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Necessary Necessary. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. On the unglazed base of any ceramic mug, you can see the tone of the ceramic gets darker when exposed to water. The fact is, the glazing on the top surface of all ceramic products only inhibits moisture from being absorbed. No matter how it is glazed, it will always be far more permeable than porcelain.
When you are laying tile, the hydration of the mortar beneath your tile is extremely important for secure bonding to the substrate, and strength after setting.
Because the back side of all ceramic tiles absorb water extremely well hygroscopic , they tend to remove the water from the mortar reducing its ability to bond and set properly. As the mortar dries, it stiffens and become brittle as the ceramic draws the moisture out of it.
This also causes a serious and very irritating problem of tile immobility. Nothing is worse than your tiles being stuck in place after being set into the tile mortar…. And because of the poor bonding, your ceramic tiles can eventually delaminate over time.
If you plan to install ceramic tile in the shower, a simple solution to the permeability problem is to apply a bonding agent to the unglazed back of the tile. This allows for perfect tile adhesion, perfect tile mobility, perfect bonding, and perfect mortar setting. A lot of extra work, but definitely worth it.
Some contractors prefer to just wet the back of the tile with a sponge and water before setting it into the mortar. I do not recommend this. One of the problems with tile wetting is that you must do it while you are in the middle of laying your tiles. This adds another time consuming step to an already very hectic tile installation process. There is also a very real risk of wetting the back of the tile too much using the sponging strategy.
If it gets too wet, the mortar will also not bond properly. If you are using modified mortar, the risk of delamination is a fair bit lower but I would still highly recommend pre bonding. In the debate over ceramic or porcelain tile, varying tile size is another strike against ceramic tile in the shower in my opinion.
Ceramic tiles can vary in size significantly, even within the same box. I have noticed this problem with both ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles, but it seems to be a bigger problem with ceramics. The problem is also more pronounced between different boxes, even if they belong to the same tile lot.
I have actually spent many hours measuring and sorting through tiles so that I can alternate rows of smaller and larger tiles on a shower wall. This is often the only way to keep rows of tiles uniform and symmetrical. I talk more about tile drift in my Tile laying post. Because ceramic is so much softer than porcelain less dense , it can be a breeze to cut with a tile saw or a standard tile cutter. Everything about cutting tile is more difficult with porcelain tile.
And because you can quite easily shape your cuts with tile shaping hand tools, your rounded corners can be made to look perfect without the need for an electric cutting or grinding tool. After all I have said about the deficiencies of ceramic tile, most of these can be managed with the strategies I have mentioned except one, the permeability problem.
The main problem that I have with ceramic tile is that the shower wall is always going to be exposed to vast amounts of moisture, regularly throughout the life of your shower. The more permeable a tile is, the more work the shower wall waterproofing membrane has to do to keep moisture from getting behind the shower wall. This is not necessarily a terrible thing if your membrane is great and you live in a relatively mild climate.
But if you have a shower wall waterproofing membrane with a poor perm rating , and you live in an area with more extreme temperature variations throughout the year, the permeability of your ceramic tile may become a problem.
Of course there are other measures like increasing your outside wall insulation that can lessen this risk, but the risk is simply higher with ceramic tile vs porcelain tile.
Because moisture can permeate a ceramic tile, there is a risk of condensation and mold growth behind the tile and eventual tile delamination if mounted on an outside wall.
And if there is no shower wall waterproofing membrane present this scenario only gets worse, as moisture condenses within the tile backer board or within the stud wall cavity. Porcelain tile has a clear advantage over ceramic tile in the shower but you must weigh the risks and decide for yourself. One way to eliminate the ceramic or porcelain tile question is to skip both these options and go with natural stone or quartz stone tiles instead.
Natural stone tiles are quite popular in the bathroom and in the shower, but they can be tricky to handle, install, and maintain. So if you want these tiles in your shower, there are a few things you should know. Stone tiles can include marble tiles, slate tiles, travertine tiles, granite tiles, pebble stone tiles, engineered quartz tiles and a few other less common stones. A huge benefit of these tiles over ceramic or porcelain tiles is simply that their color is the same throughout the tile.
That means that there may be no need to install tile edging, as long as your cuts are clean and you are willing to do a little hand finishing. Any of these tiles are dense enough to be used on the shower walls or shower base…… with conditions. Marble tiles are by far the most popular natural stone tiles chosen for the bathroom and shower.
