Bathroom tiles: varieties, design options and selection criteria

It is difficult to imagine a modern apartment without a bathroom, and that, in turn, is inconceivable without a tile. This is not surprising, because in conditions of constantly increased humidity and the same temperature, most other finishing materials would quickly deteriorate, but the tile is durable and looks very beautiful and extremely easy to clean.

Meanwhile, modern manufacturers produce such a wide range of products that it is difficult for an inexperienced person to choose the best solution on the first try. To avoid common disappointments, consider what, in general, this material happens to be.

The use of this facing material, like most others, has advantages and disadvantages. In order for the final result to completely satisfy you, you should study in detail both of them, and it’s worth starting with what is good for bathroom tiles.

• Resistance to almost any external factors. The tile is not in vain used mainly in rooms with severe climatic conditions - at least it is not afraid of splashes, which are critical for most alternative materials. In addition, heating does not affect her at all - during the manufacturing process she experienced higher temperatures than can be in your apartment. Fear of mechanical shocks may be its only potential weakness, but with careful handling this will not become an obstacle, and some especially durable varieties are not even afraid of this.
• Practicality. Tile finish consists of many separate fragments, and this is its strength, leveling the potential weakness described above - the inability to withstand strong shocks. By accidentally splitting one of the tiles, you do not have to redo the entire bathroom again, which would probably have cost a pretty penny - just have a few spare copies to replace the damaged ones.
• Ease of care. First of all, the tile is unable to absorb liquids, which means that it is much less exposed to any complex contaminants - if they are, then in most cases they can simply be wiped off. In addition, the chemical composition of the material is usually completely neutral, and therefore, in severe cases, you can even use aggressive detergents, because even they will not leave any damage.
• Diversity. Modern manufacturers have long caught the trend of recent decades, which consists in finding their own originality - the buyer often does not want to be “like everyone else”, he is looking for ways to stand out from the others and have a unique bathroom. To achieve this, tiles of different colors, sizes and textures are produced, not to mention the exact composition of the raw materials. At the same time, the fact that the finished finish is a team allows you to combine different tiles in completely unpredictable combinations, creating truly unique masterpieces.

But there are not so many shortcomings in this material, and they usually appear only at the stage of procurement and installation, but not during operation. So, tile lining is considered one of the most expensive finishing methods, and the material itself weighs quite a lot, which complicates its delivery to the object in significant quantities.

Besides, it is in the delivery process that tile fragility is most clearly expressed - at this stage, taking into account the quality of Russian roads, it can fight in rather large quantities.

At the mention of tiles, most people get a clear image of the tile in their heads. But in fact, not everyone sees the same thing, and this is not surprising - tile cladding is available in many different variations and can be made from fundamentally different raw materials, albeit with similar final characteristics. Again, in this area of ​​knowledge, it is also worthwhile to understand before you go to the store for the purchase of facing materials.

This version of the tile has been known since ancient times, the materials for it are literally lying under your feet - it is clay, sand and some other materials, fired at high temperature and coated with glaze on the outside for greater aesthetics.

It is glaze that allows you to get any design option that the buyer only desires, and it is she who protects the “body” of the tile from pollution and makes it smooth.

And this material, on the contrary, can be considered relatively new - it appeared not so long ago. They make it by the method of simultaneous heating, stronger than for ordinary tiles, and heavy-duty pressing. The composition of the raw materials is somewhat reminiscent of the one from which porcelain is made, but as a result, tiles not coated with glaze look more like stone.

At the same time, according to all operational characteristics, it is even more reliable than natural stone blocks, since It has no extraneous inclusions and is not susceptible to cracking, is not afraid of either wiping, or aggressive "chemistry", or even temperature changes.

Such a tile is very expensive, which is justified by its amazing durability, but it is used relatively rarely at home - it is the place in public institutions experiencing increased stress.

Another example of the facing, which is used at home only by the person who does not mind the money, if only the repair was for centuries.

Such material is fired once, but at a very high temperature, due to which the result is obtained somewhere comparable to porcelain stoneware - it is expensive, but it is distinguished by impressive durability, resistance to most external influences, and extreme ease of cleaning due to complete waterproofness.

