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Bathrooms Remodeling Design Dilemma

Tell me your experience with Zellige tiles

Erika McConnell

last year

last modified: last year

I plan on putting white zellige tiles on the shower wall and have samples from 3 distributors: zia, Riad, and Cle. Please tell me your experience with each and installation. We will be using experienced installers but likely haven’t installed zellige since it is so new (haven’t talked to them yet but they have worked with my contractor for some time). I know that it has chips, needs to be sealed, wet the tiles before installation, use marapei grout, etc, — i hvae done some research, but I LOVE how it looks and so does my husband. We live in a hundred year old Tudor, and we just think it has the character we are looking for. We have an original Art Deco bathroom downstairs, and the zellige to me mirrors the character of that original tile. I am using marble on the floor, but I just dont want an all marble bathroom — they are so pretty and elegant but can feel cold to me. The zellige tile adds warmth IMO. Thanks!

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Elizabeth Clampitt

last year

last modified: last year

We just finished a master bathroom addition in a 1928 home. We used calacatta gold hex tile on the floor and zellige from Riad tile in Snow on the walls. We've been using the shower for about two months now and so far so good. I spray it with Clean Shower Daily Shower Cleaner after each shower and it has not been too hard to clean.

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Comments (9)

everdebz
last year
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Erika McConnell
Original Author
last year
Thank you Elizabeth! Beautiful! We also have the sloped ceiling haha. Did your installer have any issues with the zellige tile? I have been debating between calacatta and Carrara for the floor, and this may have swayed me (if I can talk my husband into the extra cost haha!) The calacatta looks so nice with the zellige in your bathroom. We are also doing wood vanities like you.
Elizabeth Clampitt
last year
Hi Erika! It was our installers first time with zellige, but they did not run into any real issues. It did take longer than they anticipated originally just because of the extra time it takes to soak the tiles. They also mitered the edges of the tile around the shower which is quite labor intensive. One thing I wish I would have done differently is specified the size of the shower niche to the installers, the tile is quite thick and they did not really take that into account when measuring the niche so it turned out a bit smaller than I would have liked. I did not deal with Riad tile directly, my contractor ordered the tile for us, but they had great customer service (I have heard the opposite about cle which I did order a sample from). Hope that helps!
PRO
Beth H. :
last year
last modified: last year
I got the black zellige tiles from Cle. (along w/these others that were on clearance)

I wanted to do an inset in my wood floor

right after install.

year later. Black grout is a PIA to keep looking dark.

The tiles are easy to cut. I didn't know I had to seal them so I did get a few etching types of stains. I've since sealed and it's fine. they clean up w/anything. easy to cut. Some tiles have to be culled because they're too bowed or the color is way off, so order at least 20% overage.

I installed the cement tiles myself on the coffee bar area. these come presealed.
a_hem
last year
Loved my Cle tile as well. They have chips but you can still use most. We placed some in places we knew would be covered but the grout also fills in many of the chips. We just moved and will be remodeling again. I would use them in every room if I could! We used them on kitchen backsplash and powder room backsplash. Kitchen is weathered white. Powder room is tea ceremony. Kitchen was done by retired tile guy who does wonderful work!! His first time with zellige. We took good notes and installed the bathroom tiles...My first time tiling. They are not perfect so I figured it was a good place to start! Good luck!
Erika McConnell
Original Author
last year
Omg that blue is to die for — I know the feeling — I want to use zellige in every room and envision the blue in the kids bathroom when we renovate it!! Thanks a-hem!! Beautiful! Especially with the brass pulls! 😍
Erika McConnell
Original Author
last year
Thanks Beth H!! Those all look stunning! I liked the white from Cle the best so good to know that it worked out fine with Cle!
kay
last year
@Elizabeth Clampitt Looks wonderful! Can I ask if you have the Brizo Luxe Gold faucet in Odin and shower fixtures? I was thinking of getting them, how do you like them?

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