The Tile Guide


Benefits of tile:

  • Beautiful

  • Cost effective

  • Can make a statement

  • Wide variety of styles and colors

  • Environmentally friendly

  • Hygienic 

  • Non-allergenic

  • Water resistant and/or waterproof

  • Low maintenance

Things to consider: 

  • Moisture

  • Durability

  • Appearance

  • Cost

  • Ease of installation

Categories:

  1. Ceramic

  2. Porcelain (a subset of ceramic)

  3. Glass

  4. Quarry 

  5. Stone


Ceramic

  • Clay that is fired in a kiln, and then a glaze is applied to help with porous nature

  • Types: terra-cotta, white clay, red clay, quarry tile (see below), porcelain (see below)

  • More affordable than porcelain

  • Infinite variety of shapes and colors

  • Not for outdoor use

  • Chipped ceramic shows another color underneath so cracks more visible

  • Easier for DIY tiling because less dense and easier to cut

  • Can appear like wood or stone

  • Hard underfoot

  • Can be loud acoustically without soft finishes to absorb sound

  • Can be cold underfoot without radiant heating


Porcelain

  • A type of ceramic tile

  • More durable than ceramic

  • Denser and less porous than ceramic, therefore more stain resistant

  • Porcelain is better for high moisture areas like showers or pools as the tile must meet higher standard of water absorption to be considered porcelain

  • Requires more experience to cut properly

  • To use outside, you want porcelain to have a PEI (Porcelain Enamel Institute) rating of 5 (range is 0-5). 0 is no foot traffic. 5 is for outdoor use.

  • Chipped porcelain shows same color throughout so cracks less visible

  • Good resale value typically


Glass 

  • Sparkling, lustrous beauty

  • Used for vertical surfaces like backsplashes in kitchen and bathroom

  • Not appropriate for floors because it cracks under pressure

  • Most common size is 1 to 4 inch squares


Quarry

  • Manufactured from clay in a manner similar to bricks.

  • Best for outdoor flooring, or hallway/mudroom flooring

  • Not smooth surface, so better grip to prevent slipping when walking

  • Not appropriate for food preparation surface

  • Can be sealed to be less porous

  • Water resistant 

  • Red is most common, but also found in tan and gray


Stone

  • Natural beauty (think granite, marble, slate, travertine) 

  • Best for kitchens and bathrooms but must be sealed (see countertop guide for more information)

  • Radiant heat recommended when natural stone is used on bathroom floor

  • Okay for floors if moisture is not a concern

  • Heavier and harder to cut

  • Varies in size from small 1” square mosaics to 12x24” rectangles

  • Option for custom-cut stone to crate parquet design

  • Expensive

  • Aesthetically pleasing

  • Typically excellent resale value

  • Difficult to install yourself


Interior uses for tile:

  • Kitchen backsplash and walls

  • Kitchen counters

  • Bathroom backsplash and walls

  • Bathroom counters

  • Bathroom floor

  • Shower/tub walls

  • Shower floor

  • Mudroom floor


THINGS TO NOTE: 

  • Most floor tiling can be used on walls, but much wall tiling cannot be used on floors. 

  • PEI (Porcelain Enamel Institute) rating grade I or II is best for walls. Lighter weight so good for vertical surface. Not durable enough for floor surface.

  • Coefficient of Friction Rating (COF rating) determines how much slip resistance the tile has. Higher number is better for less slipping. Recommended that flooring should have COF of .5

  • For wet areas, use a textured material, an antislip finish, or treat surface to mimic rough stone

  • Size and shape range from round pennies to 3 foot long tiles. 

  • Larger tile more likely to crack. Large tile requires perfectly level sub-floor.

  • Mosaic is small 1x1 or 2x2 squares or hexagons. Popular for backsplashes. 

  • 4” x 4” and subway tile (double width:height ratio) are most popular for walls

  • Need to weigh both practical and aesthetic when making your decision

  • Glazed tiles more slippery and show wear patterns; unglazed tile better for floors and glazed tiles better for walls

  • Think about directionality. Install to reinforce the direction of the room, as well as the focal point of the room. Collaborate with installer on this BEFORE materials are ordered.


