How to Choose Bathroom Floor Tiles

Choose bathroom floor tile that is bright and refreshing.

Because bathroom floor tile is nearly permanent once it is installed, it's important to choose bright and appealing floor tile for your bathroom. Bathroom tile is available in many sizes, shapes, textures, colors and designs, so it can feel overwhelming when choosing a specific tile. Before choosing bathroom floor tiles, carefully weigh the importance of the visual aesthetic, functionality and cost. Choose a bathroom floor tile that is not only visually appealing, durable and comfortable to walk and stand on, but also one that you can afford.

Instructions

1. Browse home improvement magazines or websites and collect pictures of bathroom floors you like. Gathering samples will help you determine the type of floor tile to purchase and give you a point of reference for tile designs.

2. Set a budget and choose a bathroom floor tile based on your budget. There are several types of bathroom floor tiles to choose from including stone tile (granite, sandstone, marble, limestone and slate), ceramic tile, quarry tile, glass tile, porcelain tile, mosaic tile and vinyl tile. Stone tile is very durable and visually appealing, but it's also the most expensive floor tile and gets slippery when wet. Naturally textured stone tiles like slate or sandblasted ceramic tiles are not as slippery. Ceramic floor tiles are a superb option for bathroom floors because they are inexpensive, extremely durable, easy to install and water resistant. Ceramic tile flooring comes in designs that look like stone, but at a much cheaper price. Quarry tiles are durable but come in limited colors. Glass floor tiles are beautiful, durable and water resistant but are also slippery when wet. Porcelain is slightly more expensive than ceramic tile and is very durable and stain resistant. Mosaic tiles come in sheets, so the installation process is much faster than installing one tile at a time. Vinyl floor tiles are inexpensive, practical, durable and easy to install, but they are more likely to harbor germs and peel up after several years of wear and tear. According to BobVila.com, vinyl tiles "don't last as long as sheet vinyl, though, and the gaps between them can be hard to seal."

3. Decide on the size, texture, pattern, shape, design and color of floor tiles you want to install. Large floor tiles are easier to clean, make bathrooms look bigger and are best for patterns that repeat. Small floor tiles are harder to clean because there is more grout around each tile, but they are easier to walk on because grout provides more traction underfoot. Textured bathroom tiles also provide good traction when wet. If you plan to sell your home, choose floor tiles that most home buyers find refreshing. Most homeowners and home buyers prefer floor tile with neutral colors like almond, cream, taupe, ivory and gray. Avoid installing dark-colored tile floors since darker colors tend to make bathrooms feel smaller.

4. Take photographs of the bathroom floor you plan to tile. If you cannot decide what type of bathroom flooring to purchase, share the photographs and magazine samples with tile shop staff. They can help you choose the tile flooring that fits within your budget. Tile stores often offer discount floor tile, so ask to see that selection as well.

Tips & Warnings

• Use water resistant grout when installing bathroom tile (excluding vinyl tile).

• Install a floor heating system under the tiles to warm up cold porcelain, stone or ceramic tiles.

• If you want the floor tile to last a long time, choose a durable and timeless tile like stone. If you don't care how long it lasts and/or plan to sell the home, vinyl tile might be the best option.

• Eco-friendly tiles made of recycled materials are usually available at local or online tile stores.

• Floor tile installation is a tedious job, so consider hiring a tile installer to install the tile for you.

References

• Bob Vila: Tile Trends
• Bob Vila: Choosing Bathroom Flooring