Bathroom Tile This vs That: Which Fireclay Tile Product is Best For You

Tile shown: 3 x 6 in Kelp; Design: Sheri Newbold - Live Work Play

As you're remodeling your bathroom you may be asking yourself, which Fireclay products can I use in this space?  Each of our products has different characteristics.  Whether its color and size or pattern and technical specifications, there are a ton of things that should be taken into consideration before deciding which product will be best for your bathroom project.  We're here to help make your life a little easier by covering the pros and cons of using each of our product lines in the bathroom.

Things to consider when choosing tile for your bathroom

– Bathrooms are constantly exposed to water, your product choice needs to be suited for this

– Bathroom floors are slippery, your product choice should have some sort of slip resistance when being applied to the floor

– Style:  Each of our product lines offer a distinct look and style

Tile shown: Ogee Drop in Sea Glass, Rainy Day, and Tusk; Image: VIE Magazine

Tile

Pros of Tile in the Bathroom

1. Price is one of the biggest pros when it comes to ceramic tile.  Ceramic Tile offers the widest range of price options, starting at only $12/sf, making it a great choice for larger surface areas such as the floor, ceiling, and walls.
2. Ceramic tile is a very durable choice for your bathroom.  It will stand the test of time against daily wear and tear, and with the right grout and the right cleaning supplies, it will be fairly low maintenance.
3. There are hundreds of tile colors to choose from, each one offering unique texture, finish, and color variation.  To match these beautiful colors, there is a large selection of tile patterns and shapes to choose from, adding more visual interest to your design.
4. Ceramic tile has many trim options that allow you to add the perfect finishing details. Bullnose pieces create the perfect clean edge to a shower surround and quarter rounds help finish edge details such as an inset shelf or a shower pan.
5. Fireclay ceramic Tile is handmade in Aroma's, CA with extensive color options made with locally sourced materials.

Cons of Tile in the Bathroom

1. Some of our glazes are acid-sensitive, meaning they are not suitable for areas that are constantly exposed to steam. However, you can still use these tiles with a sealer to protect them.
2. Ceramic tile can be very cold underfoot, especially during the cooler months.  Adding a rug to your tiled bathroom floor will work wonders and if you have a few extra bucks, consider installing a radiant heated floor mat such as Nuheat.
3. Ceramic tile is handmade which means slight irregularities should be expected, this adds character and an artisanal feel but generally means it's best to hire a pro to handle an intricate bathroom installation.

Glass

Pros of Glass in the Bathroom

1. Glass offers a wide range of translucent, vibrant colors that are perfect for a bathroom setting
2. Glass tile is beautiful and offers your bathroom a unique visual appeal, and with an enormous selection of colors and mosaics to choose from, your design options are literally limitless.
3. One of our favorite features is that glass tile is relatively low maintenance, all you need to keep it clean is window cleaner and a cloth.  Because of its low maintenance factor, we suggest using glass tile in the shower area where you will experience soap build-up that needs to be cleaned regularly.
4. Glass tile is translucent, therefore, unlike any other surface material, that beautiful color you picked out will show all the way through the tile, providing an additional sense of depth and dimension.
5. Glass tile reflects light, making your bathroom look larger and brighter.

Cons of Glass in the Bathroom

1.  Installing glass tile requires care, and will almost always require a professional tile installer, but we always suggest hiring a professional installer for any project.  Handmade tile is special, and special care should be taken during installation.
2. Glass tile starts at $35/SF, where ceramic Tile starts at $12/SF, if you're on a tight budget, you may want to consider using glass as an accent, rather than covering large surface areas.  Using glass as an accent wall also help colorful mosaic blends from overwhelming a space.
3. Although glass is easy to clean, the beautiful reflective surface of a gloss finish will highlight any imperfection.  This means all those little fingerprints will be more apparent. Selecting an all-matte finish or a combination of gloss and matte will better hide those fingerprints. 
4. Glass's slippery smooth surface may not be appropriate for all floor applications.  If you really want to use glass on your floor, use a matte finish tile for more traction.

Glass Tile Shown: Rosy Finch 4x4

Brick

Pros of Brick in the Bathroom

1. Brick offers a very distinct look in a bathroom, different from all of our other product lines.  It offers an industrial-chic aesthetic, and its textured glazes will create a focal point in your space.
2. Our Brick size is a large, 2 x 8 size, meaning less tile will cover a larger surface area.  We suggest using Brick on Bathroom Walls and Floors.
3. Brick has a texture that can create slip resistance, making it a great choice for a bathroom floor.

Cons of Brick in the Bathroom

1. Because of Brick's natural texture, more maintenance will be required when it comes to keeping it clean and beautiful. You may want to choose a Brick color that has a slightly more glossy glaze coating such as Lewis Range, rather than a glaze that has more texture like White Mountains.

Brick color shown: Monterey Bay; Image: Twist Tours Photography

Handpainted

Pros of Handpainted in the bathroom

1. Our Handpainted collections offer a variety of patterns and styles to choose from, including Contemporary, Moroccan, Mediterranean, and Classic Cuerda Seca.  These patterns add color and an artisanal aesthetic to your bathroom
2. Our Handpainted designs contain dry lines within each tile piece which act similarly to grout.  This makes them great for the bathroom floor because the extra dry lines provide added slip resistance.
3. Handpainted designs are inspired by wall coverings and make great feature walls in bathroom installations
4. Handpainted pairs naturally with all of our other product lines

Cons of Handpainted in the Bathroom

1. Handpainted starts at a higher price point than our other product lines.  If you're on a budget but still want to add some Handpainted to your design, try using it as an accent paired with another product line such as a simple field Tile.

Handpainted pattern shown: custom Coimbra; Image: Malcolm Fearon, Bliss Images

Ready to start designing your bathroom?  Order free samples now.  Need some help?  Simply, call, chat or fill out our Design Assistance Form and one of our talented Design Consultants will get back to you shortly.