Bathrooms can be havens of calm, a personal space where you soak away your cares. Or they can be the vortex of the home, with a constant stream of people padding in and out across the day.
But when it comes to choosing tiles there are two golden rules you should follow, whichever way your bathroom is used. The tiles must be able to withstand the impact of water and steam, and the prevalence of anti-slip technology should be considered – although sometimes there will inevitably be a trade-off between style and performance characteristics.
Porcelain is without doubt the tile that delivers on both these counts. Because of the way it is manufactured, under greater pressure and at higher temperatures, porcelain is practically 100% waterproof. This makes it the perfect tile choice, particularly for wet rooms.
Textured surfaces will give your porcelain tile anti-slip properties. Or you might consider a mat finish mosaic, as the extra grout lines will also help to boost slip resistance. Just make sure to select a high-grade water-repellant grout.
Both porcelain and ceramic tiles are suitable if your bathroom is subject to high-traffic use, though if your budget can manage it, porcelain pips ceramic as the most durable option for floors.
The higher density make-up of porcelain means it is exceptionally hardwearing, so you won’t need to worry about scuffs and scratches even after years of footfall from people and even pets. This is particularly true of ‘through-body’ porcelain, where the surface colour continues throughout the depth of the tile.
The non-porous properties of porcelain tiles also make them a dream to maintain. Unlike tiles made from natural materials such as stone or marble, no specialist sealing is required after installation, and a straightforward mopping will keep bacteria at bay and your tiles in tip-top condition for years.
Once you have your floors and wet areas covered, your options become far more wide-ranging.
For example, ceramic tiles can be used here to create a fantastic feature wall or splashback, as can some high-glaze porcelain tiles.
It’s worth taking a bit of extra time and effort to ensure you select bathroom tiles that are best suited to their use within the space.
Yes, in some cases it might cost a little extra in initial outlay – but the result will be as long-lasting as it is visually stunning.