When working on a bathroom remodel, there is one aspect that many tend to overlook: how to choose bathroom tile.
The tiles you choose for your bathroom are the foundation for your design.
They’re an important design choice, so you’ve got to be sure you’re picking the right ones for your room.
Here’s what you need to consider when you’re thinking about your new bathroom, and how to choose bathroom tile that is perfect for you.
How to Choose Bathroom Tile Materials
Before you do anything else, you’ll need to decide which material is right for your bathroom.
You’ve got a lot of choice, so you can pick the one that will work best for you.
1. Glass:
These tiles look fantastic when they’re installed, and come in a huge variety of colors. Because of this, you can use it to create the perfect look for your bathroom.
As they’re glass, they reflect light and so are a great choice for smaller bathrooms, too. As they’re quite difficult to install though, they will be more costly.
2. Ceramic:
This is a popular choice that you’ll see in all sorts of homes. They’re an inexpensive option but work brilliantly in a bathroom.
— They’re durable, waterproof and stain resistant, something that’s perfect for this room.
—Â They also don’t hold onto odors or bacteria, making them much easier to keep clean.
If you’re thinking of using it on the floor, ensure to find tiles that are designated ‘slip resistant’, to make them safe when they’re wet.
3. Porcelain:
Porcelain tiles are very like ceramic tiles, in that they’re durable and easy to clean, but they’re that bit tougher than ceramic tiles. They’ll also look fantastic in a bathroom.
As it’s not an absorbent tile, you don’t have to worry about it holding onto grime.
Thanks to its status as a tougher tile, it will cost more than ceramic.
4. Stone:
Stone tiles come in all kinds of shapes and styles, such as limestone, slate, and so on. They look amazing in a bathroom, but they can be porous.
This means you’ll have to spend longer cleaning them, or use specialist cleaning products.
If you want to use it but minimize the time spent taking care of it, you’ll need to place it outside of the shower or bath area.
How to Choose the Right Tile Colors
When it comes to how to choose bathroom tile colors, you’ll see that you can get almost any color of the rainbow.
The color you choose will depend on your own personal style and tastes.
Tile color is important if you want to create a design with your tiles, something that’s popular with many modern bathrooms.
If you want to do this, it’s a good idea to bring in a designer to help you create the look you want for your bathroom.
How Size Affects Color
On the subject of bathroom tile colors, you’ll also need to consider the size of your bathroom while picking them out.
—Â Larger bathrooms will work with darker colors.
—Â If your bathroom is on the small side, it’s best to go with lighter colors.
These will reflect light better, ensuring that your bathroom feels bigger than it is. This is also vital if you don’t have any windows in your bathroom, too.
The Rule Of Three
When planning the tiles you’ll use in your bathroom, remember the rule of three.
In any room, three different types of tiles are the maximum you should have.
If you start picking more tiles, then the room will start to look cluttered. This isn’t ideal when you want the room to look relaxing. Instead, stick to three types of tiles.
Pick the most expensive tile first, and work out how much of it you can afford to use. That way, you can plan the other tile types around it.
Tile Sizing Is Important
The size of your tiles has a large practical role in your bathroom design. At the moment, larger style tiles are very popular.
They look fantastic on the wall, and they’re perfect for shower seats as they’re much more comfortable to sit on.
However, you may be surprised to learn they’re not that great for your floors, especially the shower floor.
—Â The larger the tile surface, the more slippery they’ll get.
—Â This isn’t ideal in the shower, as you want to keep it safe for everyday use.
Pick a smaller tile for the shower floor, as this reduces the slip risk.
Don’t Forget The Grout
It’s not just the tiles that are important, it’s the grout too.
The grouting in between tiles affixes them together, and finishes off the tiling job. It’s essential that you choose the right grouting that works with your tiles.
You can usually pick between dark and light grouting.
The choice is very much up to you, as a grout that matches the shade of your tile blends in with it, while a contrasting shade will accent your tiles.
Remember if you pick a lighter grout, it will need more cleaning and maintenance, as it does tend to start looking dingy if you don’t look after it.
Pick One ‘Show Stopper’
When picking your tiles, it’s easy to get distracted by all the different options on offer.
There’s so many beautiful tiles, how can you be expected to stick to just one style?
As much as you want to include lots of different tiles, it’s best just to stick to one ‘show stopper’ style.
For example, use plain white tiles in your shower, then create a border at the top with a decorative tile. This stops the room from getting too crowded and visually noisy.
Think About Maintenance
Finally, think about how much time you have to spend on cleaning your bathroom.
As mentioned earlier, different tiles require different types of care.
You should factor this in when you’re thinking about which tiles to buy.
If you don’t have a lot of time, a ceramic tile will be better than a stone one.
Now, you know how to choose bathroom tile that is perfect for your home and remodel. Find the right tiles and make your bathroom look amazing.