- Serving St. Louis County & St. Charles County
Custom Shower and Bathroom Tile Installation in St. Louis, MO
Waterproofed. Precision-built. Warranted for life.
- Insured & Bonded
- Lifetime Shower Pan Warranty
- Double-Liner Waterproofing
- Premium Laticrete Systems
"I waterproof the hell out of my showers. I don't know anybody else doing a double liner system."
Landon Modglin
Tile Gurus provides custom shower and bathroom tile installation for homeowners across St. Louis County and St. Charles County, Missouri. Every shower is built with a double-liner waterproofing system, water-tested before tiling, and backed by a lifetime pan warranty. The company uses premium Laticrete systems and FlowFX linear drains, and handles everything from simple tub surrounds to full custom walk-in showers with natural stone, glass, and mosaic tile.
What Our Clients Say About Tile Gurus
Why Shower Tile Fails — and Why Most Homeowners Don't See It Coming
A shower is the hardest tile job in the house to do right. Water, gravity, daily use, steam, and tight spaces create more failure points per square foot than any other installation. When a shower fails, it doesn’t crack dramatically — it leaks quietly behind the wall for months before you notice.
By the time you see water stains on the ceiling below, mold in the grout lines, or tiles pulling away from the wall, the damage behind the surface is already significant. And in almost every case, the root cause is the same: the waterproofing wasn’t done properly.
One layer of membrane is the industry minimum. It’s what most installers use, and it works — until it doesn’t. A single crack, a missed corner, a puncture during installation. One weak point is all it takes.
That's why we don't use one layer. We use two.
Shower and Bathroom Tile Built for Water, Not Just for Looks
Every shower we build starts with waterproofing — not tile. We install a double-liner system: an old-school rubber liner as the primary barrier, followed by a modern topical membrane over the top. Both layers are applied before any tile is set. Then we water-test the entire system. If it doesn’t hold water perfectly, we fix it before moving forward.
This is not standard practice. Most installers use a single membrane layer and move straight to tiling. Our approach takes longer and costs more in materials. It also means we’ve never had a shower pan leak — and we back every one of them with a lifetime warranty.
From there, the build is fully custom. We work with porcelain, natural stone, glass, and mosaic tile. We build custom shower seats, niches, benches, and curbs to spec. We handle complex patterns — herringbone, chevron, basket weave, multi-stone designs — with full layout planning for every wall.
The details that most homeowners notice every day — drain placement, grout lines around fixtures, edge finishing, how the tile meets the glass door — are the details we plan for before we start. We use FlowFX linear drains with customizable grates instead of the cheap $15 builder drains most installers default to. Every cut, every transition, and every edge gets treated like it’s the thing you’ll look at first every morning.
We use Laticrete waterproof thinset that is completely submersible — not just water-resistant. Our grout is waterproof. Every tile gets hand-skimmed before setting. The entire system is designed so that even if one element is compromised, the layers behind it protect your home.
"If your shower pan leaks, I will tear it out and fix it for free. Because I'm that confident in my waterproofing abilities."
Landon Modglin
Signs Your Shower or Bathroom Needs Professional Tile Work
- Mold or mildew growing in grout lines that keeps coming back after cleaning
- Grout that's crumbling, cracking, or falling out between tiles
- Tiles that are loose, hollow-sounding, or pulling away from the wall
- Water stains on the ceiling below a bathroom — likely a pan or membrane failure
- Musty smell in or near the bathroom that doesn't go away
- Discoloration or soft spots in the wall near the shower
- A shower floor that doesn't drain properly or pools water
- A cheap builder-grade shower you're ready to upgrade
- A previous tile job that was done poorly and is starting to fail
- A bathroom remodel in progress that needs quality tile to finish it right
- Custom shower features you want — niches, benches, seats, or pattern work — that require a skilled installer
Seeing any of these? Call (636) 297-5165 before the damage spreads.
How Our Shower and Bathroom
Tile Process Works
01
Initial contact
Text or call with your project details. Photos of the existing bathroom are especially helpful for shower work.
02
On-site assessment
Landon evaluates the space, checks the existing substrate and waterproofing (if any), and discusses what you want built.
03
Estimate with options
Tiered options covering materials, waterproofing, features (seats, niches, drain type), and warranty level. Clear pricing, no surprises.
04
Demolition and prep
Old tile removed. Substrate evaluated and repaired. Walls leveled or mud-floated if needed. For historic homes, this step is critical.
05
Waterproofing
Double-liner system installed: rubber liner first, topical membrane second. Full water test before any tile goes on.
06
Tile installation
Hand-skimmed tiles, planned layout, premium Laticrete adhesives. Custom features (seats, niches, shelving) built to spec.
07
Final walkthrough and warranty
We walk through every detail. If anything isn’t right, we fix it. Lifetime pan warranty activates immediately. Full installation warranty of 5 years to lifetime.
Why St. Louis Homeowners Choose Tile
Gurus for Shower and Bathroom Tile
Double-liner waterproofing on every shower
Rubber liner underneath a topical membrane. Water-tested before tiling. This is not an upgrade or add-on — it's our standard. Nobody else in the area does this as baseline.
Lifetime shower pan warranty
If your shower pan ever leaks, we tear it out and fix it for free. We don't hedge this with fine print. The warranty is unconditional because the waterproofing is that reliable.
Submersible waterproof thinset
Our Laticrete adhesive isn't just water-resistant — it's rated for complete submersion. Even if moisture reaches the adhesive layer, the bond holds.
