Tiles for Washroom Wall: Common Mistakes to Avoid While Selecting

You're constructing a new house or perhaps you're finally renovating your bathroom. The shortlist of tiles is ready, the contractor has begun work, and the bathroom seems like one of the minor choices on the list.

You enter a showroom for tiles. There are hundreds of variations available, including various colors, sizes, patterns, and finishes. Under the showroom lighting, everything appears good. After selecting a tile that appeals to you and verifying the quantity with the contractor, you go to the next choice on the renovation list.

After six months, the grout has become grey, every watermark is visible on the shiny surface, and one tile has begun to loosen from the corner. Because of the poor quality of the tile, none of this occurred. It occurred as a result of the decision being taken without considering the true requirements for bathroom walls.

One of the most difficult surfaces in an Indian home is the bathroom wall. Conditions that penalize the incorrect tile choice include daily steam, hard water splashes, cleaning chemicals, and small areas.

Here are the most common mistakes homeowners make when selecting tiles for washroom walls and what to do instead.

Mistake 1: Using Floor Tiles on the Washroom Wall

This one is a classic. The homeowner likes the tile on the floor, and the contractor suggests the same tile on the wall to save ordering and space.

Wall tiles and floor tiles are very different from one another. Floor tiles are designed to handle weight and foot traffic, so they tend to be heavier and thicker. Because of this, when heavy floor tiles are installed on a wall, the adhesive is put under unnecessary stress to hold a weight that it was never meant to hold. This is especially bad with older plastered walls that you would find in many homes in India. Because of this excessive weight, the adhesive bond will weaken over time, and the tiles will start to loosen, and in some cases, fall off the wall entirely.

Wall tiles are constructed to be light and thin so that they can be easily adhered to vertical surfaces. Therefore, the use of floor tiles on a wall is a structural flaw, as well as a design flaw.

What to check: Ensure you check with the dealer whether a tile can be used on walls, floors, or both. Don’t make assumptions.

Mistake 2: Using Tiles That Make the Washroom Feel Smaller

The size of an Indian washroom typically ranges from 20 to 45 ft. and is often referred to as compact. The size of the tiles placed in the washroom can directly impact a person’s perception of the size of a washroom.

Using smaller tiles, typically 200 x 300 mm or smaller and in a mosaic style, causes many grout lines to form. The multiple grout lines in a compact space create a very busy and fragmented space, making it difficult for the eye to perceive a large wall or space. Because of this, a washroom will ultimately feel smaller when designed with smaller tiles.

Using larger tiles that can range from 300 x 600 mm to 600 x 1200 mm, tiles can be installed that reduce the number of grout lines. Fewer grout lines again allow the eye to perceive a larger wall or space and a larger washroom.

In Indian bathrooms, a practical and considerate wall tile is 300x600mm. 300x900mm tiles, arranged vertically, draw the eye upward as well and allow the ceiling to appear higher.

Larger wall tiles become disproportionately important as the size of the washroom shrinks. In small washrooms, larger wall tiles should dominate, and small mosaics should be avoided.

Mistake 3: Choosing Glossy Tiles and Ignoring Water Marks

Glossy washroom tiles look great in the sample and even while the bathroom is spotless. The problem shows when the bathroom is in use.

Tile splashes and the glossy tile show splashed water. Hard water is the reality in most metro cities in India. The glossy tile, which was clean during the sample, shows water marks in white or grey after water has evaporated. In cities with very hard water, the marks appear in days of cleaning and require constant maintenance to prevent the tile from looking dirty.

Semi-gloss or satin tiles look the same but show significantly less water. They are easier to clean and don’t show every splash.

Full matte tiles are worse because they trap water.

Choose satin or semi-gloss in cities with hard water. In Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore, use satin or semi-gloss. Use high gloss only if the wall is always cleaned after use.

