9 Best Materials for Bathroom Tiles
With more tile materials than ever to choose from, designing your dream bathroom just got easier
As designers, we are thrilled that the development and continual improvement of special sealants, treatments and processes has now made it possible to use almost any type of material to line our bathrooms – we have a smorgasbord of design options to choose from. Let’s take a look at the top 9 materials used for bathroom tiles and see how their properties stack up to the job, both aesthetically and practically.
1. Ceramic
These tiles are made from a mixture of clays that have been pressed into shape and fired in a kiln at high temperatures. The surface can be unglazed or glazed. The glazing becomes hard and non-porous, making it suitable for bathrooms. The glaze can be high gloss, matt and have abrasive slip-resistant finishes added. It’s the properties of the glaze that determine whether it is suitable for floor or wall applications.
Good for: Renovators who are looking for an easy-fit, low- maintenance, practical tile. This choice can fit many budgets, styles and looks. It’s a good ‘all rounder’.
Find a bathroom designer near you
These tiles are made from a mixture of clays that have been pressed into shape and fired in a kiln at high temperatures. The surface can be unglazed or glazed. The glazing becomes hard and non-porous, making it suitable for bathrooms. The glaze can be high gloss, matt and have abrasive slip-resistant finishes added. It’s the properties of the glaze that determine whether it is suitable for floor or wall applications.
Good for: Renovators who are looking for an easy-fit, low- maintenance, practical tile. This choice can fit many budgets, styles and looks. It’s a good ‘all rounder’.
Find a bathroom designer near you
2. Terracotta
Terracotta is a type of ceramic, and all ceramics are highly absorbent in their natural untreated state. As terracotta is fired at lower temperatures, it has low density, is non-vitreous, and generally only suitable for dry areas. However, terracotta’s porous nature can be resolved with a good-quality sealant to make it suitable for bathroom use.
With its earthy, orange/red tones and classic rustic look, it’s a tile that’s inviting and simply oozes warmth.
Good for: Mediterranean-inspired schemes, so long as you don’t mind putting a little effort into regular maintenance and care.
Are Terracotta floor tiles right for your home?
Terracotta is a type of ceramic, and all ceramics are highly absorbent in their natural untreated state. As terracotta is fired at lower temperatures, it has low density, is non-vitreous, and generally only suitable for dry areas. However, terracotta’s porous nature can be resolved with a good-quality sealant to make it suitable for bathroom use.
With its earthy, orange/red tones and classic rustic look, it’s a tile that’s inviting and simply oozes warmth.
Good for: Mediterranean-inspired schemes, so long as you don’t mind putting a little effort into regular maintenance and care.
Are Terracotta floor tiles right for your home?
3. Porcelain
These are actually a form of ceramic tile but made from a much finer clay than ceramic. They are shaped by dry-pressing the clay dust to form a ceramic material that is fired at higher temperatures than ceramic, resulting in a very tough, extremely vitreous and dense tile, ideal for bathroom floors and walls.
Porcelain tiles can be glazed or unglazed. Due to their ‘through colour’ property, unglazed porcelain tiles are available in a variety of finishes from matt to high gloss, as well as textured (made to imitate natural stone). Glazed tiles can be ground and polished to produce a completely flat surface, making them ideal for glazing with high-resolution digital images fused onto the tile surface.
Porcelain tiles can also be ‘rectified’, which means the tile has been mechanically cut or ground to an exact size as opposed to being moulded and fired (so will have slight dimensional differences). This allows the tiles to be laid more closely together, giving you the added benefit of thin, subtle grout lines.
Good for: Family bathrooms, and for and those who like simple, clean, modern lines. It’s a diverse, ultra-low-maintenance tile that suits any modern family bathroom, including those that take a lot of wear and tear. Also great for those who like the look of natural stone without the hassle of the maintenance.
These are actually a form of ceramic tile but made from a much finer clay than ceramic. They are shaped by dry-pressing the clay dust to form a ceramic material that is fired at higher temperatures than ceramic, resulting in a very tough, extremely vitreous and dense tile, ideal for bathroom floors and walls.
Porcelain tiles can be glazed or unglazed. Due to their ‘through colour’ property, unglazed porcelain tiles are available in a variety of finishes from matt to high gloss, as well as textured (made to imitate natural stone). Glazed tiles can be ground and polished to produce a completely flat surface, making them ideal for glazing with high-resolution digital images fused onto the tile surface.