FlowFX linear drains
Professional-grade drains with customizable grates. Better flow, cleaner look, and a real upgrade from the $15 builder drains most installers use.
Custom features built to spec
Shower seats, niches, benches, curbs, and shelving — built into the structure, not afterthoughts bolted on.
Glass and mosaic expertise
We work with glass tile, natural stone mosaics, and complex multi-material patterns that most installers won't touch. Herringbone, chevron, basket weave, custom borders.
Layout planning for every wall
We plan the tile layout on every surface before we start. Symmetry around fixtures, consistent grout lines, clean cuts at transitions. No guesswork.
“I’m very big on symmetry. I don’t leave people with tiny, ugly cuts.” — Landon Modglin
Owner on every job
Landon leads the installation personally. The person you talked to during the estimate is the person waterproofing your shower.
Shower and Bathroom Tile Installation
Materials
Shower and Bathroom Materials
Porcelain
Durable, water-resistant, available in a wide range of sizes and styles. Most popular for shower walls and floors.
Natural stone
Marble, travertine, slate. Premium look with unique variation. Requires proper sealing and maintenance.
Glass tile
High-end accent walls, niches, and borders. Requires specialized cutting and setting techniques. Most installers can't work with glass.
Mosaic
Small-format decorative tile for shower floors, accent bands, niches, and custom patterns. Available in stone, glass, ceramic, and metal.
Waterproofing System
Primary barrier
Old-school rubber liner — proven for decades. Installed as the base waterproofing layer.
Secondary barrier
Modern topical membrane applied over the rubber liner. Together they create redundant protection.
Water testing
Full system is water-tested before any tile is set. If it doesn't hold, we fix it first.
Waterproof thinset
Laticrete adhesive rated for complete submersion. Even if moisture reaches the adhesive, the bond holds.
Waterproof grout
Part of the full Laticrete system. Prevents moisture from penetrating between tiles.
Flowfx Linear Drain
Customizable grate, superior flow rate, clean modern look. Our standard for all custom showers.
No Builder Grade Drains
We do not install the cheap $15 builder-grade drains that most installers default to. The drain is a functional and visual centerpiece of the shower floor it should perform and look like one.
- Built-in shower seats (tile-over or custom foam)
- Recessed niches and shelving
- Curbs and thresholds
- Benches
- Custom soap dishes and ledges
Recent Shower and
Bathroom Tile Installation Projects
Custom All-Stone Shower St. Louis Area
Full custom shower with two natural stone colors, herringbone pattern on the upper walls, and a stone base. Custom shower seat, FlowFX drain, and our full double-liner waterproofing system. This project took one month to complete and earned Tile Gurus a spot on The Tile Shop’s installer referral list based on work quality alone.
Master Bathroom Shower Remodel St. Charles County
Complete tear-out of a failing builder-grade shower. Previous installation used single-layer waterproofing and cheap thinset — tiles were separating from the walls within two years. We demolished the existing work, rebuilt with our double-liner system, and installed porcelain tile with glass mosaic accent niche. Full Laticrete system with lifetime warranty.
Historic Home Bathroom St. Louis
Bathroom renovation in a pre-1900s home with original plaster walls. Previous contractor attempted to install tile over failing drywall patches. We removed the failed work, mud-floated the walls to match the original construction method, waterproofed with our double-liner system, and installed natural stone tile throughout.
Serving St. Louis County and
St. Charles County
Tile Gurus provides custom Bathroom tile installation for homeowners across the greater St. Louis metro area, including:
Shower and Bathroom Tile FAQ
How much does a custom shower tile installation cost?
Cost depends on the size of the shower, materials selected, and complexity of custom features like seats, niches, and pattern work. We provide free on-site estimates with tiered options. A basic shower retile with premium waterproofing costs less than a full custom build with multiple stone types and custom features.
How long does a shower tile project take?
A straightforward shower retile takes about one week. Full custom builds with demolition, mud floating, double-liner waterproofing, custom features, and complex patterns can take two to four weeks. Our all-stone herringbone shower project took a full month due to the level of detail involved.
What makes your shower waterproofing different?
We use a double-liner system — an old-school rubber liner underneath a modern topical membrane. We water-test the system before any tile goes on. Most installers use a single layer. Ours carries a lifetime pan warranty because the redundancy makes failure virtually impossible.
Can you do glass tile or mosaic in a shower?
Yes. We specialize in glass tile and mosaic work that most installers won’t attempt. Glass requires specialized cutting, careful setting, and precise grouting. We use it for accent walls, niches, borders, and full shower features. It’s one of the ways to make a custom shower stand out.
What if my bathroom has old plaster walls?
St. Louis has a large stock of pre-1900s homes with original plaster and concrete construction. We specialize in mud floating — a traditional technique for rebuilding these surfaces to create flat, plumb walls ready for tile. Most modern installers don’t know how to handle this. We do it routinely.
Who is the best shower tile installer near me?
Ask your installer three questions: what waterproofing system do you use, do you water-test before tiling, and what warranty do you offer on the shower pan. If the answer is one membrane layer, no testing, and a one-year warranty — that tells you everything. Our answers are double-liner, yes, and lifetime.
Ready For a Shower
Built The Right Way?
Call (636) 297-5165 or request your free estimate. Double-liner waterproofing,
premium materials, and a lifetime warranty on every shower pan.