top of page

Bathroom and Kitchen Tiles - a (Complex)Love Story

Updated: Jul 26, 2023


This is a long one but only because there are so many different options and so many things to consider when choosing your bathroom and kitchen tiles. Both installation and the end result are massively decided by the type of tile you chose, how sound the area you are tiling is and what your expectations of the finish are. Occasionally, we need a compromise!


Types of tiles (expand for pros & cons)


Ceramic tiles – easy.

PROS: · Affordable. · Easy to install and clean. · Available in lots of designs · The batch and shade should always be the same. CONS: · Not ideal to mitre

Marble tiles – precious.

Glass tiles – delicate.

Porcelain tiles – easy.

Limestone tiles – precious.

Travertine tiles – easy.

Quarry tiles – precious.

Metal mosaic tiles – tricky.

Resin tiles – easy

Cement tiles – precious

Mosaic tiles - precious


cloakroom inc toilet and sink with patterned and textured tiled back wall.  Plain white floor and right hand wall tiles and rose shimmered herringbone backsplash on the left wall.
Cloak - plain + patterned and plain + textured tiles

Material isn’t the only choice when it comes to choosing tiles; the texture and pattern of the tile is also a biggie! We’ve pitched plain (smooth) against a textured tile and plain (colour) against a patterned tile.


Plain v Textured Tiles

Usually, a textured tile has a complementary plain tile to go with it. This is because a textured tile doesn’t (usually) fold well. A textured tile will have high and low points so it’s not possible to use that in a corner. Why? It causes a build-up of grout and that never looks good. On an outside corner we use a trim to cloak the edge of a tile. A textured tile will have peaks and troughs and the ‘peaks’ will sit proud of the trim which, again, doesn’t look good. While a textured tile is perfect for an accent wall, we would avoid putting a straight edge against it, a basin vanity, for example. We would also avoid using a textured tile in a wet area as the water tends to sit on the tile.


Plain V Patterned Tiles

As you can use both ends of the tile, a plain tile is usually more cost effective. A patterned tile is usually directional, so you can’t always use a cut off as they may face the wrong way; this means there tends to be more waste. Also, patterned tiles tend to be centred which, again, can cause more waste.


Aesthetically, a patterned tile can make a huge impact in a small room, and we have lots of clients who use them for a feature wall in ensuites and cloakrooms. However, if there is an irregular pattern, we do advise clients to go through them and select the ones they don’t love so much. We can always ‘hide’ these ones, so you don’t see so much of them. TIP: if you have a preference or feel like you might be irritated by some options, never let the tiler make the decision for you.


Grout Lines

How the grout lines are going to land will always be the client’s decision…but we do have preferences. We will always work out a tile plan and offer different options to give you all the information so you can see what the result will be. the final decision is yours!




Grout line options showing one centered tile and small cut tiles on the outside edges
A - center one tile with small cuts on each side

Grout line options showing grout line down the middle with two cut tiles either side
B - cut two tiles equally with centred grout line

Grout line options showing one whole tile off set and a cut tile down one side
C - offset one tile with small cut down one side

Style of trims

Style of trims will always be discussed before we start to tile. As with everything else, it comes down to personal choice, but we will share our knowledge and give you as much information as possible.


Different tiles allow for different edge finishes, so a trim isn’t always necessary. For example, a slim porcelain tile will always look better mitred, but this can be a costly detail, so an alternative is to polish and cloak the free edge. This works best with full bodied porcelain or natural stone, as the colour runs all the way through the tile.


The Prep

Tiling is a good example of preparation being the key to success. We spend more time on the wall and floor preparation, so the installation is a dream, and the finish is perfect. Working with the slabs is a skill we have developed over a long period time, that, combined with the specialist equipment we use, makes it look easy…it’s not! That first tile on a new job still gives the lads sleepless nights!


46 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page