wall. The shower floor sits slightly lower to slope the water away.
SuitsEasy access, ageing in place · Large tile throughout · A seamless, open look

Shower with black hexagon mosaic floor tile and a glass panel — Black hexagon mosaic on a shower floor: more grout lines means more grip underfoot.

Tile size

Each drawing is the same 5 x 8 ft floor, to scale. Fewer grout lines look calmer — but very large tiles get cut a lot in small rooms.

12" x 12" (1 x 1 ft)
Classic, easy to handle, more grout lines. About 40 tiles on this floor.
SuitsSmall floors · Uneven floors · Tighter budgets
Most popular
12" x 24" (1 x 2 ft)
The most popular size: clean lines and forgiving to install. About 20 tiles.
SuitsAlmost any bathroom · Floors and walls
24" x 24" (2 x 2 ft)
Fewer grout lines; the floor has to be flat. About 10 tiles.
SuitsMedium to large floors · Main bathrooms
24" x 48" (2 x 4 ft)
The fewest lines, but heavy, and mostly cut in a small room. About 5 tiles.
SuitsLarge ensuites · Feature walls · Big showers

Waterproofing

Tile and grout are not waterproof. The real protection is a waterproof layer right behind the tile — the old plastic sheet behind the board lets the board soak.

Side by side: plastic sheet behind cement board lets water soak into the board; a membrane right behind the tile stops water

RedGard
A liquid painted over cement board in two coats. Goes on pink, turns red when dry — one seamless skin.
SuitsNiches and benches · Lots of corners and pipes · Quick turnaround
Schluter Kerdi
Orange sheets set in tile mortar, with matching corners and drains. Even thickness everywhere.
SuitsCurbless showers · Linear drains · Steam showers
DensShield
A tan-faced board used instead of cement board. Seams, corners and screws still need sealing.
SuitsShower and tub walls · Tighter budgets · Walls only, not floors

Walls outside the shower

Only the shower and the area around a tub need tile and waterproofing. The rest is a style and budget choice.

Paint
Moisture-resistant drywall with satin or semi-gloss bathroom paint, and a tile baseboard.
SuitsPowder rooms · Basement bathrooms · Tighter budgets
Half tile
Tile 36"–48" up the wall, paint above. Protects the part that gets splashed and bumped.
SuitsKids’ bathrooms · Busy family bathrooms · Classic look
Full tile
Tile floor to ceiling. Seamless and easy to wipe — or do just one feature wall behind the vanity.
SuitsEnsuites · Spa-style bathrooms · One feature wall

Toilet and vanity

Floor-mounted toilet
The classic. Easy to replace later; no wall work needed.
SuitsQuick updates · Walls staying closed
Wall-hung toilet
The tank hides in the wall; the floor underneath is fully open to clean. Seat height is set when installed.
SuitsFull renovations · Small rooms · Easy cleaning
Floor-standing vanity
Doors and shelves, with the most storage space.
SuitsStoring bulky items · Traditional look
Floating vanity
Mounted on the wall with drawers; shows more floor, with room for a night light underneath.
SuitsModern look · Small bathrooms · Easy floor cleaning

Exhaust fan: size and noise

Two numbers matter: CFM (how much air it moves) and sones (how loud it is). Too small and the mirror stays foggy; too loud and nobody turns it on.

Small
50 CFM
Powder rooms and small bathrooms, up to about 50 sq ft.
Medium
80 CFM
Most main bathrooms, about 50–80 sq ft.
Large
100–110 CFM
Larger bathrooms, about 80–100 sq ft.
Ensuite
150 CFM+
Big ensuites with a separate shower, tub and toilet (about 50 CFM each).

Bar chart comparing typical bathroom exhaust fans by airflow in CFM and noise in sones

Noise	Sounds like	Suits
0.3 sones or less	Almost silent	Ensuites next to a bedroom
0.5–1.0 sones	A quiet fridge hum	Most bathrooms
1.5–2.0 sones	Noticeable	Basement and utility bathrooms
3.0–4.0 sones	A loud rattle	Basic builder fans

Vent the fan outside, never into the attic. A humidity sensor turns it on by itself. Long duct runs reduce airflow, so size up one step.

Lighting

General
Pot lights
Even light for the whole room, with a wet-rated one over the shower. On a dimmer.
Task
Mirror light
Side lights or an LED mirror light your face evenly, without shadows.
Accent
Night light
An LED strip under a floating vanity or in the niche, on a sensor.

Where to shop for fixtures and vanities

Local showrooms and stores where you can see vanities, toilets, faucets and shower systems in person. Bring your picks to your site visit and we’ll check sizes and rough-in details before anything is ordered.

Plumbing supply
AAR Plumbing
Plumbing and heating supply with bathroom fixtures, faucets and shower systems. aarplumbing.ca
Vanities
Royal Bath
Bathroom vanities, mirrors and fixtures in a wide range of styles and sizes. royalbath.ca
Bath specialist
Bath Depot
Bathroom specialist with vanities, toilets, tubs, shower doors and faucets. bathdepot.ca · Kitchener-Waterloo store
Big box
The Home Depot
In-stock vanities, toilets and fixtures for quick projects. homedepot.ca · Kitchener-Waterloo stores
Big box
RONA+ (formerly Lowe’s)
Vanities, toilets and fixtures; Lowe’s stores in Canada now operate as RONA+. rona.ca · Kitchener-Waterloo stores

See it built

Our Kitchener-Waterloo bathroom from studs to finish. Compare the before and after.

01
Opened up and re-plumbed
New pipes and the frame for the wall-hung toilet.
02
Solid backing
Wood in the walls for the toilet, vanity and glass.
03
Cement board
Shower walls boarded, niche framed, floor sloped.
04
Waterproofing
Every wet wall and the whole floor.
05
Tile
Large porcelain set flat with a levelling system.
06
Finished
Walk-in shower, floating vanity, wall-hung toilet.

Your choices

We fill this in together at your site visit — it becomes your drawings and a firm quote.

Decision	Options	Your choice
Shower	Bathtub / walk-in / custom glass
Layout	Keep fixtures / move fixtures
Drain and shower floor	Round + mosaic / square / linear + large tile
Tile size	12x12 / 12x24 / 24x24 / 24x48
Waterproofing	RedGard / Schluter Kerdi / DensShield
Walls outside the shower	Paint / half tile / full tile / feature wall
Toilet	Floor-mounted / wall-hung
Vanity	Floor-standing / floating; width
Exhaust fan	50 / 80 / 110 / 150 CFM; sones
Extras	Niche / bench / heated floor / night light

Related services

Bathtub with shower

Walk-in shower

Custom glass shower

Keep fixtures in place

Move fixtures

Round drain + mosaic

Square drain + medium tile

Linear drain + large tile

Curbed shower

Curbless shower

12" x 12" (1 x 1 ft)

12" x 24" (1 x 2 ft)

24" x 24" (2 x 2 ft)

24" x 48" (2 x 4 ft)

RedGard

Schluter Kerdi

DensShield

Paint

Half tile

Full tile

Floor-mounted toilet

Wall-hung toilet

Floor-standing vanity

Floating vanity

50 CFM

80 CFM

100–110 CFM

150 CFM+

Pot lights

Mirror light

Night light

AAR Plumbing

Royal Bath

Bath Depot

The Home Depot

RONA+ (formerly Lowe’s)

Opened up and re-plumbed

Solid backing

Cement board

Waterproofing

Tile

Finished

Bathroom questions we hear most

More guides

Media Wall Design & Selection Guide

Kitchen Design & Selection Guide

Ready to plan your project?