How Do You Choose the Right Tile?
Choosing the best tile means matching the tile type, size, finish, and style to the location, how it’s used, your budget, and your taste. With countless options, thoughtful choice gets you tile that performs well and looks great. Here’s how to choose the best tile for your project.
Match the Tile to the Location and Use
Start by considering the location and how it’s used, since that determines the performance you need. For wet areas (showers, bathrooms), choose water-resistant tile (porcelain, appropriate ceramic) and ensure proper waterproofing. For high-traffic floors (entryways, kitchens), choose durable tile (porcelain) that withstands wear. For walls and backsplashes, lighter-duty tile works. For outdoor use, choose frost-resistant tile. Matching the tile type to the location’s moisture, traffic, and conditions ensures it performs and lasts. This performance match, right tile for the location’s demands, is the foundation of choosing tile well, before considering looks. (For more on this, see Where to Use Tile: Floors, Showers, Backsplashes, and More.)
Consider Durability and Water Resistance
Weigh the durability and water resistance you need. Porcelain is the most durable and water-resistant (best for high-traffic and wet areas), ceramic is durable but softer and more porous (fine for many uses), and natural stone is durable but needs sealing and care. For demanding locations, prioritize durability and water resistance; for lighter uses, you have more flexibility. Choosing tile whose durability and water resistance suit the location, porcelain where toughness and moisture resistance matter most, ensures the tile holds up. Matching the tile’s performance characteristics to the demands of its location is a key part of choosing well.
Choose the Size and Format
Consider the tile size and format, which affect both looks and installation. Large-format tiles create a clean, modern look with fewer grout lines and can make a space feel larger, and they install faster on floors, while small tiles and mosaics offer detail and work well on curved or detailed areas but have more grout lines and labor. Consider the space, the look you want, and that larger tiles need a flat substrate (they show unevenness more). Choosing a tile size and format suited to the space, the desired look, and the installation, from large-format for clean modern floors to mosaics for detail, is part of selecting the right tile. (For more on this, see What Makes Tile Installation Cost More (or Less)?.)
Consider the Finish and Slip Resistance
Consider the tile finish, especially slip resistance for floors and wet areas. Tiles come in various finishes, polished (smooth, shiny, but can be slippery when wet), matte or textured (more slip-resistant, better for floors and wet areas), and others. For floors, especially bathrooms and wet areas, slip resistance matters for safety, so a textured or matte finish is often better than polished. For walls, slipperiness isn’t a concern. Choosing a finish appropriate to the location, slip-resistant for wet floors, whatever you like for walls, ensures both safety and the look you want. The finish is a practical as well as aesthetic choice, particularly for floors.
Match the Style to Your Space
Choose a tile style, color, pattern, look, that suits your space and taste and that you’ll be happy with long-term. Tile is a prominent, permanent feature, so the style matters and lasts. Consider your home’s style, the atmosphere you want, and whether you prefer a timeless look (often wiser for permanent tile) or a trend. Tile comes in endless styles, including wood- and stone-look options. Choosing a style that complements your space and that you’ll love for years, rather than a fleeting trend you may tire of, is important for a lasting, prominent feature like tile.
Balance Budget and Value
Consider your budget and tile’s long-term value. Ceramic stretches a budget, porcelain offers durability at a moderate cost, and stone is premium. Because tile lasts a long time and performs well (especially in the right locations), investing appropriately, quality tile and installation where tile’s strengths matter, often delivers good long-term value. You might use premium tile where it counts (a feature shower, main floors) and economical tile elsewhere. Balancing your budget against tile’s durability and value, and being strategic about where to invest, gets the best result. Choosing tile that fits your budget while performing well for the location leads to a sound choice. (For more on this, see How to Budget and Pay for Tile Installation.)
Making the Choice
Choose the best tile by matching it to the location and use, considering durability and water resistance, choosing the size and format, considering the finish and slip resistance, matching the style to your space, and balancing budget and value. That approach gets you tile you’ll love that performs well. When you’re ready to choose and install your tile, connect with a local pro below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Match the tile to the location and use (water-resistant porcelain for wet areas, durable tile for high-traffic floors), consider durability and water resistance, choose the size and format (large-format for clean modern looks, mosaics for detail), consider the finish and slip resistance (textured for wet floors), match the style to your space, and balance budget and value. The performance match to the location comes first.
Water-resistant, durable tile, porcelain is ideal for its density, water resistance, and durability in wet areas, with proper waterproofing behind it. For floors, choose a textured or matte finish for slip resistance and safety, since polished tile can be slippery when wet. Ceramic can work for walls, and stone is beautiful but needs sealing and care. Matching the tile to the bathroom's moisture and, for floors, slip resistance, ensures it performs safely and lasts.
It depends on the space and look. Large-format tiles create a clean, modern look with fewer grout lines, can make a space feel larger, and install faster on floors, but need a flat substrate (they show unevenness more). Small tiles and mosaics offer detail, work well on curved or detailed areas, but have more grout lines and labor. Choosing the size suited to the space, desired look, and installation is part of selecting the right tile.
Yes, especially slip resistance. Polished tile is smooth and shiny but can be slippery when wet, while matte or textured finishes are more slip-resistant and better for floors and wet areas. For floors, especially bathrooms and wet areas, slip resistance matters for safety, so a textured or matte finish is often better than polished. For walls, slipperiness isn't a concern, so choosing a finish appropriate to the location ensures both safety and the look you want.
Timeless is often wiser for tile, since it's a prominent, permanent, long-lasting feature that's costly to replace. A timeless style you'll be happy with for years, rather than a fleeting trend you may tire of, is usually the better choice for something so permanent. Consider your home's style and the atmosphere you want. Tile comes in endless styles, including timeless options and wood- or stone-look designs, so choosing enduring style for a lasting feature makes sense.