This is a comparative innovation, but it is rapidly gaining popularity due to the eccentricity of the appearance of the premises after repair. Glass, like other materials for the manufacture of tiles, does not absorb water, and therefore remains extremely easy to clean, and even not afraid of the effects of aggressive "chemistry", but the question remains regarding the reliability and durability of this material.

Although he is not afraid of either moisture or heat, ordinary glass is very brittle unless specially tempered. In general, such a tile can be considered one of the cheapest, but it can be quite difficult to get it and have confidence in the reliability of the material.

This is not even one material, but several at once, among all this diversity it is worth highlighting a flexible stone and flexible tile based on PVC. In both cases, we are dealing with a specific roll product according to the type of wallpaper, in the manufacturing process of which fragments of stone chips were used - most often silicon, sandstone or marble.

Thanks to this approach, it is possible to kill two birds with one stone - on the one hand, the cladding looks about the same as in the case of real stone tiles, on the other hand, it is possible to gently smooth all corners due to the ability of the material to bend.

The big advantage of modern tiles is that it is practically in no way limited in assortment, either in shape or in size. This is very convenient because it helps to partially solve the problem of trimming the material - in order to avoid a large amount of waste waste, the selection of a particular tile takes into account not only its own aesthetic preferences, but also with a view to ensure that the products fit into the dimensions of the trimmed space as clearly as possible.

The size of each individual tile also has a certain value. So, the choice of deliberately large tiles allows you to visually reduce too spacious a room, while small gives a completely opposite effect.

Imagine that you have a tiny bathroom 2 by 1.5 by 2.5 meters - if you clad it with huge panels of 20x30 cm, the trained eye can count the number of fragments in a matter of seconds, and then at the psyche level it will consider the room even closer . Whether it’s a matter of small mosaic options like 10x10 cm - there will be a lot of them on the same wall sizes, because of which the space will be visually distributed.

Approximately the same logic is used to select the shape, if necessary, one way or another, to correct the shape of the entire room. Square tiles of 15x15 and 20x20 cm or elongated 20x25 cm close to it are appropriate in almost any room and have almost no effect on the imaginary change in their configuration, but pronounced vertical solutions like 25x40 give a noticeable skew of proportions.

Thanks to the use of such products, the ceiling seems to be planted lower, since there are literally several tiles before it, but the walls, due to the narrowed width, seem longer than they actually are.

At the same time, the flight of designer imagination to create an original and unique interior is able to use the most unexpected variations of the tile, even if it has a hexagonal or round profile. Such geometric solutions are used both to create unusual patterns, and to lay out full-fledged pictures - for these purposes they usually use a small mosaic tile that allows you to "draw" small details. This will cost the customer much more, but he will get what he wanted so much - unique uniqueness.

There are no regularities in terms of choosing tiles for the bathroom by shade - each person is free to choose the color that he likes more than others. At the same time, some designers still give a recommendation for choosing in favor of light shades - It is believed that the main type of contamination in this room will be salt deposits, and they are clearly visible on a dark surface.

The motivation for choosing light tones may be different - the bathrooms of most modern apartments are not very crowded, and white and other similar tones reflect light, creating the illusion of unlimited space.

Curious is the lack of any recommendations regarding gamma. If a cheerful warm finish is desirable for a kitchen, and a calm matte color for a bedroom, then in the bathroom you can experiment as you like. Allowed as cold shades such as aquamarine, and soft lime tiles, and bright hot red.

Anyway, no existing tone will make your bathroom original, so you should pay attention to the color tiles. The combination of multi-colored kafelins imitating the patchwork style can turn out to be lively and interesting, and although not only you use this style, the pattern itself can be unique throughout the whole world.

The fact that the finished tile is usually also finally covered with glaze allows manufacturers to freely experiment with tile design. Even if you do not pursue an individuality of a universal scale, it still makes sense to choose that the result is fully consistent with your preferences and ideas about comfort.

Today, tile is becoming very popular, imitating any other finishing material from among those that are simply inappropriate in the bathroom, or will not be affordable for the owners. Unusual solutions under concrete allow loft lovers to finally feel at home, beautiful imitations of wood will be appreciated by supporters of classic interiors, and there are also completely original options that visually copy bamboo wall - This is for those who value natural materials in all their manifestations.

