Bathroom tiles: porcelain, ceramic or natural stone

Tiles take up more of a bathroom budget than most people expect, and they are the hardest thing to change later. Choosing between porcelain, ceramic and natural stone is not only about looks. Each material behaves differently in a wet room.

Ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles are made from clay fired at a lower temperature than porcelain, with a glazed surface.

Good for: walls, splashbacks and light-use floors.
Strengths: affordable, easy to cut, huge range of colours and finishes, including handmade and glazed looks.
Weaknesses: more porous body under the glaze, and less hard-wearing than porcelain. A chip shows the clay colour underneath.

Porcelain tiles

Porcelain is made from finer clay fired at higher temperatures, so it is denser, harder and absorbs very little water.

Good for: floors, showers, walls, and outdoors.
Strengths: durable, very low water absorption, available in large formats and in finishes that imitate stone, concrete and timber convincingly.
Weaknesses: harder to cut and drill, heavier, and large formats need a very flat substrate and an experienced tiler.

For most bathroom floors and showers, porcelain is the practical choice.

Natural stone

Marble, limestone, travertine and slate bring a quality that manufactured tiles struggle to match. Every piece is different.

Good for: feature walls, vanity tops and floors in bathrooms where the owner accepts some maintenance.
Strengths: depth of colour and texture, and it ages with character.
Weaknesses: porous and must be sealed, and resealed periodically. Marble and limestone are etched by acidic products, including some cleaners. It costs more to supply and install.

We installed a white marble bathroom that shows how beautiful natural stone can be when it is properly detailed and sealed.

Slip resistance

Floors and shower bases need tiles with appropriate slip resistance. A polished tile that looks wonderful in the showroom can be dangerous in a wet shower. Ask your supplier for slip ratings and choose a matt or textured finish for shower floors.

Size and format

Large-format tiles mean fewer grout lines and a calm look, but in a shower floor they make it harder to create falls to the drain. A common solution is large tiles on walls and the main floor, with smaller tiles or a linear drain in the shower.

What lies beneath matters more

The best tile will fail if the waterproofing under it fails. In showers and wet areas, a proper waterproofing membrane must be applied and detailed at corners, drains and junctions before tiling. Use the right adhesive for the tile type and substrate, and leave movement joints where they are needed.

Grout

Cement-based grouts are standard. Epoxy grouts cost more but are stain-resistant and very water-resistant, which makes them good for showers and kitchens. Choose grout colour carefully: light grout on floors shows dirt quickly.

Our advice

Spend on the floor and shower walls, where performance matters, and save elsewhere. Look at tiles in natural light before buying, and always order extra, typically 10% or more, for cuts and future repairs. If you are planning a bathroom, see our bathroom work or get in touch.