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A large part of what makes a bathroom appealing is its walls and floors. More than anything else, they define the aura of the space with complexity and simplicity. That is why this guide is here to help determine which one of these bathroom tiles best suits the needs you have in your home.
Remodeling your bathroom into an aesthetically pleasing space may be costly but worth trying. The right kind of bathroom tiles is also essential since they impact the quality of a newly renovated bathroom. There are also a wide variety of options from surface type to size, which can be exhausting during the process.
What to Look For in Bathroom Tiles
Before you begin your search, consider the qualities a suitable bathroom tile should have.
Regardless of the material and design, they should be able to handle a lot of moisture and do not pose a considerable risk to children and the elderly. A suitable bathroom tile should have the following:
- You may use a gloss type for easier cleaning and maintenance for a bathroom with high foot traffic and moisture.
- If you have an extra bathroom reserved for guests, matte tiles may be applicable since they won’t need to be cleaned that much.
- For any bathroom in general, you may use large tiles that don’t require a lot of grouting.
You must also consider budget and installation, especially if you have a pre-existent bathroom. The demolition for that is a whole other thing that will take time and cost a lot of money.
The Types of Bathroom Tiles
We’ve come up with a couple of tiles to choose from so that apart from the design factor, you would also have a grasp of what kind of tile would suit the general needs of the users.
Vinyl Tiles
Vinyl’s affordability and practicality made it a trendy material for flooring in general. It fits nicely in almost any bathroom and checks out all the boxes in terms of durability, safety, and comfort. Over time, vinyl tiles manufacturers have improved in design and installation. It is also effortless to cut, and these tiles can stick independently.
Porcelain and Ceramic Tiles
They are among the best bathroom tiles choices and may come in different surface designs that imitate natural materials like stone or wood. Ceramic tiles are on the same level as vinyl regarding maintenance. The thing is, they are not as comfortable on bare feet. You might need radiant floor heat since it doesn’t do well regarding insulating temperature.
Installing ceramic tiles can be difficult as well, especially for DIY people. Coating these types of tiles with the use of a high-quality protective glaze will result in tiles that are wear and scratch-resistant. Porcelain tiles also have this fantastic durability compared to clay-based tiles, which is a bonus in case chipping happens.
However, it’s important to note that there’s a particular grade rated for these tiles to be used for flooring. For ceramic tiles, it’s grade 1 or 2. The Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI) sets the standard around PEI III for porcelain tiles.
Stone Tiles
Stone tiles have gained momentum among the material of popular tiles as well. They come in different materials like the following: marble, limestone, slate, and granite. Not only that, but stone tiles also come in many colors. These are also the following types of textures that stone tiles may have, along with other variations:
- Sandblasted
- Etched
- Cleft
- Tumbled
- Flamed
It may not be budget-friendly, though, as stone tiles are typically expensive compared to ceramic or porcelain tiles. Another drawback of certain absorbent stone tiles is their maintenance, so You should practice constant sealing and cleaning.
Plastic Laminates
Also called planks, these types are also a good choice, particularly for those homeowners who are constantly remodeling. The best part about this material is its capacity to stay as it is, leaving the floor height unaffected. Because it doesn’t increase the floor height, transitions are easier to pull off from one room to another.
This may not be that ideal in highly wet bathrooms since it doesn’t do well in retaining moisture. It tends to expand and buckle once the fiberboard has been infiltrated by said moisture. You might better use this in a powder room rather than a full-on bathroom.
Whatever tiles you choose to use, consider the primary needs of the space users above everything else. The durability and price come second since they are equally valuable in selecting the tiles for your bathroom. If you can’t do it alone, a Deck Builder in Dundalk, MD, might be the best choice for professional installations.