Choosing roll substitutes for this tile, you can theoretically choose seamless coating which, due to the similarity of the material, will be categorized as flexible tile, although, in fact, it is not. The advantage of this solution is not only the unusual appearance, but also that in the absence of dirt seams there is simply nowhere to clog, which means that cleaning the walls will be much simpler.

You can also choose a cladding in the context of texture, and there are two options - it will be matte or glossy. Experts usually advise you to choose the matt option - at least it always looks the same, even in conditions of a large amount of steam and inevitable fogging, but the gloss will completely disappear in such conditions. In addition, it was already mentioned above that for the bathroom, the most typical pollution is the deposition of salts, and they also contribute little to brilliant reflection.

Another thing is that the style of room design can also put forward its own requirements for the design of finishing materials. Glossy solutions cannot be called widely demanded, but manufacturers also produce them, knowing for sure that the modern trend of the pursuit of uniqueness can sometimes even work to the detriment of common sense.

In addition, when choosing a texture, you should pay attention to whether the facing material is smooth or rough. The first option clearly leads both in frequency and in practicality of use - in fact, almost any glazed tile has a smooth surface. It, unlike rough surfaces, has the obvious advantage that it has no hard-to-reach spots, which means that cleaning is easy.

The bathroom is the place where mold and fungus have excellent conditions for reproduction, and therefore roughness is not welcome here - no matter how hard the owners try, they are unlikely to be able to maintain perfect cleanliness for a long time.

In the decoration of premises, as in everything else that is associated with the appearance, there are certain fashion trends that, one way or another, affect the choice of consumers. Since the tile is a very durable material, fashion trends here do not change too quickly - the modern and most relevant ones as a whole developed two or three years ago, and can easily last a few more seasons. Among the popular solutions it is worth highlighting several.

This is a vivid example of the fact that many consumers put visual originality much higher than practicality - buyers are not afraid of the fact that there are plenty of hard-to-reach places that will be difficult to clean. But the presence of this type of tile in the interior already indicates that it is new and quite expensive.

Insanely fashionable creative direction has reached a tile for the bathroom - now it should be covered with a patchwork pattern, and the tiles themselves are produced in sets so that it is difficult to find two of the same. Such a solution as a whole has a reference to the rustic style, which welcomes all the "home-made" solutions from improvised means, but now you do not need to be a cool designer to think over such repairs - the suppliers did everything for you.

A person is always inclined to choose what he doesn’t have: a few decades ago in our country cosiness and “urban” comfort were most appreciated, and today priorities have shifted, and in cities that are too licked sometimes you want an element of savagery. You can’t lay out a natural brick in the apartment, and it will look too rough, but a compromise solution in the form of brick tiles is in demand not only in bathrooms, but also in other rooms.

This material costs a lot of money, but it is incredibly durable, because for a long time it was perceived as a solution purely for the floor, and even then mainly in public places.Of course, wealthy owners used to line the floor in the bathroom with them, but only relatively recently it suddenly became fashionable to finish the walls.

Like any other product, a tile can be both high-quality and completely stupid, and then all its potential advantages will be leveled. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, it is worth paying attention first of all to the collections of those brands that managed to establish themselves in previous years. Consider a few recognizable brands as an example.

Contrary to the Italian name, this is a Russian company that is praised for the widest selection of design solutions and, indeed, a creative approach. For obvious reasons, it’s easy to find her in our country - it has more than three hundred stores in all regions, and it is also one of the best economy class options. They criticize the brand except for the fact that its designers in flight of creative thought sometimes forget about the need to combine floor and wall decoration.

And this is real Italy, and elite - if you do not consider yourself a rich person, it is unlikely to be affordable for you. Here you have a stunning design, and an environmentally friendly composition, and outstanding resistance to wiping. The minus in the form of unbearable value has already been mentioned, and products are sometimes criticized for imperfect geometry - in dimensions, deviations of up to a millimeter are possible, which with close installation will be noticeable.

