Choosing bathroom tiles, grout and laying patterns

Choose the product for its position

Tell the supplier whether each tile is for a shower floor, general bathroom floor, wall or feature detail.

Ask for the product's suitability and relevant test information for that location, then have the designer or installer confirm the specification.

A tile's colour and appearance alone don't establish its performance or installation requirements.

Large-format tiles and mosaics

Large-format tiles create a different pattern of joints and cuts from smaller tiles, with substrate preparation and handling to be priced accordingly.

Mosaics can follow some shapes more readily and provide a finer pattern, but involve more grout joints to clean.

Ask the tiler to show how the selected format works with the room's falls, drainage, corners and fixtures before ordering.

Compare installed quotes for each option rather than the supply price alone.

Choose grout with a sample panel

A contrasting grout emphasises the tile pattern, while a closer colour match creates a quieter surface.

View a grouted sample of the actual tile and ask about the proposed grout's maintenance and application requirements.

Have movement joints and flexible sealant detailed by the installer as part of the complete tile system.

Give a feature tile a clear location

Choose a defined wall, shower area or vanity backdrop rather than scattering competing feature finishes through a small room.

Work out how the pattern meets the ceiling, window, niche and corners, with the set-out approved before installation.

If the tile has noticeable variation, ask how the boxes will be mixed and check a representative sample of the range.

Ask about wet-floor suitability

Ask for the appropriate slip-resistance information for the intended bathroom location and the people using the room.

The relevant test and design requirements need to be selected by the qualified designer or installer; a generic rating copied from another room isn't a complete specification.

Compare texture with cleaning needs using the actual tile sample, and include the finished falls and drainage in the design discussion.

Confirm quantities and spares

Have the installer confirm measured quantities, pattern allowances, trims and spare tiles before the order is final.

Record the product, colour and batch details and keep a useful quantity of spares for future maintenance.

Check delivery timing and inspect the order before the installation programme depends on it.