Tiling Tips For Your Bathroom

Tiles are the most commonly used material in the bathroom — so one should be very careful to select the right one .The aim is to make your bathroom look stylish and personal. Since long the tile has been the bathroom standard as it is available in various designs and ranges.

You need to know your options before you decide .Bathroom tiles are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, patterns and textures to suit your personal need. Another factor to be taken care of is the personal need of the individual who is going to use it.

Some tiles are not appropriate for the damp atmosphere of the bathroom. For example Marble is very sensitive to humidity causing it to crack.   Laminate flooring on the other hand is not appropriate for bathrooms as it tends to be slippery and can cause accidents.

There are several tile materials like porcelain, ceramics and natural stone. Once you understand the unique characters of each it becomes easy to choose. For instance, porcelain tiles have limited designs in comparison to ceramic. Ceramic bathroom floor tile is very durable, slip and damp resistant and easy to clean. They make bathrooms safer and manageable. On the other hand unglazed tiles absorb stains easily and need frequent washing. Bathroom floor tile are available in many shapes like squares, rectangles, hexagons and octagons while accent tiles may be narrow and tapering.

Tile size is also another concern, particularly for the shower area. The bigger tiles are popularly used to give the contemporary but are unpractical for the shower floor due to drainage problems. The ideal tile size should be about 12 inches by 12 inches. It is better to use large tiles for the walls as they make the bathroom look bigger.

Here are some tips for bathroom tile ideas and tile colours:

1. When using solid coloured floor tiles in ceramic for bathroom flooring, it is better to add contrasting coloured tile borders .You can also use alternate coloured borders to give a better effect and break the monotony.

2. If you use the same colour ceramic tile for your floors and walls, make sure to choose a different tile size for them to make it look more interesting.

3. Another great tip is to choose a grout colors contrasting with the ceramic tile colors. For example, with white tiles use blue, red or yellow grout for contrast. Use of sealers is must to protect grout colours.

4. For a contemporary look, think about using bright and bold colors. Tiles with shapes or graphics also look good in contrast to plain backgrounds.

5. If your preference is to have a romantic or Victorian look, use floral tiles in soft colors like pink and light green. Colours play an important role as they greatly affect the mood, making you feel calm and relaxed.

6. Some people go for a Mediterranean look. In such a case a fusion of terra-cotta tiles, Mexican or other hand-painted tiles will work wonders for the floors.