Expensive glossy tile mistake

12 years ago

Ok - full disclosure -- this is really about the 1/2 bath next to my kitchen that is being remodeled as the same time as the kitchen, but I hope someone out there might have some advice. Here's the problem: I selected a beautiful hand-made, custom-ordered tile in Silver Sage, which is matte, but mistakenly ordered Silver Haze, which is glossy. I discovered this snafu when I went to pick up the tile after waiting 5 weeks for it to be made per my order. Arrgh! The tile is for the floor of the 1/2 bath, and I've heard that glossy is bad for floors because it's more slippery when wet than matte and the glossiness won't wear well because of foot traffic. I am really bummed, but the glossy tile is really quite beautiful and pretty close in color to the other tile and it's a small 1/2 bath, which reduces the safety concerns for me (no tub or shower). And I could use a small rug to protect it. On the other hand, I'm thinking I might always look at this floor and be bothered by it or that it might wear really badly. It is not out of the question to buy new tile, though I'd rather put that money into something else. So, I'm wondering whether it would be a really bad idea to just use the glossy on the floor -- has anyone had a bad experience with glossy tile on a floor? Will it look odd (like a wall on the floor?!)

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Comments (8)

pam29011
12 years ago
Since it's a half-bath and no one will be exiting a tub or shower with bare, wet feet I think it is LESS of a falling risk. But if the tile is meant to be a wall tile then it won't hold up to foot traffic & you'll be tearing it out in relatively short order.

What size is the tile? Is there any way to use a less expensive matte tile (like a plain porcelain) for most of the floor & turn this into a border around the room? You'll still have way more than you need, but I'm assuming the tile is pretty expensive and not returnable? OTOH, if it's just a question of a restocking charge of 25% or so I would say exchange it for the matte version.

Sorry,
-Pam
function_first
12 years ago
People use polished marble for floors all the time and it doesn't look like a wall on a floor -- so gloss isn't completely unexpected for a floor. With it being a lesser used half bath, and also with a rug to protect it I think it will survive. Worst case scenario: you have to rip it out and reinstall but that's going to be down the road, if at all. Maybe by that point --if it ever comes -- you'd be ready for a change, anyway.
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Stacey Collins
12 years ago
I would find out if it is a wall tile only or rated for floors... that might make your decision for you right there.
Stacey Collins
12 years ago
Is it the Vitrail Series handmade tile? That's beautiful tile.... it looks like they're ALL rated for walls AND floors, no matter which glaze.
davidro1
12 years ago
If it is really wet while you are running on it, then "... glossy is bad for floors". Only if you are running or shifting your weight a lot, like darting back and forth or side to side.

When you take a step you aren't incurring massive risk. In a small room you barely have enough space to shift your weight from your left leg to your right leg. You move nice and slow, like an average person on an average day in a small room.

Another significant point is this:
it's when there is a lot of water that things get slippery.
Any tile, any kind, any roughness.

Think of swimming pools.
They aren't surrounded by high gloss tiles but people slip there, often.

Rough surfaces are no good as antislip surfaces, when wet.
Then some people say the grout lines make it antislip, and that therefore you need small tiles. This is more BS, now piled higher and deeper. ("p.h.d.") People get a subjective feeling that their toes can grip onto grout lines, but this doesn't prevent much in the way of accidents, if they are darting around.

Executive Summary:
Relax, drop the concern, and move on to the next thing to think about.
francoise47
12 years ago
Is this your tile (link below)?
It is so very beautiful.

Unless you are one of those people who must have
nothing glossy in the house
(there are lots of people like that in my town --
something I'll never understand)
I would install those tiles
and go about loving them as they deserve to be loved

With no shower or tub, the safety issue seems like a non-issue.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fireclay vitrail tile
shanghaimom
12 years ago
The glossy is beautiful--I think this was a "happy mistake."

We have polished marble on our powder room floor--it isn't even the tiniest bit slippery. And never gets wet, anyway.
orcasgramma
12 years ago
I would use the wonderful handmade glossy tile but then deal with the fall concerns with at least one substantial grab bar by the toilet.

Here is a link to an article which is a synopsis of a CDC report about falls in bathrooms. The full report is also available online but I think this is probably enough for most of us. Notice we don't know if grab bars prevent falls - but at 62 I find myself using them if they are there.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/09/news/la-heb-bathroom-injuries-20110609

Expensive glossy tile mistake

Comments (8)

pam29011

function_first

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