How to choose tiles for the bathroom and toilet: dimensions, design, corners

Ceramic tiles for the bathroom will never go out of fashion and will not become obsolete. A variety of design options, attractive appearance and excellent performance leave competing materials far behind. We suggest you plunge into the world of tiles and learn all about the intricacies of choosing a tile for a bathroom, the possibilities of design and decoration, as well as the characteristics that it has.

Tile is the best material for the bathroom

The tile was and remains an ideal material for decorating the walls and floor of the bathroom and toilet. Especially for those who doubt the choice of finishes for the bathroom, experts cite several weighty arguments in favor of tiles:

1. Chemical passivity of the material ensures tile harmlessness and resistance to any detergents.
2. The natural composition with clay as the main component makes the tile a natural and environmentally friendly material.
3. Practicality and compliance with high sanitary requirements are ensured due to the inability of the tile to absorb dirt and ease of washing.
4. Wear resistance, long-term preservation of the pattern and resistance to mechanical stress and shock make the finish of the bathroom from tiles very durable. Over the years, you only have to update the seams.
5. Simplicity of installation and the possibility of laying correction throughout the entire life of a tile allow even non-professionals to work with tiles.
6. The widest selection of colors, decor and surface types of tiles allow you to recreate any design style in the interior of the bathroom.

Tile performance

When choosing a tile for the bathroom, the first thing that they usually pay attention to is the coloring and decor. But in order for the tile to serve for a long time and not disappoint you during operation, the choice should be also be based on the quality characteristics of the finishing material, which legend can tell about on the package.

• The image of the palm indicates that the tile is intended for wall cladding, the footprint indicates that this tile is floor.
• Flask design means resistance to aggressive chemicals often used in the bathroom, tile resistance coefficient will be indicated in the form of letters A, B, C, D, where A is high stability, and D - minimal.
• The designation in the form of two letters AA on the tile packaging indicates a high degree of resistance to acids.
• The small squares of the mosaic warn that the tile for the bathroom from different parties may vary slightly in color.

Tip: the final shade of the surface of the tile in the production can change during the firing process, therefore, in order to in order to avoid discrepancies in color, it is advisable to buy tiles from one batch that went through firing at the same time. During the purchase process, compare products from different boxes by color.

• A double image of one symbol indicates an increased severity of a particular tile property.
• The wear and tear resistance class of the tile is indicated by Roman numerals from one to five. Class I is the lowest, products above class III are not used in residential premises and are intended for public buildings.
• The thickness of the tile for the bathroom, which varies from 6 to 12 mm, must be indicated.

According to international standards, there are three grades of ceramic tiles, each of which has different values ​​of the permissible percentage of rejects. For tiles of the first grade, this indicator is 5% per 1 m of finish, for the second - 5% per 2 m. The varieties of tiles are indicated on the package by color:

• 1st grade - red color;
• 2 grade - blue;
• 3rd grade - green.

Tip: for the bathroom and toilet, it is best to choose the highest grade tiles with the minimum possible number of defective products.

Choosing the size and shape of elements

The size of the tiles for the floor and walls can vary significantly, and therefore it is divided into four types:

• mosaic tiles having the smallest side size not exceeding 6 cm;
• a small side of which may have sizes from 6 to 19 cm inclusive;
• medium, the width of which varies from 20 to 25 cm, length - from 20 to 40 cm;
• large, with more significant parameters.

In the form of tile can be:

• square;
• rectangular;
• diamond-shaped;
• curly;
• round.

In order to choose the right size and shape of the tile, you need to know how much space your bathroom or toilet occupies, and how high quality aligned walls.

• The small size of the tile allows you to hide small irregularities in the wall, while large tiles require careful leveling.
• For large rooms there are no restrictions; you can choose your favorite tile of any size and shape.
• For small bathrooms as well as for separate toilet it is best to choose a tile of large or medium size. A large number of seams on the wall between small elements will visually reduce the already modest room.

Tip: when choosing a large tile, take into account that it will most likely have to be cut. Buy material in case of damage when cutting.

• Large rectangular tile elements, located horizontally, visually expand the space, therefore they are often used in the toilet. With a vertical arrangement of rectangular tiles, you can achieve a visual increase in the height of the ceiling.

• Small tiles or mosaics are suitable for large and medium sized rooms. It is well combined with other finishing materials, it can be used for facing convex or bent surfaces.

• Medium-sized tiles are most often used in the interior of small and medium-sized bathrooms, with its help you can lay out various patterns, especially for square elements.

An additional plus of large tiles is the minimum number of seams, which favorably affects the moisture protective properties of the finish.

Choice of floor tiles

What should be a high-quality floor tile for a bathroom? The tile for the floor is subjected to greater loads than the wall covering, so it must meet certain requirements.

