Tile is the pretty 10%. This page is about the dry 90%.
Every failed surround we tear out in Berlin tells the same story: decent tile over drywall, greenboard, or mastic that re-emulsified years ago. The tile did not fail — the wall behind it dissolved. Our rebuilds assume water WILL get past grout eventually, and manage it: cement board that doesn't swell, a bonded membrane on every wet surface, sealed fasteners, and silicone — never grout — at every corner and tub joint.
In Berlin we photograph every membrane coat with that day's date: Berlin's most common call: a fiberglass surround gone yellow and chalky around a perfectly good tub — re-tile the walls, keep the tub. Dry walls are a system, not a material — and the system is what our workmanship stands on.
Surround tile we set most in Berlin — each suits different baths and budgets.
Dense, wipeable, the value default.
Calm modern walls, fewer joints.
Plumbing-wall art that costs little.
Pattern, grip and vintage charm.