Porcelain tiles can also be ‘rectified’, which means the tile has been mechanically cut or ground to an exact size as opposed to being moulded and fired (so will have slight dimensional differences). This allows the tiles to be laid more closely together, giving you the added benefit of thin, subtle grout lines.
Good for: Family bathrooms, and for and those who like simple, clean, modern lines. It’s a diverse, ultra-low-maintenance tile that suits any modern family bathroom, including those that take a lot of wear and tear. Also great for those who like the look of natural stone without the hassle of the maintenance.
4. Glass
A vibrant tile available in a variety of bold colours. Its reflective quality provides a dramatic, unique and distinctive appearance, lending itself to feature walls or accent panels or strips. Because of its luminous quality, it comes to life and creates a lovely effect when featured with strip lighting. No sealing is required as it is naturally impervious to water and is stain-resistant.
Good for: Contemporary bathrooms. For use on feature walls, panels and shower recesses. Also great for those who want that wow-factor without the maintenance.
A vibrant tile available in a variety of bold colours. Its reflective quality provides a dramatic, unique and distinctive appearance, lending itself to feature walls or accent panels or strips. Because of its luminous quality, it comes to life and creates a lovely effect when featured with strip lighting. No sealing is required as it is naturally impervious to water and is stain-resistant.
Good for: Contemporary bathrooms. For use on feature walls, panels and shower recesses. Also great for those who want that wow-factor without the maintenance.
5. Natural stone
There are many different types of natural-stone tiles available, all of which are less dense than porcelain tiles, so will absorb water. This means they require sealing to make them water- and stain-resistant for bathroom use.
Natural-stone tiles are cut to size. Therefore, like rectified porcelain, they can be laid close together, creating a thin grout line.
There are many different types of natural-stone tiles available, all of which are less dense than porcelain tiles, so will absorb water. This means they require sealing to make them water- and stain-resistant for bathroom use.
Natural-stone tiles are cut to size. Therefore, like rectified porcelain, they can be laid close together, creating a thin grout line.
6. Marble
A sophisticated, classic, smooth stone that works beautifully in both modern and traditional bathrooms. Its distinctive natural veining adds interest and drama to your bathroom with colours ranging from black, grey, rose and blue to white. It’s available in polished (gloss, high-gloss) or honed (satin, smooth with little or no gloss) and comes in a range of sizes in both slab, tile or even mosaics, which are becoming increasingly popular. Marble tiles can be used for floor and wall applications but are most commonly used as a feature due to its high price.
Good for: Those for whom budget is not an issue, are looking for a classic, sophisticated look, and don’t mind the extra care and maintenance required. Not a practical tile for the everyday family bathroom.
A sophisticated, classic, smooth stone that works beautifully in both modern and traditional bathrooms. Its distinctive natural veining adds interest and drama to your bathroom with colours ranging from black, grey, rose and blue to white. It’s available in polished (gloss, high-gloss) or honed (satin, smooth with little or no gloss) and comes in a range of sizes in both slab, tile or even mosaics, which are becoming increasingly popular. Marble tiles can be used for floor and wall applications but are most commonly used as a feature due to its high price.
Good for: Those for whom budget is not an issue, are looking for a classic, sophisticated look, and don’t mind the extra care and maintenance required. Not a practical tile for the everyday family bathroom.
7. River rock/pebbles
If you are looking for that ‘natural’ look, you can’t go past the river rock and other pebble-type tiles. They can look great in bathrooms and feel lovely underfoot.
They usually come in sheets and it is advised that you get a reputable tiler to lay them. The last thing you want is to see the outline of the individual sheets.
These have more grout than standard tiles, and with the rounded rocks, there will be slightly more resistance to water flowing across the floor to get to the drain. If used on the floor, consider increasing the pitch of the floor a little to aid in the water draining.
Good for: Bringing a bit of nature into your bathroom. Fits in well with coastal homes. Its informal, casual look makes it a popular material for holiday-home bathrooms. You can’t go wrong using it in a family bathroom, as it is hard-wearing and easy to care for.
If you are looking for that ‘natural’ look, you can’t go past the river rock and other pebble-type tiles. They can look great in bathrooms and feel lovely underfoot.
They usually come in sheets and it is advised that you get a reputable tiler to lay them. The last thing you want is to see the outline of the individual sheets.
These have more grout than standard tiles, and with the rounded rocks, there will be slightly more resistance to water flowing across the floor to get to the drain. If used on the floor, consider increasing the pitch of the floor a little to aid in the water draining.
