Wall tiles for the bathroom: varieties, sizes and choices

The most common material for finishing areas with high humidity levels is wall tiles. Today it is presented in a wide range. The tiles differ in the type of coating, texture, color, shape and design.

Bathroom tiles are usually made from a special mixture that includes sand, clay and various additives. To make the decorative product durable, it is subjected to firing (once or twice). The tiles produced using the double-fired technology are stronger and can be used not only for wall decoration, but also for other surfaces. Depending on the production technology, the tiles are divided into two types.

• Unglazed. The product is characterized by the absence of a decorative coating, has the same appearance and thickness on both sides.

• Glazed. This material provides wall surfaces with water resistance, strength and gives the interior a beautiful look, since a colored and textured coating is applied to its front side.

For the manufacture of wall tiles in the bathroom, manufacturers use various materials.

• Porcelain stoneware. Outwardly, it resembles a natural stone. It is made on the basis of high quality clay with the addition of pre-crushed rocks (quartz, spar). Typically, porcelain stoneware has a granular or granular structure throughout its depth.The material is resistant to temperature changes and cracking.

• Quartz vinyl... Products of this type are an excellent alternative to wallpaper. They are produced from a base layer of PVC coated with fiberglass. In addition, quartz is added to its composition. Additionally, a decorative layer is applied to the tile with an imitation of any texture. Thanks to the protective polyurethane coating, the products also have a high degree of wear resistance. Vinyl tiles have only one drawback - they require careful preparation of the walls before cladding, otherwise all irregularities and flaws will appear on its surface.

• Ceramic (tiled). It is made from a mixture of clay, feldspar and quartz sand. In terms of their strength, ceramic tiles are absolutely in no way inferior to natural granite and have high strength and aesthetic appearance. There are several subspecies of ceramic tiles: faience (glazed product that undergoes double firing), clinker (produced from various types of clay, it has a soft structure), cotto (characterized by the presence of natural clay shades and has a porous structure).

Wall tiles for decorating bathroom surfaces can be large or small. Rectangular tiles are produced in sizes 15 * 25, 20 * 25, 33 * 45 and 30 * 60 cm, square ceramic - 2.5 * 2.5, 5 * 5, 10 * 10, 20 * 20, 40 * 40, 60 * 120 and 120 * 120 cm. As a rule, for wall cladding in the bathroom, tiles with a size of 50x20 cm are most often chosen, its thickness does not exceed 9 mm. If the room is small, then wall tiles measuring 10 * 10 or 20 * 20 cm are chosen for the design.

Before you start decorating the bathroom interior, it is important to think over the layout and choose the right color for the finish. As a rule, to decorate the walls in this room, tiles with a marine theme are chosen and giving preference to green, blue and white. When creating a design, one must not forget about the rules for combining shades with each other. Otherwise, the room may turn out to be too dull, monotonous, or, conversely, bright. Many designers choose for bathroom decoration either cold or warm shades.

The interior in the bathroom can be both multi-colored and monochrome. In the first case you should skillfully combine different shades (no less than 3 and no more than 6), and in the second - use furniture, accessories and finishes of the same color, but in different colors. The bathroom looks gorgeous in a yellow-green palette, where only two colors are used - lemon-cream or yellow and green.

Bathrooms also look good in orange tones. In this case, orange tiles can be safely combined with other types of finishes. cream, white, gray, blue and green shades. To get an interior filled with a cozy atmosphere, you can perform wall cladding with tiles. caramel, cream and light brown color. It should be in harmony with furniture and other accessories.

Today, wall tiles in the bathroom are presented in a huge variety, which makes it easy to select them for any style of the room. Designers recommend choosing for bathroom decoration material with a marine theme, decorating one of the walls with tiles with a 3D effect.

If you plan to create a design in a modern style indoors, then it is best to give preference light or dark tiles with geometric relief and abstract patterns. Tiles with imitation of such natural stones as onyx, travertine and marble look interesting in the bathroom. They are very popular and products with hand-drawn or mosaic decor.

For large bathrooms ceramic tiles with delicate floral motifs are excellent. In addition, on sale you can find tiles with imitation of concrete, dark wood and brushed metal (brass, cast iron and copper). Ceramics in silver or gilding will also help to add chic to the interior.

To make the time of the children in the bathroom entertaining and enjoyable, it is recommended to purchase wall tiles with images of fairy-tale characters or with drawings of pirates, ships and fish. As a rule, this type of tile is sold in a set, from which it is easy to lay out the original panel.

Tiles are considered a classic type of bathroom decoration. It is characterized by high strength, resistance to moisture and is presented on the market in a huge range. In order for the decorative finish to last a long time and please with its attractive appearance, When buying tiles, it is important to pay attention to the following indicators.

