Tips On Choosing The Right Bathroom Tiles

Tiles are by far the most popular choice of material for bathrooms because they are hygienic, easy to clean and have water-resistant properties.

However, choosing tiles for your bathroom can sometimes be difficult due to the huge variety of styles, designs and textures available on the market. With this in mind, we have come up with some tips on choosing the right tiles for you.

Think Practical

Design is important, but practicality should be your first consideration when choosing tiles. For example, you might want to opt for a rough floor tile, as smoother ones may prove to be slippery when you step out of the bath or shower. However choose one that is too rough and you will forever have trouble cleaning the surface.

Remember that water-resistant doesn’t mean water-proof, and you need to ensure that you are tiling onto a water-resistant background. If you are tiling onto a wooden floor, the floor must be overlaid with plywood, backer board or an alternative product.

Ceramic tiles are the top choice for bathrooms as they are hygienic, easy to clean, durable and come in many styles. One thing to remember is that ceramic tiles can vary greatly with each pack, so it could be a good idea to double check them before you buy.

If you opt for natural tiling, you must buy tailored products for fixing, sealing and maintaining them so that they are protected from water staining and damage.

Be Bold

When you have decided on what tiling will be most practical for you, you must then think of the design you want. Why not make a statement with your tiling? Colourful tiles will instantly give your bathroom character and will provide a nice contrast if you have a white bathroom suite.

If you have a particularly small bathroom, it may be a good idea to choose lighter-coloured tiles, as they are more reflective of natural light and will make the room appear spacious. Similarly larger sized tiles will make the room appear larger.

Don’t be afraid to be adventurous with the patterns – if you are opting for smaller tiles, why not choose a variety of different colours and arrange them into a unique pattern. You can also use small tiles as a border to break up large, dull walls.

Don’t Settle For Cheap

Generally, using tiles add overall value to a property. When choosing your tiles, it’s important you do not opt for cheap materials as they are likely to crack, split or get damaged, which in turn could cost you more money as you will have to replace or fix them. You must be prepared to invest both time and money when you take on a tiling project. Porcelain tiles are harder and more durable in general than standard ceramic tiles however they are also harder to work when cutting and drilling.

Buy Extra

Always buy more tiles than you need, as this will keep you covered should you come across any breakages or cuts in the material. 10-15% extra is a good rule of thumb and always keep a couple of spare boxes for alterations or accidents in the future. There are many online tile calculators that can help you work out how much tiling you need to buy.

Underfloor Heating

Finally, nothing compliments floor tiles more than underfloor heating. If you have made the decision to replace or renew your bathroom flooring, then spare some time researching under-tile heating solutions. There are few things in life that beat stepping out of the bath and being greeted by a nice warm floor.

If nothing else ensure you spend sufficient time researching the different options, weighing up which one will be most beneficial to you given your bathroom specifications as well as your time and monetary budgets.