Your Guide to Bathroom Tiles and How to Choose the Proper Ones for Your Floors and Walls

If you are aiming to revamp your bathroom with new tiles on the walls and floors, you have a lot of options from which you can choose. Tiles play an important role; they not only make your bathroom look much better and have more appeal, but they also serve to protect your bathroom?s walls and floors as well as the areas behind your bath or shower and basin. You have a lot of choices indeed ? you can opt for natural stone'such as marble, or you can go for ceramic, glass, or porcelain as well. Along with this comes a multitude of finishes and shapes, but all these choices can make it even more difficult for you to settle on a single one. Here, then, is your guide to bathroom tiles and how to choose the proper ones for your floors and walls.

The materials 

You have two choices in regard to materials: either human-made tiles or natural stone tiles. Natural stone tiles have a lot of personality and character, but they'require more care, and you will need to reseal the tiles over some time to maintain their quality and the protection they give. Human-made tiles, on the other hand, are a great choice if you are on a budget, although they will not have the same unique character you will find in natural stone.

• Natural stone 

Natural stone tiles such as marble appear elegant and opulent, and you can choose from a wide array of tones and colours which vary from light to dark, with different patterns of veining thrown in as well. But while you can opt for both wall and floor marble tiles, you should avoid installing polished marble???????? on your floor because it can be quite slippery. You should also make sure that the marble is properly sealed, and ensure that any spills are wiped up right away.

Another natural stone, travertine, can also be a good choice with its beautiful and natural pitting, but you should choose filled travertine, so water doesn't penetrate through the stone. You can use it for both your walls and floors, but make sure it is adequately sealed.

Your other choices include limestone and slate, with limestone being timelessly stylish, although it can be easily scratched because it is a softer stone. If you want, you can use it for your en suite bathroom; it goes well with the look of pre-made steam showers. Slate can also be great if you want a darker shade, but it's recommended that you use it either for just the walls or only the floor, as too much of it can be quite overwhelming.

• Human-made tiles

When it comes to human-made tiles, you have choices between ceramic, porcelain, matt, and gloss. Ceramic tiles are quite affordable and easy to maintain, and although they're not as sturdy as porcelain, you can make use of them for both walls and flooring. Make sure, though, that the ceramic you want is suitable for flooring because some aren't. Porcelain tiles are a lot denser and are also easy to maintain, and they can be used for walls and floors.

If you want, you can also go for gloss bathroom tiles, which are known for reflecting light. They're particularly useful for smaller bathrooms as they make it look brighter and more spacious, and the gloss finish of the tile makes them easy to clean as well. Meanwhile, you can also opt for matt bathroom tiles, which can look similar to other materials like stone, wood, or cement. Matt tiles are also good at hiding watermarks, so you may want to consider this if you are concerned about having a clean look for your bathroom.