• Absorption rate... Since this room is characterized by high air humidity, its walls need to be lined with only water-resistant material. Otherwise, its service life will be short. The tile, absorbing moisture, becomes heavy and quickly peels off the surface. In addition, under the influence of water and steam, its outer surface can lose its aesthetic qualities. When shopping, it is best to opt for a product with a minimum of pores.
• Resistant to aggressive detergents... The bathroom requires frequent cleaning as a high level of hygiene must be maintained at all times. In order for the decorative finish to “withstand” frequent cleaning of the surface, you need to purchase a facing material in which a protective layer is applied to the front surface.
• Appearance. The reverse side of the tile should be flat. If the presence of bulges, depressions and irregularities is observed, then it is better to refuse the purchase. In addition, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the drawing. The surface of a quality product has no raster, and the image is characterized by a uniform color.
• Combination with furnishings... For small rooms, you cannot purchase material in dark colors, since it will visually narrow the space. In this case, the right solution would be to cover the upper part with light tiles, and the lower one with dark tiles.

Large-sized tiles are suitable for cladding the walls of large rooms, and for small ones - in the form of small fragments (mosaics).

After the issue with the choice of design and material has been resolved, all that remains is to complete the installation of the tiles. Since it must be laid only on previously prepared walls, the old coating is first dismantled, then plaster is applied and its priming is carried out. Wall tiles can be laid on a well-prepared base in several ways.

• Horizontal row... Finishing starts from the very bottom of the wall or from the sides of the bath. It all depends on which section of the wall you plan to decorate. Often, the entire room is tiled with tiles, or only the washbasin, the location of the washing machine and bathtub are singled out.
• Vertical row... Masonry starts from the central part of the wall. Thanks to this technique, the corners are covered with tiles of equal size.
• Seam to seam. The tiles are laid one after another both in a row and horizontally. This facing technique is often also called a "chessboard".
• Bandage. Outwardly, this finish bears a resemblance to brickwork.Each lower row of tiles must be laid with a slight shift by half a tile.
• Diagonal. Wall tiles must be laid at an angle seam to seam in relation to each other to form a rhombus.
• Patchwork... For such a finish, a multi-colored tile is required, which does not have a common theme and pattern.

In many bathrooms, you can find old tiles that have been used to tiled walls since Soviet times. Despite the fact that such a finish has been successfully preserved to our time, its decorative appearance does not fit into the modern design in any way. Rooms in this design are reminiscent of operating rooms in hospitals. To update the interior of the room and give it a stylish look, you should dismantle the old tile and install a new one.

Since quality tiles are expensive, there is an alternative to replacing them with plastic panels or siding. Before such a finish there is no need to level the surface and even novice craftsmen can quickly cope with installation... But when buying material you need to pay attention to the level of its moisture resistance.

Pasting the walls with waterproof wallpaper is also considered a good idea, but before doing it, the walls should be carefully prepared: remove the old tile, level the base and treat it with an antifungal agent.

Looks especially good in bathrooms fiberglass wallpaper, which, if desired, can be colored latex paint. Liquid wallpaper with high water resistance is also very popular. They come in a wide variety of colors.

Wall tiles, just like other decorative coatings in the bathroom, need careful maintenance, thanks to this, their service life will be prolonged and their aesthetic appearance will be preserved. After each shower and any other water procedure, the tiles must be wiped dry with a soft cloth. If this is not done, then moisture, condensation and fumes will provoke the appearance of not only dark spots, but also fungus. The tiles must be cleaned with a sponge and a non-abrasive detergent. The cleaning agent must beb sparing not only in relation to tiles, but also to inter-tile grouting.

Before applying any detergent to the surface of the tile, you should carefully read the instructions for caring for it, which is indicated by the manufacturers, and follow all of its points. To extend the service life of ceramic tiles (especially for products with matte glaze), it is recommended to additionally wipe the surface with a special emulsion. It allows unglazed surfaces to acquire a beautiful shine and to matte surfaces a fresh look. In addition, the emulsion on the wall surface provides excellent protection against mechanical damage and rapid contamination.

Thanks to a huge selection of finishing materials, among which wall tiles are in special demand, it has become easy to arrange a bathroom design. Today, there are many interesting ideas on how to turn a simple bathroom into a stylish and practical place in the home.

• Loft style. To implement this design project, you will need to decorate the walls with a rough coating, and fill the room itself with non-standard accessories. From the tile, it is necessary to lay out a semblance of a brick wall, observing the binding scheme with a slight shift in the rows. It is best to imitate brickwork using rectangular tiles. As for the color scheme, gray is a good choice.

• With oriental motives. For fans of a bright color palette, a bathroom design, decorated with wall tiles with themed ornaments, is suitable. If the room is small, then the wall cladding can be made with triangular or hexagonal tiles. To visually expand the space, you need to apply two tones in the interior.Lay out a light tile on top, a dark tile at the bottom, and a tile with a photo print or a geometric pattern in the center.

• Design with "wooden" motives. In this design, the bathroom will always look cozy and beautiful. Tiles with imitation of natural wood will create the atmosphere of a country bath in the room. For the best effect, tile all walls and complement the interior with porcelain stoneware flooring. It will be interesting to look in the bathroom tiles with imitation of walnut, pine, cherry and alder wood, which is difficult to distinguish from natural material.

• Snow-white interior. White is a symbol of purity and harmony, but for bathroom design, it should be diluted with dark shades. For example, an original idea would be to decorate the walls with white ceramics, decorated with small decorative elements. It can be tiled with white tiles on the sides of the walls, and lavender-colored mosaic elements can be laid inside.

In the next video, you will be laying wall tiles in the bathroom with your own hands.