Tile Design Guidelines

What tile should I choose?

When designing with tile there are many factors to take into consideration. I have been asked the same questions over the years trying to help people decide on a particular tile for their job. Careful consideration should be taken. While the tile can be beautiful and enjoyable, it will be a permanent fixture that you will have to live with for a long time to come.

Glazes:
There are several glazes to choose from. High gloss glazes will reflect light. When used in dark areas or areas that receive little or no natural light, a high gloss tile will brighten and open up the room.

However, high gloss tiles while being easy to clean, will show water spots more readily than a lower gloss tile. So more frequent cleanings are necessary.

Matte glazes will absorb light and create a softer look and feel where an abundance of natural light is present. If you choose a textured tile in addition to a matte glaze the effect will be softened even further.

Matte Glazes don't show water spots as readily as high gloss glazes but they tend to be a little harder to clean and maintain.

Colors:
The use of color in determining your tile selection is very important. Color affects the mood, perpective, and design of the room.

Dark colors with earthy tones have a warm and intimate feel. When used with a colored grout that blends, the grids become invisible. When walls are painted similar colors and shades the areas will disappear or receed in the background. This will convey a cozy and warm feel in the room. Repeated cleanings become unecessary and the darker grouts are easier to maintain.

Light colors like ice whites and light blues make the room seem cool. They also open up a room and make it seem larger. If your room has an absence of natural light a lighter colored tile should be your choice ( especially in hot climates ). Use light colors in small areas...it really opens up the room...you can always accent with other items such as shower curtains, soap dishes, waste baskets, and other furnishings.

Sizes:
Tile comes in many different sizes and shapes. The Tile Council of America has come up with these standard sizes for modular tile:

These standards work fine in America but much of the tile used today is imported from Europe or Asia. And of course, we are the only country that uses the English system (inches). Most imported tile is sized in centimeters (Metric system) which pretty much dispels the relevancy of the above chart. The imported tiles will be close to the above measurements but sizes can be nominal not exact.

Don't let all this scare you though. In most cases tile can be configured and cut to fit any space. It simply doesn't matter what the size is.

The number one question I am asked when it comes to selecting the proper size is: " If I have a very small area should I use a small tile?" or..." If I have a very large area should I use a large tile?"

The first question can be answered simply..No..you do not have to use a small tile just because your area is small. You can use a small tile if it is visually pleasing to you. But, larger tiles can be measured, configured, and cut to occupy the small area. As a matter in fact, a large tile will produce less grids opening up the area and at the same time provide less maintenance when it comes to the grout issue. We cover this principle at length in our eBook "Tile Layout", and there are some real life photos in our "Photo Gallery" that further reinforce this.

As for a large area..Yes..use a larger tile. Not only are larger tiles more in vogue but they add another dimension to the room. Your eye sees less grids which helps create an open rather than a closed in feeling. Large tiles are easier to install, because they cover more area at once. ( You must use the right size trowel for adequate mortar adhesion ). I always believe that the less grout you have to maintain the better. Large tiles will produce less grout lines which translates into less maintenance.

Hope this helps in your choice.

How-To-Tile Articles

Grout: Problems and Solutions
Trowels & Thinset
Surface Preparation
Transitions
Cutting Tools
Tile Design Guidelines
Caring for stone
Applying Grout
Porcelain or Ceramic?
Granite Tiles
What is Tile Bullnosing?
Bullnosing Ceramic Tile