Mistake 4: Failing to Consider the Starting Point of the Layout

The layout of the tiles, which determines the point of the first tile, will affect the placement of all subsequent tiles. This is ultimately a construction choice, but a homeowner will need to provide this placement information.

In Indian washrooms, tiles don't always fit perfectly due to the odd angles in some structures. Poor design can mean having warped tiles cut small enough to fit in large gaps and being put in places like the corners or near the ceiling. These tiles can crack along the edges and make the whole room look messy.

From the start, a layout needs to have either the center of the wall or some other constant feature as a reference point. From there, the layout will determine where the most visible cuts will be, and ideally, those cuts will be along the edges of the walls or the corners. Most of the time, the cuts will be hidden behind the door.

Before the layout is even installed, ask your contractor where the cuts will be and what the layout will look like.

Mistake 5: Using Dark Tiles in Small Washrooms (Charcoal, Navy, Black)

Everyone loves the look of dark tiles on large scales, like in a hotel room bathroom, but dark tiles make Indian bathrooms feel small.

It's true that tile color can affect the perception of space. Darker colors make a large space feel more cramped. Darker colors also make a bathroom feel dirtier faster; dark tiles even more dirt. It dulls the space and asks for constant maintenance.

Using darker tiles on a single wall makes for a thoughtful design in a bathroom, which is especially useful for small spaces. The most complementary tile design to make a small bathroom in India feel bigger is three walls of lighter tiles with one feature wall of darker tiles.

Mistake 6: Not Waterproofing the Walls Before Tiling

Skipping the waterproofing layer is one of the most common tile-related mistakes.

In most bathrooms in India, the waterproofing layer is either omitted completely or done very poorly. The wall becomes damaged as the moisture travels through the small openings in the grout and tile adhesives. Tiles eventually pop off, and there is a bulging layer of plaster behind the tiles, which damages the wall on the other side.

Waterproofing the walls in Indian bathrooms is a necessity. It helps strengthen the bond between the tiles and the walls. It is a small expense compared to redoing the tiles.

Before getting to the tiling stage, make sure the contractor added the waterproofing layer to all the walls in the bathroom.

Mistake 7: Choosing Tiles That Are Not Moisture Resistant

Wall tiles are not created equal when it comes to high-moisture environments. Some tiles, especially some ceramics, can absorb from 3 up to 10% of their weight in water. These tiles can become damaged in high-moisture environments like bathrooms that are used multiple times a day.

To avoid damage, wall tiles in bathrooms should have low water absorption. Great options also include glazed vitrified tiles with below 0.5% absorption or well-glazed ceramics that can be absorbent, but are rated for use in wet environments. The tile surface also needs to be fully sealed to prevent moisture from penetrating the tile body.

Water absorption of washroom wall tiles must be known before buying. It should be seen on the box or in the product specifications.

Mistake 8: Dark Glossy Tiles on Wall and Floor

This combination is popular and leads to two problems.

When floor and wall tiles are the same dark glossy tiles, grout joints are no longer visible. Transitional joints between horizontal and vertical surfaces are also no longer definable, but rather the space looks confusing and, rather, is unfinished.

Dark glossy floor tiles, combined with dark tiles (where wetness is hidden) and glossy finish tiles (where the tile is slippery when wet), are dangerous to children and the elderly because of the combination of dark glossy floor tiles in a wet washroom.

Safer and better looking: Floor tiles that are lighter in color and have a matte finish, contrasting with the wall tiles of the washroom. This tone contrast creates a space that is definable, rather than uniform.

Conclusion

Choosing washroom wall tiles is simple, but you must think beyond the showroom. The finish must withstand hard water. The size must correlate to the space. The grout must withstand daily moisture. The body must remain attached to the wall for years.

These mistakes are common but completely avoidable! Looking closely and asking the right questions before placing your order can save you some headaches down the road. The perfect washroom wall tiles look beautiful and stay clean after regular cleaning. The right tiles will also last a long time without needing to be replaced.