Home Improvement Ideas Tile Installing Tile How to Tile Around a Window Recess Add style to your kitchen or bathroom while protecting your windowsill from splatters and spills with a tiled window recess. By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 4, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Nicole LaMotte Project Overview Total Time: 4 hours Skill Level: Intermediate Tiling around a window recess adds a whole new feeling to the design scheme of a room. With the right color, texture, and shape, window tiles provide the effects of a makeover without the costly expense of redecorating. And a tiled window adds a practical dimension as well: Tiles won't rot or stain, and they won't get scratched by cats seeking a sunny refuge. Choose the color first, then the texture (most often they go hand in hand). A neutral color will cause the window to recede or blend in with the wall. If you want to call attention to the architecture of the window, use decorative tiles but design judiciously. Too many bright colors and designs can overwhelm a room and defeat the purpose. If the window is situated on a wall that you're going to tile, tile the wall first. Use bullnose tiles to round off the edges of the window frame. That way you can make sure the grout lines of the recess are on the same plane as the wall. You can expect to spend about four to five hours tiling a standard 36x40-inch double-hung window. Before you begin, repair any structural defects to the window and make sure it's in good working condition. What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Pry bar Drill Handsaw Margin trowel Notched trowel Grout float Wide putty knife Caulking gun Bucket Sponge Materials Joint tape Joint compound Mortar Tiles Caulk Sandpaper Spacers Grout Rags Finishing nails Fiberglass insulation Instructions Better Homes & Gardens Remove Casing and Sill Remove the window casing with a pry bar and hammer, inserting a piece of scrap wood under the pry bar to keep from damaging the surfaces. Remove the stop molding if the tile will extend all the way to the sash. Remove the sill, cutting it with a handsaw if necessary. Better Homes & Gardens Insulate Gap Stuff insulation into the gap between the jamb and the wall but don't hinder the movement of the sash weights in an old double-hung unit. If you're tiling the wall, apply fiberglass drywall tape and compound. Feather the compound level with the wall. Let it dry and sand smooth. How to Install and Tile a Heat Shield Behind a Gas or Wood Stove PHOTO: Better Homes & Gardens PHOTO: Better Homes & Gardens PHOTO: Better Homes & Gardens Choose Edging Options Set Bullnose on the Wall: To finish the edge of a tiled window, you have several additional options. Instead of setting bullnose inside the recess, set it on the wall surface. Set the recess tiles first, then the bullnose. Use Corner Edging Tiles: Use corner edging tiles, similar to countertop V-caps (but without the raised lip that forms the front edge of the counter). Mark the wall where the edges of the corners will fall. Set the wall, then the corners, and then the jamb tile. Apply Decorative Border: Apply a decorative border strip around the recess; place bullnose or rounded field tiles on the jambs. Use bullnose if the border tile does not have a finished edge. Set the wall tiles and border first, then set the jamb tiles. Better Homes & Gardens Create a Tiled Molding (Optional) You can achieve an eye-catching effect with a tiled molding. Pry off the trim and build a molding from milled stock. Make the internal width of the molding 1/4-inch larger than the tile. Set the tile in thinset (applied with a margin trowel) or silicone adhesive. Better Homes & Gardens Set Tiles Spread and comb thinset on the sill plate, and set these tiles before the sides. Then mortar the jambs and set the side tiles, holding them in place with 8d nails. Pounding nails into hardwood causes tiles to shift, so insert finishing nails in a drill and spin them in. Grout tiles with a float. Everything You Need to Know About Window Materials Better Homes & Gardens Add Supports To create a straight grout line at the edge, install wall tiles flush with the jamb. Then set the ceiling tile in mortar and support it with three boards (battens). To avoid pushing the end tiles too deeply into the mortar, don't force the supports. Let the mortar dry. Better Homes & Gardens Caulk Joint Caulk the joint between the tiles and the window to prevent water damage. Choose a caulk that's the same color as the grout and smooth it with a caulking tool or a wet finger.