Zellige Tub Surround in Cordillera Ranch
This tub surround and shower enclosure in a Cordillera Ranch home was tiled using handmade cream zellige tile. Zellige is a Moroccan-origin clay tile fired at high temperature, notable for its slight surface variation and luminous glaze. Each tile is unique, which means the installation requires more time in sorting and laying out tiles to achieve a visually balanced surface before any adhesive is applied.
Because zellige is a natural clay product, it absorbs water more readily than porcelain. A full waterproofing membrane was installed behind all tiles, and we used an unsanded grout in a warm sand tone to complement the tile's natural variation. The built-in niche was waterproofed independently and sloped forward at a slight angle to prevent standing water.
Project Details
| Service | Bathroom & Shower Tile |
|---|---|
| Area | Cordillera Ranch |
| Materials | Handmade cream zellige tile, sheet waterproofing membrane, unsanded grout in warm sand |
| Scope | Residential |
| Timeline | Multi-day install |
What We Did
- Installed full sheet waterproofing membrane behind all wall areas and treated the niche separately
- Sorted and dry-laid zellige tiles to distribute color and glaze variation evenly before setting
- Set tiles using white polymer thinset, adjusting each tile by hand to manage the natural thickness variation of handmade zellige
- Grouted with unsanded sand-tone grout, sealed the grout and tile after full cure
Zellige takes more care to install well, but the texture and light-play it creates in a bathroom is unlike any manufactured tile.
