skip to main content

Flooring Design Dilemma Bathrooms

Any advice about putting white matte porcelain tile on a bath floor?

6 years ago

I'm considering it for our overall master bath floor, including the shower. It's a 2x2 pattern with a lot of grout lines, so I'm not worried about it getting slippery. But I am worried about keeping it clean on a daily basis as well as overall wear and tear (will it discolor and look grungy?). Any thoughts would be helpful. Thank you.

Featured Answer

susanzone5 (NY)

6 years ago

More grout means more cleaning, more mold, more soap scum. Go with bigger tiles, like 9 or 12 inches. I like softer flooring on floor outside shower. Less breakage like on hard floors and less cold on feet. Easier to clean, too.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

Mrs. S
6 years ago
It might be ok as long as you don't have white grout. I would never do white grout ever again on a floor. I think life is too short!!

I do have to echo susanzone5. I'd go with much larger tiles. Depending on how large your bathroom is, I'd go with the largest size tile that looks good. I've seen tiles that really large (I think over 3'), and you can use teeny tiny grout lines.
Related Discussions
cleaning slate-like, white, matte porcelain tile
Q
Comments (2)
I have a textured ceramic "slate" tile on the floor or my shower. It requires no extra cleaning at all. But yes, you can use your regular cleaning product on textured tile. I'm a simple soap and shampoo guy, my wife has lotions and potions, so the shower sees all sorts of product on the tile and grout. Still, it drains fine and everything disappears down the drain with no dried residue on the tile. The tile is a dark charcoal/black color (DAL Continental Tile Asian Black "slate"), so it would show any sort of dried haze were there one. A handheld head on a hose that can be detached from the wall can be used to rinse down the floor at the end of the shower. That goes a long way towards keeping the floor clean. Non-residue bar soaps like Zest help, too. A properly pitched floor helps. Proper ventilation to prevent long-term high humidity levels help as well. In a properly built and ventilated shower, cleaning should be pretty minimal. Mongo
...See More
Advice - Replacing one chipped porcelain tile in new floor
Q
Comments (2)
Thanks Jerry for the link and how to repair a tile. I hope my tiles do not chip when they are finally installed.
...See More
Need advice about tile installation in master bath
Q
Comments (46)
After looking at these photos it is worse than described. I agree with Bressier Tile and Stone about the shower, that CAN be the first sign of a leaking shower and in my experience was the last sign of rotten framing etc however the extent want be known until the tiles are removed Last time I saw that, almost exactly the same, the attached photo was the result. The cause was the membrane wasn't installed properly and leaked. The water damage went into the hall and bedroom. This was in a house inspection I did for a client. the tiling was 3 yrs old, Scary to see how much damage was done in a short time. You need to put in a warranty claim now that way it is lodged for future if communication breaks down. You paid good money for a new bathroom that shouldn't have flaws like this.
...See More
Keeping clean unglazed porcelain floor tile that is not white
Q
Comments (2)
Thanks for your comment and bottom line suggestion, Linda. My sister and close neighbor have been advising me of the same thing. Accordingly, I have been doing more investigating into how to easily clean the unglazed porcelain and also checking into other flooring options. My neighbor suggests Marmoleum, which would be appropriate to our 1926 home. My sister-in-law has Marmoleum in her kitchen and strongly recommends it, as she finds it hard to clean. It also does not have the longevity of tile. I have been searching for a matte glazed porcelain floor tile and finally met with some success yesterday. There is a good bit of such tile in black and white, but not much in other colors. Yesterday at Daltile, I found a matte glazed porcelain hex in some colors including a couple greys and a greyish green, which is what I'm after. It comes in various sizes including the 2" hex I am after and can be paired with a 1" square black for the perimeter border I'd like to have. Daltile carries this tile, which is made by Cepac and it can be found on the Cepac website. Good luck!
...See More
Anna S
6 years ago
Be careful with the very large tiles being suggested - you’ll need larger grout lines, a perfectly flat floor (ha!),and they’re more likely to crack.

Look for rectified tile, which yields the smallest grout lines. See if there is a porcelain tile that comes in two sizes, small for the shower, larger for the floor.

I’m not sure what you mean by a matte finish - are you planning on using ceramic tile for the floor? If so, get thee to porcelain tile, which is more durable.

And NO white grout!
lrunner
6 years ago
What color grout are you doing?
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 years ago
IMO large format porelain tile for the floor and the shower walls with the same tile in a small one for thr shower floor. The simpler you keep tile in the bathroom the easier it is to live with and to clean. I agree NO white grout.
PRO
Cinar Interiors, Inc.
6 years ago
Personally, I would use a larger matte tile on the floor of the bathroom and stick with the 2x2 just on the wet floor. Stepping out of the shower onto a dry floor will not cause to you slip. It's when there is present moisture on the floor that you could slip. So the thought of having more grout joints in the shower for traction is more ideal. If you're still stuck on using 2x2 for the entire floor of the bathroom, I'm not going to fight you...it's your money and 2x2 is way more expensive than the larger format tiles.

For grout, use an epoxy or single component grout. These grouts have built in sealers and are moisture proof. Cleaning of the products is as easy as using vinegar and water.
susanzone5 (NY)
6 years ago
Use bathroom mats (pretty ones) by shower and sink. Vinyl floor tiles are soft and don't need grout. Easy clean.

Related Stories

KITCHEN OF THE WEEK Kitchen of the Week: Graphic Floor Tiles Accent a White Kitchen

By Jeannie Matteucci

Walls come down to open up the room and create better traffic flow

COLOR Bathed in Color: How to Get White Right in the Bath

By Jennifer Ott Design

Get the pure look you want without going institutional by paying attention to tone, texture and sheen in an all-white bathroom

BATHROOM DESIGN Bold Black-and-White Style for a Small Master Bath

By Becky Harris

A black-and-white color palette, graphic floor tile and a custom design make the most of every inch in this D.C. bath

TILE Porcelain vs. Ceramic Tile: A Five-Scenario Showdown

Explore where and why one of these popular tile choices makes more sense than the other

BATHROOM DESIGN Bath of the Week: Black, White and Classic, With Some Twists

By Mary Jo Bowling

Black trim and tile keep an otherwise snowy bathroom in a 1910 home from feeling sleepy

BEFORE AND AFTERS See How Tile and Brass Updated This Tiny Bath

By Mitchell Parker

A fresh palette of white, gray and brass pairs with a floating vanity to keep things feeling light and airy

BATHROOM TILE Designers Share Their Favorite Bathroom Floor Tiles

By Bryan Anthony

Wood-look porcelain, encaustic cement and hexagon tiles are making a splash in recent projects by these design pros

BATHROOM DESIGN 'Weave' Stone Tile for an Elegant Bath

By Debbie Snider

Basketweave Mosaics Add Style and Dimension to a Tile Floor

COLOR Bye-Bye, Minimalist White — The New Nordic Style Is All About Color

By A

The Scandinavian color palette is moving away from pale, cool shades with hot new hues on walls and floors

TILE New This Week: 4 Rooms With Black-and-White Tile Style

By Mitchell Parker

Use patterned black-and-white tile on floors and walls to bridge the gap between traditional and modern looks

Sponsored

More Discussions

Not happy with floor.

2

Which way would you lay the tile in our bathroom in our medical office

6

Covering existing wood floors?

3

what color flooring?

6

Can anyone show pictures of Mowhawk Revwood Premier Sunbathed Pecan?

0