9 Tips for Choosing Bathroom Tiles

Today the tile market for bathroom just full of different options. You can find both a simple inexpensive tile and an exclusive designer one, but the range of different options is so vast that even experienced builders and designers sometimes find it difficult to navigate it and choose the option that is most suitable for specific conditions. So, what rules should be followed when choosing a tile for a bathroomso that it is beautiful, practical and durable.

No. 1. Decide on the design

Since the choice of tiles is quite extensive, in the bathroom you can create almost any design. The first thing that every customer pays attention to is color material. So, White color - This is a win-win option that can be easily combined with bright colored objects. To some, the white color seems too boring, but it is with its help that you can significantly expand the space of a small bathroom. But still, pure white walls are an unacceptable option, so it is better to choose a warm white shade or dilute the walls with some other color.

Great for bathroom blue and green shadesthat give a feeling of coolness as well warm beige and coffee shadeswhich create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere in the room. Bright shades better used as accents, and black color tiles makes the room gloomy, and is contraindicated if the room does not have a window.

Experienced designers when working with tiles advise take into account several nuances:

• artificial lighting can change the color of the coating, and this should be taken into account already at the stage of selection;
• glossy tile can tire eyesight, as it creates glare under the light of lamps;
• vertical drawings on the tile can visually do room above;
• large pattern tiles it is better not to use it if the bathroom is not very large, otherwise it will seem even smaller;
• for small bathroomsNaturally, it is better to use light shades to visually push the boundaries of space.

No. 2. Choose a style

There are a lot of various styles for decorating a bathroom, and each one requires a certain approach to choosing tiles.

Classic style

So, classic style It provides for dividing the walls into two parts: the upper one is finished with light-colored tiles, the lower one with the floor is made in a darker shade. Classic style It also provides a combination of tiles with ornaments and plain, and the color scheme should be the same.

East style

Great for bathrooms East stylewhich is conducive to relaxation. But in this way it is only possible to arrange spacious enough rooms so that in the end you don’t get too tight a space that has not a calming, but an annoying effect. If you decide to create an oriental interior in the bathroom, then pay attention to the tile of saturated colors: yellow, green, red, gold, turquoise, as well as options with a characteristic pattern. On the walls or on the floor can be laid out mosaic some kind of pattern.

Country style

More calm and gentle interior the bathroom can be obtained by using the style country, which is distinguished by delicate, pastel and woody shades. So, for walls you can use tiles of cream, pale pink, lavender, pale blue, and for the floor - tiles of terracotta shades. Pay attention to all the dim and blurry shades, the effect of aging and scuffs.

Minimalism

Minimalism, one of the most popular styles at the moment, offers the use of monochrome shades in the bathroom. To such a room does not seem boring, it is complemented by bright accessories.

No. 3. Type of tile surface: glossy, matte or mirror

Today on sale you can find glossy and matte tiles: both of them have a number of undeniable advantages, but when choosing you need to weigh all their basic properties so that the bathroom space is comfortable and cozy.

Glossy Tile

Glossy Tile - a more common option. It attracts buyers with its ability to reflect light and ease of care. But here it is worth being extremely careful. If a glossy tile of light shades gives almost imperceptible glare, then the dark one glare strongly, which can irritate eyesight. By the way, a glossy tile with a completely identical color will always seem brighter than matte.

Matte tile

Matte coating - more calm, does not reflect light, but traces of spray on it are more clearly visible. The material is great for the floor, as it has a slightly rough surface. Often matte tiles imitate some kind of material and have an interesting texture: you can find material like wood, pebbles, stone, metal, leather, etc. Such material will look great both on the floor and on the walls.

Mirror tile

Also on sale today you can meet tile with a mirror surfacewith which you can achieve a visual increase in space. Such a tile can lay one of the walls in the bathroom, you can use it only as an insert between ordinary tiles. By the way, such inserts can completely replace you full mirror. You can lay the mirror tiles diagonally on the floor or on the walls to achieve greater depth of space. In addition, such tiles are used today to decorate the ceiling in order to visually make the room taller.

Number 4. Choose a tile size

If the bathroom has decent areathen for walls and floor you can choose tiles of any size. If the room is tiny, which is found in most cases, it is worth approaching the choice of tile size with extreme caution. Small mosaic tiles can play a trick, and make the bathroom even more miniature. If you select a large tile, the space will be divided into several large geometric shapes, which will make the room even smaller. Small repeating patterns, like a large bright ornament for a small bathroom will not do.