Good for: Bringing a bit of nature into your bathroom. Fits in well with coastal homes. Its informal, casual look makes it a popular material for holiday-home bathrooms. You can’t go wrong using it in a family bathroom, as it is hard-wearing and easy to care for.
8. Travertine
Another popular choice for bathrooms. It has a lot of character, with its creamy, golden and reddish colours, along with its naturally occurring pores, holes and veins. Great for that classic or rustic look, depending on the tile’s finish.
The two main finishes used in bathroom applications are honed and tumbled. Honed tiles undergo extensive grinding and sanding during manufacturing to create a uniform surface that has a smooth marble-like finish, but aren’t as shiny as polished. Tumbled tiles have a highly textured surface with the least amount of shine. Their rounded edges and textured surface give these tiles a rustic, aged look.
Regardless of the finish, these tiles must be properly sealed to make them impervious to water and easier to maintain. The holes can be filled with grout during the grouting process to help stabilise the stone, keep it clean and give it a finished appearance; or left unfilled to provide a more natural look.
Good for: Those who like a classic tile with character. Suits people with a higher budget who don’t mind the maintenance required.
Another popular choice for bathrooms. It has a lot of character, with its creamy, golden and reddish colours, along with its naturally occurring pores, holes and veins. Great for that classic or rustic look, depending on the tile’s finish.
The two main finishes used in bathroom applications are honed and tumbled. Honed tiles undergo extensive grinding and sanding during manufacturing to create a uniform surface that has a smooth marble-like finish, but aren’t as shiny as polished. Tumbled tiles have a highly textured surface with the least amount of shine. Their rounded edges and textured surface give these tiles a rustic, aged look.
Regardless of the finish, these tiles must be properly sealed to make them impervious to water and easier to maintain. The holes can be filled with grout during the grouting process to help stabilise the stone, keep it clean and give it a finished appearance; or left unfilled to provide a more natural look.
Good for: Those who like a classic tile with character. Suits people with a higher budget who don’t mind the maintenance required.
9. Cement tiles
Unlike ceramic tiles that are made from clay and fired, cement tiles are a cured sand-and-mortar mix, made by hand using traditional manufacturing processes requiring several steps. The colour mixture is hand-poured into moulds, then a layer of cement is sprinkled on top to provide a bond between the colour layer, the cement and sand-tiled body. It is then hydraulically pressed and cured under water.
They are non-vitreous, so definitely require sealing.
Good for: Those after durability with design flexibility. Also great for people who want an industrial look or design feature for their bathroom.
Floor Tiles: Monochrome Marvels in the Bathroom
Unlike ceramic tiles that are made from clay and fired, cement tiles are a cured sand-and-mortar mix, made by hand using traditional manufacturing processes requiring several steps. The colour mixture is hand-poured into moulds, then a layer of cement is sprinkled on top to provide a bond between the colour layer, the cement and sand-tiled body. It is then hydraulically pressed and cured under water.
They are non-vitreous, so definitely require sealing.
Good for: Those after durability with design flexibility. Also great for people who want an industrial look or design feature for their bathroom.
Floor Tiles: Monochrome Marvels in the Bathroom
Read more:
10 Tips on Getting Bathroom Tile Layout Right
Tile Guide: Which Tiles Are Perfect For Your Kitchen & Bathroom?
Tell us:
Do you have a favourite type of bathroom tile? We would love to know.
10 Tips on Getting Bathroom Tile Layout Right
Tile Guide: Which Tiles Are Perfect For Your Kitchen & Bathroom?
Tell us:
Do you have a favourite type of bathroom tile? We would love to know.
With the use of sealants and special non-slip applications, it is now possible for a greater variety of materials to be rendered suitable for wet area use, providing us with endless design options.
The two main properties to consider for bathroom tiles are their vitreosity, which is the tile’s ability to absorb water, and ability to provide good slip-resistance (for floor tiles in particular). Both are important attributes for a wet area.
‘Non-vitreous’ tiles absorb water, making them unsuitable for areas in your bathroom where there is a high saturation of water, such as the shower or even areas prone to splashes. They can, however, be used for accent areas or powder rooms where minimum water is in contact.
As well as vitreosity, it is extremely important that the floor tiles have a high ‘coefficient of friction’. The higher this is, the more slip-resistant the tile is. Check with your supplier that the slip rating for your selected tiles meets with Australian standards.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at the properties of the top 10 materials used for bathroom tiles, see where they are most suited, and what needs to be done so they can effectively be used to create a design that not only looks great but is also practical.