The choice of tiles for a bath is dictated not only by the size, shape and color scheme, but also by many operational characteristics. Read how to choose the right tiles for the walls of a bath, floors, shower room, steam room and sauna stove. Content:
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Types of tiles
- Suitable tiles
- Unsuitable tiles
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How to choose
- On the walls
- On the floor
- For shower
- For steam room
- For oven
Sauna tiles optimally complement the wood finish, and are also considered an indispensable material for arranging a heater, stove, sink and pool. Ceramic tiles, like floor and wall coverings, are very durable. But only if the choice is weighed and competently made.
Features of choosing the type of tiles for a bath
The specifics of any room in one way or another dictate the requirements for the selection of finishing materials. It's time to figure out which types of tiles are suitable for use in the bath, and which ones are best left for more favorable conditions.
Which tile is suitable for a bath
The bathhouse is a zone with "extreme" conditions: humidity is too high, temperature drops are critically sharp. And if wood is considered the best material for finishing a steam room, then facing tiles are more suitable for a shower, dressing room and rest room. It is easy to clean, does not lend itself to the influence of the surrounding humid environment, does not emit harmful vapors when heated, does not lose its presentable appearance as a result of sudden temperature changes.
As you know, tiles can be very different. Its differences are not limited to color palette, texture and size. Performance is still considered a more important criterion. There is an opinion that it is customary to use only glazed tiles to decorate the bath, but this is not true.
Recall that for the manufacture of unglazed tiles, in most cases, refractory clay and high firing temperatures are used. This in itself makes this material the most suitable for installation in high temperature areas. Unglazed non-slip tiles for a bath on the floor are considered many times safer than many smooth types, because its rough surface will easily exclude the possibility of falling on a slippery floor. When choosing tiles for a bath, the level of moisture absorption plays an important role. If we take an average indicator, then unglazed metlakh material is considered more suitable than some types of glazed.
The only drawback of such a coating is the uniformity of the color palette. But in a bath, this is most likely an advantage. The tiles will not draw too much attention, leaving the accent on wood surfaces.
Which tiles are not suitable for a bath
There are several types of material that are completely unsuitable for installation in a bath. Their quality can be quite high, but the technical characteristics are impermissible for sudden changes in temperature and high levels of humidity.
Let's consider these features in more detail:
- Glazed tiles are not suitable for finishing a protective screen above a stove or stove. Over time, it will begin to crack and crumble under the influence of high temperatures.
- Porcelain stoneware is a material with a high density and a fairly smooth surface. He has no place where there is high humidity. As a flooring, porcelain stoneware tiles run the risk of causing many traumatic situations.
- Smooth tiles are also not suitable for sinks and showers. Neither floor-mounted nor wall-mounted. Slippery wall surfaces can also cause injury.
- For floors, you should not buy tiles with a low level of wear resistance and a high level of moisture absorption, regardless of their type.
Types of tiles that are not suitable for a bath are not necessarily of low quality or insufficiently strong and durable. Most likely, such materials are simply not suitable for the extreme microclimate in a hot, humid room. At the same time, they can perfectly cope with the assigned functions within the boundaries of a city apartment or a public pool.
How to choose a tile for a bath
The main thing to remember when choosing a tile for a bath is that the shape and color do not play a decisive role. Only the speed and degree of complexity of the coating installation depends on these criteria. Drawings and patterns are important in other, more comfortable and practical spaces - in the bathroom, kitchen, etc. For different areas of the bath, technical and operational characteristics are still considered paramount.
Bath tiles on the walls
When choosing tiles on the walls of a bath, you should pay attention to a couple of popular and, most importantly, suitable types for such a room:
- Glazed ceramic tiles are a material with high strength and durability due to double firing. The tile is covered with a protective glaze, complemented by patterns and ornaments for a greater variety of colors and species.
- Ceramic tiles, unglazed. Ordinary tiles, not covered with glaze, are only suitable for installation in warm, dry rooms.
- Metlakh tile is a material that came from the Soviet Union. Main advantages: rough surface, resistance to extreme microclimatic conditions, high level of strength. As before, Metlakh tiles are sold in the markets and in hardware stores, but now they are presented in a much wider variety of species and color options.
On a note! In most cases, metlakh tiles are used as flooring, but can also be applied to walls.
