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Which Bathroom Tile is Right for You?
Introduction
The bathroom is the most popular room in a domestic home to find tiles. This is largely down to the hygienic and waterproof solutions they have compared to wallpaper, carpets and most paints.
In addition, tiles can add potential value to a bathroom and offer some unique finishes which can’t be matched by other materials.
Hygiene
Bathrooms need to be a place of hygiene, which tiles can certainly offer. With their ‘fresh’ appearance and ‘easy wipe’ surfaces, hygiene is one of the first things that come to mind when using tiles in the bathroom.
Tiles are also waterproof (when using the correct adhesive, grout, & waterproofing kits for shower areas) which is essential for any bathroom. This cannot be said for alternatives such as wallpaper and some paints.
What size tile would look best in my bathroom?
Most tile FAQ pages will advise you to avoid using large bathroom tiles (e.g. 60x30cm) in a small bathroom, as they will dwarf the room significantly. Although this is true for some cases, if the majority of the tiles can be applied without any cuts, the end result can be very impressive.
Although small tiles (e.g. 10x10cm) can look good in smaller bathrooms, the many grout lines (compared to using bigger tiles) can sometimes give an unappealing effect. Consequently, many people choose medium sized tiles (e.g. 40x20cm), which are a common choice for large and small bathrooms today.
You should also take note of the spacing between your washbasin, toilet, windows, etc. If the spacing is very compact, small tiles may be the better option, as they will ‘flow’ better than larger tiles.
How to make a small bathroom look bigger with tiles
Light coloured bathroom tiles (i.e. white or cream) can make small bathrooms look bigger as they reflect the light more than darker colours, giving an airy and spacious feel to your bathroom.
Using the same colour wall tiles as the floor tiles can also give your bathroom a spacious effect. To enhance the effect, you could use a similar coloured grout with the tiles.
Will tiles make the floor cold?
Floor tiles may feel cool on bare feet, but this can also depend on the surface underneath the tiles. For example, tiling onto wood (which can ‘breath’) will create a warmer feel than tiles that are placed on top of concrete.
Undertile heating is a modern solution to warming floors and entire rooms. There are many benefits to undertile heating such as giving you more wall space (no need for radiators), low running costs, and a more efficient way of heating a room (compared to a radiator).
How many tiles do I need for my bathroom?
Find out by using our tile calculator which will help you determine how many square metres of tiles you require.
Have you read our other free advice articles?
- Top 10 tips for choosing and buying tiles
- 10 reasons why to choose tiles
- Choosing a kitchen tile
- Choosing a natural stone tile
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