1. The main safety requirement is a non-slip surface. It is best to choose a matte rough material - porcelain stoneware, a tile with a corrugated surface is also suitable.
2. Tile thickness must be at least 8 mm.
3. It is advisable to choose a tile labeled AA - it will withstand the effects of any detergents.
4. The moisture absorption of the tile should be minimal so that moisture does not seep inside, destroying the structure of the finish.
5. If you move around the bathroom in soft slippers or barefoot, then tiles of wear class I and II will be enough. If a large number of residents use the bathroom and toilet, the load on the floor increases, so it is better to choose a class III tile.

Important! Never use tile for walls as a floor covering, it will not withstand loads and will crack.

Why do you need corners for tiles

One of the most difficult moments in the process of laying tile on the wall is its docking at the external and internal corners. It is difficult for a novice master to correctly combine elements or trim them at an angle of 45 degrees. As the simplest, most effective and aesthetic way of joining tiles at corners, the use of special corners, which are sometimes called corner borders or baseboards.

Tile corners can be made of plastic, ceramic or metal.

1. Metal corners are highly durable and blend well with the shiny surfaces of faucets and other elements of the shower.
2. Plastic (PVC) corners have a wide selection of colors and light weight, have flexibility, can be glued using silicone sealant or a self-adhesive surface.
3. Ceramic corner borders are most often produced as part of the tile collection, therefore, they are ideally combined with the lined surface, making it one whole.

Advantages of using corners for tiles:

• the use of corner fittings allows you to simplify the procedure for laying tiles on the corners;
• external corners with installed PVC corners become safer;
• corner fittings additionally protect the joints between the tiles from moisture;
• installation of corners allows you to give the room a more aesthetic appearance;
• the corner increases the strength of the finishing layer by bonding two rows of tiles.

In addition to masking the joints of the tiles, a corner for the inner corner or corner border successfully solves the problem of the gap between the lined wall and the edge of the bathtub. Filling up cracks is extremely important, since water entering hard-to-reach places sooner or later leads to the development of mold and damage to the finish. For these purposes, a special border tape or ordinary decorative borders, laid at an angle, can also be used. However, a special concave skirting board with a rounded surface looks much more harmonious and aesthetically pleasing.

Important! Some corners are mounted under the tile in the process of laying, others - on the finished finish. The first perfectly waterproof the joint, but their installation is quite complicated, the second can be mounted even by novice masters. A plastic border is usually attached to a tile using Liquid Nails glue or sealant, and a ceramic one using tile glue.

How to choose a quality tile

When choosing a tile for wall cladding in the bathroom, use the following tips:

• The tile should have straight sides. For verification, you can attach two elements to each other alternately by different sides, the gap should not exceed 0.5 mm.
• Pay attention to the front surface of the tile - it should have a uniform color without spots and stains.
• All items must be the same size without deviation.
• The reverse side of the tile should not have defects in the form of cracks and chips, its structure should be uniform. A corrugated surface will contribute to better adhesion of the finish to the wall.
• Make sure that the tile does not have bulges and deflections.

Color matching

What color scheme is better to choose when creating a bathroom design? It depends on what effect you want to achieve.

• A selection of popular blue and green shades of tile will create a feeling of coolness and freshness. If you do not have a very warm or large bathroom, with such a design of the walls it will seem even colder and uncomfortable.
• The terracotta color of the tile, shades of pink, yellow and beige will visually warm the room.

• You can visually enlarge a small bathroom with a light tile in combination with a grout of light shades.
• You can improve the illumination and visually expand the space with the help of correctly located interspersed mirror tiles that reflect the light of the lamp.

• Bright tiles are not the best choice for bathroom walls; they quickly become boring and cause irritation. It can be used dosed as inserts.
• If you are attracted to white bathroom tiles, in order to avoid the effect of a hospital room, select embossed tiles with patterns, use accent inserts and accessories, buy non-standard sanitary ware colors.

It is quite difficult to choose a tile of different colors that is suitable for each other, so it is better to choose a tile from one collection. The standard collection usually includes:

• light background tile for walls;
• Dark background material
• border;
• decor;
• floor tile.

Choice of design and style

Tile is a universal material for design research, with its help you can create absolutely any style of bathroom interior. The design of the wall tile will depend on the chosen style of the room, although it may happen that the tile you like tells you the direction of the general style.

• The most popular is the classic tile design in the bathroom. He suggests a special way tile layingin which material of a darker shade is located in the lower part of the wall, a light tile is located in the upper part. To avoid monotony, the interior is enlivened by inserts, panels and other decorative elements. A classic option is a glossy tile in blue, white or beige colors, complemented by a decor of gold or bronze.