Bath tiles on the floor
The tiles in the bath, located on the floor, are exposed to the most aggressive effects. This means that more stringent requirements should be put forward for such material. A material with a low level of moisture absorption, high wear resistance and sufficient strength is ideal for finishing floors in a bath. Moreover, the tiles should never be slippery.
No less a number of criteria put forward to the quality of the adhesive for laying tiles in the bath. It must be firmly bonded and resistant to high levels of humidity. The tile mortar must not set too quickly. Otherwise, the opportunity to correct the incorrectly placed fragment will be excluded.
Bath tiles
The use of tiles in the design of a shower room in a bath has its undeniable advantages. So, the tile covering can be called hygienic, resistant to different temperatures and moisture, affordable, varied in terms of shapes and colors, and certainly durable. But only in the case when the choice is competently made, and the material is correctly laid.
In addition to being non-slippery in a humid environment, the coating must also meet aesthetic requirements. At this time, the stay in the shower will be not only safe, but also comfortable.
Shower tiles can be:
- Glossy;
- Matte;
- Embossed;
- Flat.
Glossy surfaces perfectly reflect light and require little maintenance. For floors, glossy tiles are not the best option, since they are considered slippery and traumatic. But for the camp it is almost the best choice.
Matte tiles, in turn, solve the problem of slippery surfaces. If at the same time it also has a certain relief, traction with the soles will be better. In addition, it is easy to simulate stunning visual effects with embossed surfaces: natural stone, natural wood, etc. Often, bathhouse owners prefer to combine tiles of different colors, sizes and textures.
The most popular colors for tiles in the shower room are natural, natural. It is easy to create the appearance of a natural finish with a material in a natural color range.
Steam room tile for bath
Tile, in fact, is not considered an acceptable material for decorating a steam room. Having made the wrong choice, you can get a good burn on the wall and floor of the steam room, for example. But there are still owners who choose exactly the tiled covering for installation in the steam bath.
The only correct solution is to check the material before installation. So, for example, you can take several options of tiles of different composition and texture and leave them on the shelf or on the floor of the steam room at the time of the highest heating. If at the same time the material does not heat up and maintains an adequate temperature, you can use this type for finishing.
Sauna stove tiles
Since a fireplace or stove in a bathhouse itself implies the presence of an incredibly high temperature, strict requirements are put forward for the finishing material. It must certainly comply with the following points:
- Durability and strength;
- Thickness not less than 8 mm;
- Heat resistance;
- Structure without strong porosity.
It is the heat-resistant tile for the bathhouse that is suitable for finishing the stove, if we talk specifically about the tile covering. Several types of ceramic materials have such properties, including clinker tiles, terracotta tiles, tiles, majolica, etc.
Consider the features of each material:
- Terracotta tiles for a bath … Product with high porosity and no glazed surface. Outwardly, it has a bright brown color and sufficient strength. Terracotta tiles do not crack under the influence of high temperatures, therefore they are excellent for finishing the stove in a bath. Ideally, it is better to give preference to this type of material with a thickness of at least 8 mm and a suitable composition (with the inclusion of refractory clay, quartz and fireclay sand).
- Clinker tiles for a bath … A finishing material made from several different types of clay. Differs in incredible heat resistance, high strength, low porosity, the presence of many options in natural shades. The thickness of the clinker tiles is 9-12 mm, which is considered optimal for finishing the stove. Today, this type of ceramic product can be called the most durable.
- Sauna coil tile … A product made of a semi-precious rock mineral. Laying tiles in other areas of the bath is too expensive, so it is used only for finishing the bath stove. In fact, the serpentine is a miraculous stone. When heated, its therapeutic effect is significantly enhanced, the material normalizes blood pressure and increases blood circulation in the brain.
- Tiles … Unique smooth or embossed material, patterned or solid color. On the seamy side, the elements are made in the form of an open box or rump. This material has a high level of heat transfer. The cost of tiles is quite high, but this factor is dictated by manual production from faience and marly clays.
Features of using tiles from a coil for a bath are set out in the video clip:
After reading carefully our educational program, you learned how to choose a tile for a bath and its individual zones. The main thing is to learn how to competently apply the knowledge gained in practice so that the safety of visitors to the bath does not threaten anything.
