QA

Question: How To Choose Tile For Shower

How do I choose a shower tile?

How to Choose Shower Tiles Think about the bathroom design as a whole and what shower tile will compliment. Choose a tile that complements the intended design of the bathroom. Look at the ceilings and walls to understand the color scheme to help decide if the shower should be bold or neutral.

What is the best size tile to use in a shower?

Bathroom Tile Size Advice: Floors, Walls, Showers & Tubs Area Recommended Sizes Small shower walls 1-inch square to 4-inch square Moderate or large shower walls 4-inch to 15-inch by 30-inch Bathroom floor 1-inch square to 12-inch square, or up to large-format Bathroom walls 4-inch square up to 12-inch by 24-inch.

Should you use ceramic or porcelain tile in a shower?

As porcelain is nearly waterproof, porcelain tiles are the best material to use when installing a wet room due to the levels of moisture. Ceramic is perfect to use all over in a standard bathroom especially with the wide choice of designs available including some with anti-slip properties.

What is the easiest shower tile to keep clean?

The bathroom tiles that are the easiest to clean are natural stone tile, glass tile, polished porcelain tile, and vinyl tile. Choosing one of these four tiles will help you save on cleaning products and cleaning time.

Can you use Carrara marble in a shower?

Why Do White Marble Shower Floors Require Special Care? No need to shy away from a crisp white marble floor when your tiles are well-defended with a regularly applied tile sealer! These Carrara marble herringbone tiles are a great shower floor option.

What’s the difference between porcelain and ceramic tile?

As stated above, the primary differences between porcelain and ceramic tile are composition and the manufacturing process. Porcelain is made using a mixture of finer clay packed at higher pressures and baked at higher temperatures in the kiln. Ceramic tiles are more porous and often have a higher water absorption rate.

How wide should grout lines be in shower?

Regular-format tiles (up to 16-by-16 inches square) call for grout lines 1/8 inch wide for floors. Large-format tiles, 18-by-18 inches wide, require a smaller grout line (1/32 inch). In general, don’t create grout lines larger than 3/16 inch, though slate and quarry tiles can work with as much as a 1/4-inch grout line.

What tile spacing should I use?

Spacers Size For a standard look, you should have 1/8 inch grout lines for the floor and 1/16 inch for the walls. If you are using regular sized tiles from 16 by 16 inches to 12 by 12 inches, you can go up by 3/16 inches, depending on the overall look you want.

Is porcelain slab good for shower walls?

Because porcelain is harder, more durable, and less porous than regular ceramic tile or natural stone, resists staining, water, bacteria and odors. To care for your porcelain slab shower or bathroom floor, we recommend you apply warm water to them with a towel or rag. Yes, they really are that easy to care for!.

Does porcelain tile break easily?

Maintenance and Repair Hard, dense, and solid, porcelain is resistant to most heavy stresses and can even be used in commercial environments. Be aware, though, that the hardness of porcelain can make it slightly more brittle than standard tiles, which means they can be more susceptible to cracking.

Is porcelain tile slippery when wet?

Ceramic and porcelain tile floors can be notoriously slippery. The very feature that makes tile easy to clean—its smooth, non-porous nature—also means that it is slippery underfoot. Add extra tile glazing, water, and dress shoes, and a rush to get to work can mean a trip to the emergency room instead.

Does porcelain tile need to be sealed?

The surface of most ceramic and porcelain tile does not need to be sealed, although some require a light application of a penetrating sealer to fill the micro pores on the surface of the tile. However, the grout joint between the tiles is usually very porous and generally made of a cement-based material.

Can you tile a shower without grout lines?

This raises the question, “Can you tile without grout?” We’ve done the research to help answer this question. In short, the answer is no. You shouldn’t attempt to tile without grout. Grout is necessary to protect your tile and the wall behind your tile.

Do all shower tiles leak?

Although ceramic tile itself is very easy to clean, tile showers have grout lines that need to be maintained. Unless regularly sealed, they will be prone to mildew, cracking, and possible leaking.

How long do tile showers last?

Showers made of tile will last for 20-years or more. However, they will require yearly maintenance to achieve such a long life. Showers made of prefabricated fiberglass or acrylic last around 10-years, with considerably less upkeep.

Is porcelain or marble better?

Whether they’re light or dark, marble tiles play with light, giving off a really beautiful effect. Natural materials, such as marble and granite, are more porous than manmade porcelain. (Porcelain is made from clay, so porcelain tiles are denser than natural stone.) This does make porcelain more resistant to stains.

Is a marble shower a good idea?

Marble is suitable for most showers and other wet area applications. There is some maintenance required if you want to keep your stone looking its best, but it is not a dealbreaker.

Can you put granite on shower walls?

Granite is a strong rock. When installed in showers, a sealant is added to give the granite additional protection. Together, granite’s natural hardness and the sealant make granite shower walls very resistant to cracks and chips. This will help you keep your shower in pristine condition for years to come.