Kitchen backsplash and walls

Ceramic or porcelain:

  • Can look more neutral like natural stone or more bold with tile by tile design

  • Cost effective

  • Easy to maintain

  • More difficult to install -- it should not be your first DIY tile project

  • Protects against water

  • Typically do not need to seal the tile, although some require a penetrating sealer to fill the micro pores on the tile surface

  • Need to seal grout lines 

Glass:

  • Easy to maintain

  • Stands up to water

  • Doesn’t need to be sealed, though grout lines do

  • Shiny nature can brighten a kitchen

Metal:

  • Trend to do smaller metal tiles, available in many textures and finishes. For example, stainless steel subway tiles

  • Stick easily to wall

  • Shows scratches, which cannot be sanded out

Stone:

  • Associated with higher end homes

  • Expensive

  • Lighter and easier to install than manufactured stone vaneer

  • Should be sealed to prevent staining 

Manufactured stone veneer:

  • A man-made product composed of cement, aggregates, and iron oxides

  • Premium, stone look without dealing with heavy stone tiles

  • Stains easily, and hard to clean (there are sealers on the market to help with this)

  • Uneven, and hard to wipe down

  • Not easy to install

  • No need to grout

Bathroom backsplash and walls

  • Minimum is 4” height??, but can extend higher up wall or even to the ceiling. 

  • Bathroom backsplash is as much aesthetic as it is practical, maybe more. 

  • Materials vary: ceramic, glass, natural stone, etc. Sometimes the backsplash is an extension of the same tile used on the countertop.

  • Can blend types and shapes of tiles to create a bold look. For example classic white subway tile with a different colored hexagon mosaic tile. Or mix materials like a white subway tile with bamboo trim. Or select petite subway tiles which provide extra texture thanks to additional grout lines

Bathroom floors

  • Most popular tile for bathroom floors are ceramic and porcelain.

  • The material needs to be able to deal with lots of water and steam, and able to be deeply cleaned.

  • Mosaic is less popular for floors because there are more grout lines that are harder to keep clean. However, grout lines can help with slip resistance.

 

Ceramic

  • Wide range of selection (size, color, texture)

  • Glazed ceramic doesn’t absorb water

  • Durable

  • Relatively inexpensive

  • Less impervious to water than porcelain

  • Works well with radiant heat

Porcelain

  • More durable than ceramic

  • More scratch resistant than ceramic

  • More stain resistant than ceramic

  • Absorbs less water than ceramic

  • More expensive than ceramic

  • Many color options

  • Can mimic natural materials such as wood and stone

  • Works well with radiant heat

Marble

  • Beautiful 

  • Expensive

  • Can scratch and stain

  • Cold under-foot

  • Great for radiant heat

  • Can be slippery

Vinyl

  • Eco-friendly because it’s reusable

  • Easy to install

  • Resilient

  • Inexpensive


Slate

  • Many styles and colors

  • Durable

  • Expensive

  • Cold underfoot

  • Great for radiant heat


Linoleum

  • Versatile look

  • Durable

  • Easy to install

  • Low maintenance

  • Repels dust and dirt

  • Not great for resale value of come.

Shower/tub walls

  • Similarly to tile in other areas of the house, ceramic, porcelain, glass and stone tiles are all good options for shower walls. 

  • Larger tiles are better (4x4 and up to much larger), as smaller tiles create a busy appearance. 

  • Glass--glass is hard to work with. Some clear glass tiles can show moisture trapped behind them. Smaller glass tiles can be better than larger glass tiles. 

Shower floor

  • Coefficient of Friction Rating (COF rating) determines how much slip resistance the tile has. Higher number is better for less slipping. Recommended that flooring should have COF of at least .5.

  • Mosaic tiles are popular for shower floors. Many grout lines help with slip resistance, and small size of tile enable conformation to slope and shape of shower floor. However, more grout lines are harder to clean. 

  • You can use the same material for shower floor and rest of bathroom floor to 

Porcelain

  • More durable than ceramic

  • Dries faster than ceramic

  • Lower water absorption than ceramic

  • Doesn’t retain heat well, so can be cold underfoot 

Ceramic

  • Durable

  • Water resistant

  • Easy to clean

  • Matte finish optimal to be less slippery 

  • Comfortable underfoot

Pebble

  • Non-slippery

  • Massage underfoot for relaxation, yet uneven surface can be uncomfortable

  • Adds a natural element

  • Easy to install

  • Do not scratch or break

Marble or other natural stone such as granite or sandstone

  • Low moisture absorbance

  • Critical that it’s properly sealed

  • Best with silicone sealant

Slate

  • Durable

  • Low maintenance

  • Variety of colors 

Mudroom floor 

  • Need durable, reliable, and low-maintenance material 

  • Tile offers a variety of textures, colors, styles and shapes

  • Porcelain, ceramic or slate are best choices

  • Other natural stones used in mudrooms: marble, travertine, limestone, granite

  • Quarry has a COF of .8 and greater, so it has wonderful slip resistance

  • Luxury vinyl tiles are relatively new to the market. They are durable, and more budget friendly than ceramic and porcelain tiles. Big plus is that no grout is required. 

