What Tiles are best for shower walls?
There are a number of decisions that have to be made when you are getting a new shower or getting new tiles in your old one. As these are permanent decisions, you should make sure that you are well informed about them before you make these decisions. One of the most important things in the shower are the tiles on the shower walls. These come in a variety of forms, sizes, and materials. So in order to make this decision easier for you, we will list some of the best options out there. There are some advantages and some disadvantages connected to all of them, so we will list those as well so that you are able to make the best decision and the most well-informed decision when you are getting new tiles for the shower walls.
White Marble Tiles
One of the most important things to consider when choosing the tiles is the overall look and feel of the shower. As we all know, the classic white marble look has always been in vogue. So, one of the safest options visually is to go for the all-white look with marble tiles. This has many advantages. One of the main advantages is that it will be very easy to clean and there will be minimal grime collecting between the lines. If the person who is installing the tiles takes some care in making sure that there is a good join between two adjacent tiles, then the grime can be reduced even further.
Concrete style tiles
Another good option to consider is the concrete style tiles that are very common in the modern shower. They give the entire place a very industrial look and many people have the opinion that tiles like these epitomize the contemporary avant-garde design. So if you are going for the urban setting then this is the tile design for you. Apart from their look, they do have other advantages. One of these is that they are very tough, so once installed you can rest assured that you will not be spending any money repairing the tiles for the next five to six years. As opposed to marble and other mosaic options, the concrete style tiles may collect grime more readily but there are many chemicals available in the markets that make cleaning them very easy. So if you are not concerned about putting in a little more effort in cleaning, and you have the urban look in mind, then these are tiles for you.
Bold and Large tiles
The third option that you can consider is the large and bold tile design either in ceramic or other contemporary materials. They give a very bold look and do have significant advantages. One of the best things about these is that they will collect the least amount of grime and cleaning them will be easiest of all tiles. Another distinct advantage is that they will be able to withstand a greater amount of pressure so if there are any leaks in the wall etc. These will be able to withstand them longer than other tiles. Another advantage is that once you have these in the shower you can get more work done on them like special paints etc. This is not possible if you have any other kind of tile installed. So if you are into art and DIY then perhaps these are the best bet. You do not have to do anything at once, but if want to keep your options open down the road then you should definitely get these.
Mosaic style tiles
The fourth option is one that has been in use since ancient times. It is one of the most expensive options and it requires special techniques to install. However, once it has been installed, it will elevate the shower to a whole new level. These are the mosaic style using small tiles. They come in two kinds. One of them is regularly shaped tiles that are then used to create abstract patterns on the walls, while the other is the smaller unique size tile that is used to create a whole diagram on the wall. Depending on the kind of intricacy that you require, these can cost quite much. The best advantage they have is that they are visually better than all the other tiles. No other tile design can even come close to matching the elegance and opulence of the mosaic. However, the mosaic tiles have two very significant disadvantages that you should keep in mind when you are making your decision. The first is that they require special tools for cleaning and if you are going to clean them with regular tools, you may damage the tiles. Another disadvantage is that mosaic style tiles are very small, so they do not bond to the wall with as much of a force as do the other larger tiles. So with age, they may fall out, and the mosaic will have to be repaired with new tiles cut to the exact same size as the one that has fallen off. One way to mitigate this is to use larger tiles which are used to form abstract patterns as they are the best balance between the elegance of mosaic and the durability of larger tiles.
Conclusion
The question of best tiles for the shower walls remains open and it all depends on the personal preference of the person who is getting them installed. The options listed above all have their distinct advantages and shortcomings, so it is up to the homeowner to review the information and then make a decision that is best suited to his needs and the environment. The design of the rest of the house will also play a very significant part in the choice of the tiles for the shower walls.