They are also both made from carbonate rock so they are very sensitive to acids of all kinds. A curbless shower allows the flooring to flow in and out of the shower but the water stays IN! Vertical aqua subway tile wall with stone-look mosaic tile flooring. This bathroom uses different sizes and shapes of natural stone-look tile but keeps it in the same tile family of coordinating options.
White ceramic tile shower with a gray tile stripe. Note: The shower floor reuses the same mosaic but with a matte finish and dark grout. Marble-look ceramic tile shower wall in an uncommon tile shape. The accent wall in this shower combines the look of marble with an uncommon shape. Using a marble-look for this elongated octagon and dot pattern adds a modern twist to a style made popular in the Victorian era.
The different sizes and shapes of these stone-look tiles build a clean, consistent look both inside and outside of the shower. Green mosaic tile shower wall with beige stone-look tile flooring. This is a lovely example of juxtaposing colorful mosaic tile as a feature wall and backsplash with large, natural stone-look tile panels. Combining color, texture, and size contribute to the dramatic focus of the feature areas.
Gray stone-look shower tile wall with hexagon tile flooring. Shades of gray marble-look ceramic tile in rectangles and hexagons define vertical and horizontal surfaces to create a serene and clean master bath getaway. Stone-look shower tile with a subway tile horizontal accent stripe. Modern geometric shower tile in herringbone and grid patterns. Stone-look square tile flooring supports the ultra modern geometric design of these herringbone-striped walls. The lines of dark grout in the white rectangular floating accent wall bridge the bathing areas and become a focal point of the room.
Complete Guide to Bathroom Tile. Wood-look tile shower wall with white mosaic tile shower flooring. The movement of grain in the floor and shower walls are anchored by perpendicular white mosaic subway tile in this shower floor for a look of modern rustic charm, as well as cleanliness and an air of efficiency.
Glossy black mosaic tile shower walls with wood-look flooring. Glossy black mosaic tile walls and long planks of dark wood-look tile flooring give this shower a spa feel that could easily be implemented in a smaller space sans the sunken tub. Note the subtly textured floor tile that has the look of linen.
Mosaic ceramic tile shower wall with a window. A doorless shower deserves a window to the world! The artfully laid mosaics of this space combine natural colors and reflect the natural light for a space with a fresh and energizing aura.
Running bond mosaic ceramic tile accents in a shower. As they are both vertically placed, the large rectangular grid tile walls and running bond mosaic accents visually elongate this shower.
The pattern created by the different colors in the mosaic adds a unique touch that picks up the curved bench and floor mosaics.
Remember that tile can be installed on your ceiling as shown here to provide another decor element. The marble-look squares laid in a diamond grid lead you to the shower laid in large-format tile panels for an elegant and open feel in a relatively small space.
White ceramic shower tile in a herringbone pattern with black grout Image via Flickr. Smaller tiles add additional traction to the flooring and a coordinating accent to the niche. Explore more niche ideas and ideas for colored grout! Blue subway tile shower with accents Image via Flickr.
Psst, we think blue tile might be the next big trend! Pixelated mosaic shower tile walls Image via Flickr. The wide white grout surrounding these square accents stands out against the pixelated design of the mosaic tile shower walls. Modern Mexican ceramic tile shower floor with marble-look hexagon tile shower walls Image via Flickr.
Whichever tile style you choose, your feet will appreciate it if you keep the grout lines close together.
Showers require flooring materials that won't absorb water. When making your tile decision, the ability to resist water should be one of your top considerations. Some types of tile, such as ceramic, need to be glazed in order to keep out water. Glazed porcelain rates even higher than ceramic on the water-resistance scale.
Just remember that you have to be careful to choose a glazed surface that isn't slick. When sealed, many varieties of natural stone, such as slate, marble and travertine, can resist water as well. Your tile installer can apply the first sealant treatment and provide tips for future tile maintenance. Not only can water penetrate the wrong types of tiles, but the minerals in the water also have the potential to cause stains.
Soaps, shampoos and lotions may stain the floor too. Between porcelain and ceramic, porcelain is the more stain-resistant option. If you go for stone tiles, you'll want to apply a sealant that protects against stains. Finally, don't discount looks when picking out your tile flooring. The best tiles for shower floors are the ones that complement your bathroom design. The choices are nearly endless. You can go for an ornamental look or a geometric one:.
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