On average, tiling a bathroom involves about 12 hours of labor, usually spread over two to three days to accommodate prep work and curing times. A professional tiler can often complete the installation in 6 to 8 hours, whereas a DIYer might take 10 to 16 hours. The total project time is influenced by factors like the bathroom layout, tile type, and necessary prep work, such as removing old tile. The process includes specific timelines for different areas; for example, tiling a floor takes about six hours, while a shower area can take six to ten hours. It is essential to allow for adequate curing time—typically 24 hours each—for the mortar, grout, and caulk, which is why the project extends over several days.

Your floors should be completely level for tile, otherwise you risk damaging the tiles in the future. When there are even small gaps or hills in the subfloor beneath the tile, this puts more pressure on the tile when you walk around on the floor. With repeated traffic, the tiles are at risk of cracking, and you’ll have to deal with tile repairs sooner than if the floor was completely level.

Replacing tile flooring can take a few days for a pro, but larger rooms will need more time. It takes eight to 12 hours for a tiling pro to remove old grout and tiles across 100 square feet. Then, it will take about four hours to prep the subfloor for tiles and another eight to 10 hours for a pro to install new tiles. Your tiling project may take up to a week, depending on the size of the room.

There are several different products that allow underwater repair. Pool putty can help repair chips, cracks, and loose tiles without draining your pool, but it should only be used for a temporary fix. Certain two-part epoxy adhesives will cure underwater, too. That said, while it is technically possible to fix pool tiles underwater, it is usually not ideal, depending on the depth of your pool. You will still have to reach the tile, which means you might have to dive and make the repair while submerged.