Belorussian products were in fair demand among our grandparents, and now they, having released on updated equipment, have only become better. This is another option for how to clad a bathroom cheaply and angrily, reasonably believing that the repair will last quite a long time. As with the brand above, Belarusians sin a little with precision geometry.

Ukraine also produces good tiles - the Kharkov factory cooperates with Italian design studios and boasts a high aestheticism of its products. As befits post-Soviet products, finished goods are inexpensive, as bonuses - decent quality and a decent assortment. The negative should be written that tiles from different parties can vary significantly in tone, although all the markings on the label are identical.

The products of this Russian company are so budgetary that they can easily compete even with unknown Turkish and Chinese manufacturers. Such a curiosity is worth mere pennies, and it even has an extensive network of distributors, while the collections are praised for the presence of simple universal solutions.

Well, who doesn’t need additional submissions - the trademark launched the production of tiles and sanitary ware in Germany, Poland, Russia and Ukraine, and this already clearly shows how much her products are in demand. Such a sophisticated brand is ready to offer customers both universal and exclusive design solutions, and, of course, on such a tile there is not the slightest criticism in terms of wear. The criticism as a whole is the same as that of all the above brands, and even the budget collections are criticized for the fragility of the glaze.

All of the above will undoubtedly help you decide on the tile for the bathroom, but once again you need to collect all the criteria, thanks to which you will be able to avoid common mistakes.

• Destination. The most important moment: the tile is floor and wall, and there can be no question of any interchangeability! The floor is experiencing the main load, because it must necessarily be durable - its thickness is usually 6-9 mm, and the coefficient of wear resistance should be at least III. When making potentially long-lasting repairs in an apartment, you should not be guided by a budget floor tile - it’s better to overpay times than to start all over again.With wall tiles, the situation is much simpler - it is not subjected to special loads and should be just beautiful, and its reduced thickness helps to make it easier to cut.
• Texture. The gloss for the floor is categorically unacceptable - it not only shines brightly, but is also polished to the ideal state, which makes it slippery. We won’t even mention even excessive drops of glare and good visibility - this is obvious. The embossed texture looks the most stylish, but caring for it is not easy, and you will have to pay a tidy sum for such a lining. A matte tile is considered to be a kind of golden mean - it is devoid of gross imperfections.
• The form. The square is considered the top solution - it is a universal design that is equally appropriate in any direction of decoration. Rectangular tiles are also in great demand - depending on what orientation (horizontal or vertical) you choose, you can influence the visual perception of the room, whose dimensions or proportions do not suit you. The mosaic is assembled from tiny components and as a result allows you to create whole drawings, but its installation will cost the owners very expensive, and in a small bathroom it generally will not look. Non-standard solutions may seem fashionable today, but tomorrow they are considered irrelevant, and it’s also the most difficult challenge for the master, therefore it is not surprising that the service flies a pretty penny.
• Color spectrum. Shades of white, whether ivory or baked milk, are considered a win-win solution - this is a neutral achromatic color that blends well with other tones, gives light and spaciousness, and in terms of geometry it “loves” large size and simple shapes. Light colors allow you to cheer up, and the cold gamut invigorates well in the morning, and warm - helps to relax in the evening. Bright colors allow you to give the interior a richness, but too saturated colors quickly tire - it is advisable to limit their use only to areas of emphasis. Finally, dark tones seem elite, but they depress, and emphasize the presence of dirt, because they usually allocate the lower part of the walls and floors.

• When considering bathroom design options, do not follow the style requirements too strictly - this greatly limits your ideas. The Scandinavian-style interior loves white, but the designer decided to show a little imagination, so he scored tiles of different colors and a non-classical hexagonal shape. Laying a wall in this way will cost a little more, but it turned out not so fresh as it could.

• The bathroom, decorated in oriental style, looks even brighter. Interestingly, this does not require special forms of tile - the banal squares are rotated so that they become a rhombus, and a more bright pattern is laid out against a relatively faded background. Typical colors that should be used for style matching are blue and red on a white background with possible splashes of gold.

• You can not ignore the patchwork, which today is literally on everyone’s lips. Everything is extremely simple here - a tile is needed that is similar either in pattern or in color, in everything else, elements (necessarily square) are laid out mixed up and without any system.