• The luxurious Mediterranean style in the design of the bathroom requires the use of natural shades of the sea coast for tiles: green, blue, blue, sand. The decor uses mosaics, themed panels and photo prints.

• Of particular interest are photo prints, which are a printed image on individual tiles, which together make up an integral picture. Tiles with photo printing can have any image, most often these are photographs of landscapes and architecture, paintings on different subjects. Using this technique, you can visually expand small bathroom.

• The hi-tech bathroom represents convenience and functionality and is suitable even for very small rooms. To design the floor and walls in a modern style, white, gray or silver tile is suitable. As decor elements, graphic patterns, mirror tiles, metal inserts and borders can be used.

• Art Nouveau style involves the use of pastel tiles in natural shades as a background. As accents can be used saturated colors, tiles with floral motifs, large mural. Mirrors and plumbing tiled with mosaics will look great.

To create different interior styles, you can use the thematic tile collections that are offered by domestic and foreign manufacturers.

Arabesque Tile Collections

Arabesque is the name of a series of ceramic tiles offered by four different manufacturers and featuring a unique combination of colors and shapes. Which one to choose is up to you.

The Cersanit Arabesque tile is a false mosaic and has an intricate oriental ornament enclosed in squares of a mosaic pattern. The tile for a bathroom from this collection has a glossy smooth surface and universal coloring of cream and chocolate tones. The Arabesque series contains floor and wall products, as well as borders and inserts. The floor tiles have a thickness of 8 mm and dimensions 333x333 mm, the thickness of the wall tiles - 7 mm, the size - 250x200 mm. The Cersanit Arabesque collection of tiles is suitable for creating a bathroom interior in different styles, for example, in oriental, art deco or modern.

The Arabesque collection by Gracia Ceramica (Russia, Shakhtinskaya Tile enterprise) makes a completely different impression. Tile for the bathroom has a matte non-slip surface and is made in three colors: blue, purple and brown. The Arabesque series contains stunningly beautiful decorative panels imitating watercolor sketches that fit perfectly into the interior of the bathroom and even a small toilet. The wall tile has the shape of a rectangle with sides 250x600 mm, the size of the tile for the floor is 450x450 mm.

The glossy curved arabesque tiles from the Italian company Tonalite have a non-standard design that allows them to lay out individual elements on the basis of puzzles, receiving an unusual shiny coating. The Arabesque collection contains tiles in three colors: black, white and gray. With its help, you can create a unique, sophisticated and rich bathroom interior.

The series “Arabesques” from the Spanish factory Halcon Ceramicas is made in milk and beige shades, contains background tiles for floors and walls, decorative inserts, panels, borders. The surface of the basic elements imitates noble marble, decoration elements are complemented by relief stylized flowers with four petals. Tiles "Arabesques" in this embodiment is able to create a luxurious and monumental interior.

Tile "Bamboo"

One of the varieties of imitation of natural materials with the help of tiles is “bamboo” tiles. Elegant and distinctive bamboo is increasingly found in the interior of apartments, and wallpapers are made from it. Due to the special conditions that are characteristic of a bathroom and toilet, natural bamboo cannot be used in these rooms. Lovers of nature, Chinese and Japanese motifs choose tiles that imitate bamboo for the bathroom. A feature of such a tile is that it not only has a characteristic “bamboo” pattern, but also has a relief surface imitating the structure of bamboo. Most often, such tiles are made in brown, greenish, beige shades characteristic of natural bamboo.

Bamboo tile collections are usually complemented by various decorative elements to diversify and emphasize bamboo canvases. It can be moldings imitating bamboo trunks, borders and inserts with flowers, leaves and floral ornaments, panels with images of oriental landscapes.

Marble Tile

Since ancient times, marble trim has served as a confirmation of luxury and wealth. A beautiful drawing of mountain marble attracts many and causes the desire to use it in the interior of the apartment. Unfortunately, even without taking into account the high cost of natural marble, this material is not well suited for decorating a bathroom. Marble is an absorbent, able to absorb dyes, does not tolerate contact with household chemicals and acids, iron-containing streaks can be damaged by rust. In this regard, it will be wise to use high-quality ceramic tiles in the bathroom instead of marble, which is practically indistinguishable from marble slabs.

Marble tiles can be floor and wall, have a different format and texture, a wide color palette and many variations of the pattern of natural marble. Advantages of the tile imitating marble:

• even the most expensive tile will cost you less than natural material;
• when used in a bathroom, tiles exceed marble in terms of performance;
• the design of marble tiles can be found at any manufacturer in each store of finishing materials;
• the beauty of the marble pattern can be emphasized with the help of decor elements offered by special tile collections.