The Best Tiles for Wet Rooms
When it comes to choosing tiles for your wet room, there are various factors to consider alongside the aesthetics of what you want. For instance, functionality is key in humid spaces, as floor tiles need to have anti-slip properties, to avoid accidents.
We’ve subsequently put together some top tips, along with tile examples to consider for your wet room, so read to the end of the blog to see what we recommend …
There are various factors to consider when choosing tiles for a wet room.
Top tips for choosing wet room tiles
Before we give some examples of tiles which would work well in your wet room area, there are some important things to consider as part of the selection process:
- Slip-resistance: As mentioned above, choosing tiles with anti-slip finishes is important to safeguard against accidents on slippery floors. Most anti-slip ratings (R ratings) for domestic tiles are between R9-R11 and matt and textured finishes are also ideal.
- Maintenance requirements: Depending on what your requirements are with respect to cleaning this will also influence what style of tiles you go for. Longevity is another consideration as porcelain tiles, for example, are more robust and non-porous than ceramic which can more easily crack and sustain damage.
- Compatibility with underfloor heating: If you want to install underfloor heating in your wet room then it’s important to check that the flooring you want to use is compatible with this, as not all are.
- Waterproofing/tanking kit: With any wet room area, you’ll have to make sure it’s completely sealed off and fully waterproof, to prevent damage to your walls and floors. You’ll therefore need to use a tanking kit to prep the area and to ensure that everything is completely protected before laying the tiles.
Inspiration for wet room tiles
Porcelain
Perhaps the most popular tile material for bathrooms and wet rooms alike is porcelain, due to its non-porous nature and high durability. This hard-wearing material is incredibly robust and ideally suited to humid environments, while it’s also available in a wide range of colours, finishes and designs. There’s therefore a lot of choice for your wet room, both for wall and floor tiles.
For example, the Iron Blue Matt Rectified Porcelain Tile is a large-format wall and floor tile with a modern matt finish which could be used in a wet room. Made from high-quality porcelain and with a dark colour palette, it will add elegant style to your interior, with the matt finish adding that extra grip when wet.
The Iron Blue Matt Rectified Porcelain Tile is suitable for both walls and floors.
Ceramic
Similar to porcelain tiles, ceramic tiles are also water-resistant and available in a wide range of designs, although they aren’t as non-porous as porcelain. The Star Blue Pattern Tile is a square ceramic wall and floor tile with a matt finish and an attractive blue star design which will add practical style to your wet room.
This high-quality Spanish tile has an easy wipe-clean surface, for convenient maintenance, while the distressed design also adds a vintage twist.
The Star Blue Pattern Tile is made from ceramic and has a modern matt finish
.Glass and mosaic tiling
Another robust and non-porous tile material is glass, which is commonly used in wet rooms and around pool areas. Again, these are easy to wipe clean although they often have a glossy finish which is more slippery when wet, so choosing textured or frosted glass is best if you want to go down this route.
Glass is often used for mosaic tiling, although these can also be made from ceramic and other materials. Mosaic tiles are great for creating feature walls and they can be a good choice for flooring as the increased number of grout lines provides added traction underfoot which, combined with matt surfaces, is ideal for wet rooms.
An example of glass tiling is the Penny Natureglass Turquoise Matte Non-slip Mosaic Sheet, a vibrant blue tile with a slip rating of R11, making it ideal for use in a wet room. With an interesting hexagonal shape and modern matt finish, these tiles will bring brightness and practical style to your home and are an inspired choice.
Natural Stone
Natural stone tiles like marble, granite, slate, or limestone can add a touch of elegance to your wet room. However, it should be noted that they require more maintenance and need to be properly sealed to prevent water damage and staining.
Vinyl and laminate
Vinyl and laminate tiles are a cost-effective choice and a great alternative to traditional tiles, especially if you’re on a budget. Water-resistant and with good traction, vinyl and laminate flooring is ideal for wet rooms and also feels softer and warmer underfoot, for a more comfortable experience, while they’re also available in a range of designs.
The Tomahawk Oak Laminate Flooring has a dark grey tone and is ideal for the modern bathroom, with authentic graining detail to give it that real-wood effect. The grey colour palette is also very versatile and will complement a variety of décor. A durable product which also comes with an antibacterial coating, the Tomahawk Oak Laminate Flooring is perfect for high-traffic areas and is easy to install, simply clicking into place.
The Tomahawk Oak Laminate Flooring has a grey colour palette and authentic graining detail for a wood-effect look.
Find wet room tiling at Tileshack
Whatever your preference for tiling, when it comes to wet rooms, always make sure the tiles you use have anti-slip properties, to ensure enhanced safety. Tiles with textured surfaces, matt finishes and more grout lines will all provide better grip underfoot, while you can also look for the official anti-slip rating – the R value of R9-R11.
At Tileshack, we supply a wide range of tiles to suit all types of bathrooms, with lots of different colours, finishes and styles to choose from. We’re also happy to assist you with any queries with regards to choosing your tiles, as well as pairing them with similar or contrasting designs.
To view our full range of tiles, visit Tileshack.com and if you have any queries, just email us at info@bathshack.com, call us on (028) 9077 0188 or use our online chat.