  • Darker grout will show less wear and tear

  • Ceramic or porcelain tile can mimic other flooring styles such as stone or hardwood


A Note on Mosaics:

  • Mosaic tiles can be made of ceramic, porcelain, glass or natural stone

  • Mosaic tiles come in large sheets which make them easy for DIY installation


Grout Joints

  • A grout joint is the area between tiles. The less variation in tile size, the smaller grout joint necessary.

  • Grout joint width varies. Tile and stone manufacturers suggest between ⅛” and 3/16”. Popular sizes are ⅛” and ¼”. The ‘finger joint’ is more prominent at ¾”.

  • The wider the grout joint, the more rustic the look.

  • The wider the grout joint, the stronger visual effect

  • The wider the grout joint, the more space to show stains.

  • Grout joints emphasize the tile pattern.


Installation Patterns: (Cheryl to draw)

  • Grid

  • Brick

  • Ashlar

  • Checkerboard

  • Single, double or triple herringbone

  • Special inset


Transitions between Flooring Materials:

  • When possible, contractor should adjust subfloor to allow for perfectly level transition between flooring materials. 

  • If not possible, use transition strips, ramp of subfloor, etc.


BATHROOMS (for bathroom page)


SIDE NOTE FOR BATHROOM SECTION (AKA not tile, but related to bathroom flooring)

Vinyl - waterproof, good looking, thousand of choices, cost effective

Sheet vinyl - comes in large sizes so can be seamless, great option for extreme water like children’s bathroom or laundry room

Luxury vinyl plank - typically 5”x48” planks, plank seams are waterproof

Not great for resale

Bumps below surface and show on the vinyl surface


Engineered wood - better than solid wood in high moisture environment

Looks like authentic wood (top layer is authentic wood)

Any natural wood product in bathroom is prone to problems

Moderate to high cost


Laminate - resin impregnated paper atop a wood chip base, appears to be oak, cherry, marble, slate, or any wood or stone, on top of that is the wear layer  

Better choice than solid wood for bathroom

Need to protect wood base from moisture for bathroom use

Tight seams can help prevent moisture from reaching wood chip area, but it’s possible for water to seep down and cause damage which is irreparable

There is no true waterproof laminate flooring

Inexpensive

Can install DIY easily

 

DO NOT USE IN BATHROOMS:

Hardwood - if you insist, seal onsite to help seal seams 

Wall-to-wall carpet - if you insist, low pile and inorganic material like olefin or nylon



CHERYL


When do you use a sealer?

Some tile manufacturers recommend specific sealers for their products. With unglazed ceramic tiles, any quality penetrating surface sealer will work to seal both the tile and the grout. When both the tile and grout are being sealed at the same time, the sealer can be applied with a mop.


When do you use caulking?

Caulk should be used between the tile planes where there is flex and movement between the tile planes. Caulking is much more water tight and will not allow water to get between the tile planes and leak behind the shower. 


Color vs clear caulking/grout?


Sanded grout vs unsanded grout?

Sanded grout is less expensive than unsanded grout since sand is a cheaper filler than the polymers in unsanded grout. Due to its porous nature, sanded grout, unless modified, must be sealed to prevent water from infiltrating to the back of the tile and ruining the substrate.

Sanded Grout Is Thicker Than Unsanded Grout – And It’s More Durable . Sanded grout is exactly what it says at the box when you pick it up at your local hardware store. It’s a standard grouting material with aggregate sand material added. The added aggregate material makes sanded grout much more durable than unsanded grout, for one simple reason.


Should you use ungrouted tile in a bathroom floor?

Understandably, most installers have a love-hate relationship with grout. It takes up a lot of time, and it requires meticulous work. There are cases when laying tile without grout will probably leave the job looking a lot better.But here’s the thing: if you want the job to last, then you need to use grout. Groutless tile has a higher chance of breaking, meaning that you would need to resume the work.


What about soap dish/shampoo kits?


Tips before your installers

Sort thru box for broken tiles


Tricks of the trade????


Maintenance and cleaning:

Use concentrated tile cleaners that have a neutral pH for regular cleaning. These will safely remove grease, oils, and normal spills—just check to be sure the cleaner is intended for the application, use, and traffic level. Clean glass tile with any nonabrasive cleaner recommended for either glass or tile.CleaningPage