Do you plan to renovate your bathroom now or in the near future?

Would you like inspiration to create the one and only perfect bathroom in your mind?

If you want your bathroom to be relaxing and peaceful, it’s worth considering important details at all stages of the project. If you are going to renovate your bathroom, how should you choose tiles and grout?

Let’s find out!

Nordland

It is essential to keep in mind when designing an interior decor for a bathroom that we will use it for a long period of time; therefore, it is not only about the way it looks, but also about the ease of use of it. See collection

Renovation projects for bathrooms usually focus on the way the bathroom will look after the project is complete. As we search for suitable tiles, we consider their colour, format, bathroom fittings of the right size and shape, as well as other accessories and components.

In addition, it is essential to remember that bathrooms are often used for a particular purpose – for example, the need to adjust to temperature differences and humidity levels, or to keep the place clean and neat.

In order for a bathroom to meet our expectations, these issues need to be addressed as well.

Fire Rocks

Over the course of a year, more water is poured on tiles than on a roof. That is why this room must be maintained carefully. See collection

There are no ceramic tiles particularly designed for bathrooms since, as a matter of fact, any wall or floor tile could be used in this environment. Nonetheless, there are a few aspects to consider when choosing tiles for your bathroom.

Everywhere there is water…

Water will not penetrate ceramic tiles, even when they are directly in contact with a large volume of water. Nevertheless, they will serve their purpose, provided they are treated appropriately.

Tiles and grout need to match the location where they are to be installed when choosing for a bathroom. This is very important when we want to use ceramic tiles in a shower recess. As tiles set in such a place will come into direct contact with large volumes of water, it is essential to apply at the very beginning a proper moisture-proof protective coating to the wall itself (hydro-isolation), as well as a coating to the tiles themselves.It is important not just to select proper grout, which will ensure protection against moisture, but also to apply it carefully.

Craftland

Never leave any grout spaces empty. This could lead to tiles absorbing water. It is particularly hazardous for rectified tiles, in which the contact point between water-proof glazing and the ceramic body is very thin. See collection

A joint that is not filled thoroughly with grout may cause white or bright wall tiles – due to water absorption – to change colour (the underlying tile will be visible through bright glazing). Although this process can be reversed, it requires a lot of time and multiple operations.

Incorrect ventilation and the wrong type of grout can also cause problems. A bathroom with excessive moisture may cause mould contamination on grout lines, but the tile itself should not be affected. A lack of grout between joints, leaving an area of unglazed tile exposed, can lead to discoloration (which cannot be removed). Sadly, the only solution would be to remove the tiles from the wall.

A tile’s texture is important to consider when choosing tiles for your bathroom. When laying tiles in a shower recess, we should choose smooth tiles as possible. Eventually, water will build up limescale deposits on tiles due to uneven surfaces and they will be more difficult to remove. In spite of the color of the tile, you should clean your tiling regularly with cleaning agents that can dissolve limescale deposits, removing them from the ceramic surface. Our bathroom will be easier to maintain and use if we do this.

There are times when it’s sunny, and there are times when it’s raining…

We find that the bathroom is a place in our house where temperature varies most frequently.

During a bath, temperature and humidity are raised, and then, after opening the window to let some fresh air in, they quickly drop (temperature jumps are common during colder seasons when opening the window causes the bathroom to become rapidly cooler).

Calacatta

Temperature differences in the bathroom at different times of day and at night should be considered when selecting materials for its renovation. This applies to ceramic tiles as well. See collection

In addition to considering thermal expansion of the materials used in bathroom tiles, we must also consider the temperature swings during installation. The width of the joints between tiles becomes important in this case. If you are using 30 x 60cm or 60 x 60cm tiles in a small bathroom, the joints should be at least 2mm wide. It is safer to have wider joints when you are installing floor heating. On the other hand, for wall heating (installed behind tiles), it is better to use gres tiles. You might have to deal with thermal shock to the tiles. When poured on the face of heated ceramic tiles, cold water quickly cools them down. A rapid temperature drop is less likely to damage gres tiles than wall tiles.

Neither friction nor cracking

Bathrooms are a place where movements of various materials can be observed at points where floor and wall tiles meet (corners, crevices) as well as where tiles meet other materials or fittings, such as water-closet bowls, washbasins, and bathtubs. The grout must be flexible (e.g. silicone grout) in such areas. If not, stress acting on surfaces may cause one of them to be damaged.

Lightmood

How about a wall-hung toilet pan or an integrated washbasin? Sure! No problem! All you need to keep in mind is that tiles with geometric patterns, raised surfaces, or embossed surfaces cannot be used. See collection

It is best to use smooth tiles rather than textured ones when laying tiles behind washbasins or on underlying surfaces of wall-hung toilet pans because of material stresses.

By using this method, surfaces can be joined not only aesthetically, but also safely – forces acting between materials will be distributed evenly, which will virtually eliminate the risk of damage to tiles or bathroom fixtures and fittings.

There are times when cleaning can become a nightmare…

Another significant aspect of maintaining our bathrooms is keeping them clean. In this room, it is particularly important to ensure cleanliness and to do so, we use various chemical agents. The fact that dirt is only deposited on the surface of ceramic tiles and is not absorbed makes it critical to use cleaning agents designed for ceramics. Neither do they leave a film on tiles or harm less durable grout lines.

Urban Colours

Decorative tiles will give your bathroom a unique feel, but if improper cleaning agents are used, it is easy for them to become damaged. See collection

Detergents with peeling agents (micro-pellets) are not recommended, but if you must use them, be careful not to rub them in one spot. If we do so, we can damage the glaze (resulting in a worn-down appearance). In general, the most fragile part of a tile is the delicate granilia. However, if you have used decorative tiles with metal plating in your bathroom, you can also damage the effect of the metal plating. The tile will lose its original appearance as a result.

It’s worth taking a closer look at bathroom tiles since they’re usually chosen to last for a long time. In this way, we can choose a tile that meets our needs. Not only the colour and shape of tiles are important, but also their performance – the complete and thorough filling of joints with grout. The combination of all of these elements will transform a new bathroom, even if it’s a small one, into your own home spa where you can relax and unwind after a long day.