Your bathroom represents the hygienic sense of your family. As the bathroom is the most important part of your home, choosing tiles for your bathroom is a very critical decision… There are some key points to be kept in mind while choosing tiles for your bathroom out of the stocks available in the market. You will find different types of tiles, including ceramic, glass, slate, metal tiles, small and large tiles, plain or patterned tiles, and smooth and textured files. We have tried our best to make this decision easy and good for you.
Key points in the selection of bathroom tiles
Material: The quality of the material you choose is very important. There are so many types of tiles you can find in the market still marble, ceramic, vinyl, and mosaic are the most important types of titles that are generally recommended.
Resistant to water: When you are looking for bathroom tiles, the water-resistant properties of tiles become very important. You should go for highly water-resistant tiles like mosaic and ceramic compared to laminates and hardwood, which have low water resistance.
Durability: Tiles like brick, ceramic, and vinyl are highly durable tiles, whereas the tiles like granite and marble have lesser durability and are easily prone to cracks. No one will want a bathroom with cracked tiles.
Structure: There are so many tiles with different shapes and sizes available in the market, but the tiles you choose for your bathroom highly depend on the size and theme of the bathroom decided by you.
Maintenance: The ease of maintenance for tiles is measured with the help of the number of grooves and the texture of the tile. For example, stone tiles need special types of cleaners, while the other tiles can be cleaned with the help of commonly used cleaners.
General instructions for choosing tiles
Use textured and interesting tiles
For bathroom floor tiles, texture tiles are generally recommended. A rougher texture is less slippery when it is wet. For wall tiles, shiny tiles are a good option. To reduce starkness, go for embossed tiles, which will make your walls interesting, especially when you use tiles with one or two colors.
Prefer smaller tiles for your small bathroom
Small tiles are especially recommended for a compact bathroom, especially when there is little space between your sink, tub, and toilet. These smaller tiles will need less cutting for proper fitting around the objects. In the case of a big bathroom, you should go for larger tiles with minimum grouting in between. Also, panels or borders of smaller tiles gave a fantastic look when used in contrasting or complementary colors.
Tiles for Showers
Shower floors and walls are sources of a lot of fun. Tiles with water-related themes are preferred here.
Tiles for Bathroom walls
For walls, you may go for two options. The first option is to use different types of tiles, such as marble, ceramic, clay, granite, stone, slate, glass, etc. The second option is using a mosaic of different stones and tiles. In modern trends, showers and bathrooms with mosaic designs are preferred.
How to Lay Bathroom Tiles
Laying bathroom tiles is a job that can be either very simple or extremely difficult. It all depends on how many tiles you are laying and where exactly in the bathroom they need to go. Some people decide that the job at hand is completely out of their capabilities, so they hire experts to do the task. However, if you decide you will have a go at it yourself, here are a few tips to help you avoid the most common mistakes when laying bathroom tiles.
It’s all in the Preparation
The room must be properly prepared in advance when laying new bathroom tiles. The surface where you intend to lay the bathroom tiles must be clean and smooth to get the tiles laid straight and even. A light sander took over the surface, thoroughly cleaning and drying the area will result in a professional look, and the tiles will be well set.
You should also ensure that before you start, you have around 15% more tiles than you need. This way, you will not run out of bathroom tiles if you have any unexpected breakages or need more tiles than you think due to cutting out and around the walls and other items. It doesn’t matter if you have a few leftovers at the end of the job – they will always come in handy at some time in the future if any of the tiles you have used become cracked or discolored and need replacing.
The Right Adhesive
The adhesive you use can make the difference between a job well done and one that is “just okay”; for this reason, you should be careful to get the right one. If you place bathroom tiles around the bath, shower, or basin areas, the adhesive must be waterproof. If you do not use a waterproof one, you will encounter many problems later on when the bathroom tiles crumble away from the wall due to all the moisture getting in behind them. Remember, the smallest crack will allow water in, but the risk of this happening can easily be taken care of using the right adhesive.
How to Grout
Similar to adhesive, grouting, if not done properly, can lead to numerous problems. Allow the bathroom tiles to set for 24 hours before grouting around and in between the tiles. Spread the grout mixture evenly using a squeegee or sponge and concentrate on small areas at a time. Ensure the grout has reached all the parts it should be running a dowel lightly over it and remove any excess grout as you go as it is much more difficult to get rid of it when it has been allowed to dry and set.