Optimal for small spaces. - use of medium tiles. So, you can choose a square one with parameters 20 * 20 cm or a rectangular one with dimensions 20 * 30 cm. A rectangular one can correct the perception of the room: if it is laid out horizontally, it will make the room longer, and if vertically - higher. Tiles can be laid diagonally on the floor: this is how the illusion of extra space is created.

No. 5. Tile grade

When choosing a tile, it is important to pay attention not only to its design, color and size, but also to its operational characteristics, so that the material is suitable for use in a bathroom, does not slip, withstands all loads, is durable and durable. The manufacturer must indicate on the packaging about the type, category of the tile, its atmospheric and chemical resistance, the ability to use as floor or wall decoration.

First you need to deal with varieties of tiles. There are three of them, according to the European marking, and they are easy to recognize by the characteristic colors:

1. first grade - red marking,
2. the second is blue
3. the third is green.

First grade has the highest quality, no more than 5% of defective tiles are allowed, and testing is carried out from a distance of one meter to the samples.

Second grade also provides for defective samples up to 5%, but in this case, testing is carried out from a distance of 2 meters.

Third class tile does not differ in high quality, and in a batch more than 5% of defective products can be found.

Domestic manufacturers Such markings are rarely used, therefore, look for information on the possible percentage of marriage should be on the packaging.

No. 6. Physical properties

The signs on the packaging will help to understand the basic properties of the tile. So, floor tiles indicated a symbol of the foot, such a material is more reliable, strong and durable. Wall tiles marked palm icon.

It is also important to pay attention to resistance to chemicals. This property is marked with a bulb sign indicating the degree of stability: AA, B, C, D. When it comes to choosing tiles in the bathroom, it is better to take the most stable material (AA), since in this room there is always high humidity, detergents are used and cosmetic substances of various kinds. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting stains and stains on the material after a while.

Material durability indicated on the packaging in Roman numerals and may be of five classes. For residential premises, it makes no sense to buy material whose class is higher than the third, since the load on the tile will be minimal. If a small number of people live in the apartment, then you can choose the first class tile, saving a little.

Number 7. Manufacturer Name

Today manufacturer name plays a crucial role in choosing tiles. Many have already established themselves in this market, and will not lose their good name by releasing products of inappropriate quality. That is why it is better to pay attention to those companies that have been on the market for more or less long time and can boast of positive reviews.

Of course, you can safely recognize the leaders in quality Italian companies Valverde, Saloni, Tilegres. Their products combine excellent appearance and excellent performance, but such samples are not cheap. Also showed themselves well spanish manufacturersincluding Aparisi, Pamesa, Novogres, Ceramica.

Lithuanian and Slovak the tile also performed well due to the price / quality ratio. Also common chinese products under the brands Cimic, Omica, Hitom, and the prices for this tile are quite reasonable with high quality products. Domestic manufacturers, who use modern equipment, also produce excellent products that compete with world leaders in the field. These are Shakhty tiles, Kerama - Marazzi, Kerabud, Sokol Plant.

Number 8. Evaluate the appearance

Before buying, it would be nice to take a look at the tile and evaluate how well it is made. You should be guided by the following parameters:

• enamel must be holistic, without cracks, chips and other defects. There should be no foreign inclusions on it, and the presence of red or yellow stripes on it should immediately alert, because this is how defective tiles are labeled in production;
• increased demands are made on floor tiles. Does not interfere conduct such an experiment: Put the tile face on a rough surface and rub it, if there are no traces left, then the material is of high quality;
• regular geometric shape tiles and compliance with the parameters indicated on the package;
• water resistant: water should collect on the surface in droplets;
• non-slip surface, especially when it comes to floor tiles. This is easy to verify: just wet the surface and slide it over with your finger. If this can be done easily, and the finger glides well on the surface, then the material is not suitable for the bathroom, as it can be dangerous.

No. 9. We calculate the amount

Correctly calculating the number of tiles is very important. If it is not enough, then in the store it will already be possible not to find the one that will cause problems, and if too much, then it is uneconomical, and the excess will clutter up the free space. To correctly calculate the amount of material, you need to know parameters of the room and the selected tile, and to simplify the task, you can use a construction calculator. To the result, experts advise adding 7-15%.

In conclusion

The choice of tiles for the bathroom is a responsible task, which must be approached with special attention. It is necessary to take into account a lot of factors from appearance and size to operational characteristics and the name of the manufacturer, and then the material will delight you with its ideal appearance for many years. We hope that the above tips will help you make the right choice.

About laying ceramic tiles - read in our article: "LAYING CERAMIC TILES«