Bathroom Tiles
Bathroom areas can be some of the most detailed and difficult areas to select tiles for, depending on what sort of design ‘feel’ you want. Below are several items that should be considered when trying to decide on a design ‘feel’ and hence, the right tiles for the job.
Recommended PEI rating for floor: 2 or above
Detailed and Intricate VS. Solid and Uniform
Detailed and intricate designs usually use a lot of decorative borders and inserts throughout the bathroom walls. Due to the extensive range of borders and inserts available, this can be done with traditional gloss finished tiles or rustic matt finished tiles. Contrastingly, solid and uniform designs typically make use of one main tile that is used on the floor and walls, giving the bathroom a very consistent and uniform look. Rustic stone looking tiles are typically employed with this type of style and are often used on the walls right up to the ceiling as well as on vanity countertops to really give that solid consistent look.
Tile Size
Traditionally, there used to be a limit to what size of tile could be installed on a bathroom wall, however, with today’s advanced installation products, this is no longer the case. Literally, any size tile can be used on a bathroom wall, whether it be a rectangular or square format; 6″x6″, 8″x10″, 10″x14″, 10″x28″, 16″x16″, 18″x18″ even 24″x24″.
Shower Areas
Traditionally, small format tiles (3″x3″, 4″x4″, 6″x6″, 8″x8″ etc) were used in shower areas mainly because the grout lines offered a more slip resistant surface and this is till done today. However, with today’s matt and non-skid finishes, large format tiles can also be used I these areas, making the area more ‘seamless’ and avoiding the common problems with cleaning grout lines in shower areas. Note that new Epoxy and stain resistant grouts can also prevent this problem.
Wall Tile Height
When tiling a bathroom wall, it is typical to just tile up to the height of the shower area, usually around 6′ or so. However, tiling a wall right up to the ceiling gives a definitively more elegant and cohesive look to the area. This technique has become more and more common in recent years.
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