The best bathroom tiles

Tiles can change the entire look and feel of your bathroom, so they’re considered a big decision to make when you’re remodelling. There are loads of styles and trends out there, but you need to make sure you account for practicality too. Certain tiles work well on walls but aren’t recommended for use on floors. You may also want to consider something with more slip resistance, especially if you have someone at home with reduced mobility.

So, let’s take a look at all the options out there to help you find out what the best bathroom tiles are for you.

The best bathroom tiles are those with slip and impact resistance, making durable stone or porcelain your safest options. Wall tiles take much less wear, so you have the freedom to use smoother, smaller ceramic designs.
When choosing tiles, matt finishes provide extra grip for safe and cosy flooring, while gloss and glass tiles reflect light well, so they’re an ideal option for your bathroom walls.
Laying large, light-coloured tiles can help a small bathroom to feel bigger and sleeker, and you can add instant character with interesting layouts like herringbone or staggered brickwork.

Wall vs floor tiles

There are several considerations you’ll need to make when choosing your floor and wall tiles, as both types are subject to different conditions. So, what are the best bathroom flooring tiles and what are the best tiles for bathroom walls?

Floor tiles

Floor tiles are subjected to tougher conditions than wall tiles, so they’ll need to have the following specifications:

Impact resistance (especially in high foot traffic areas) Anti-slip properties (particularly important in wet areas like a bathroom) Water resistance (especially in wet rooms)

Floor tiles are usually made from stone or porcelain, as these are the two most dense and hard-wearing tile materials.

When comparing tile slip resistances, look out for the slip rating. This will range from R9-R13, with R9 having lower slip resistance in wet areas and R13 being safer in wet areas. If you’re building a wet room, you’ll want a rating from R12-R13. Slip resistance can also be assessed in classes:

Class A: suitable for light use in areas that aren’t as busy (e.g. a guest bathroom)

Class B: suitable for most bathrooms

Class C: suitable for wet rooms, high-traffic areas, and anyone with mobility issues

Wall tiles

Wall tiles are subject to much less demanding conditions, so this is where you can be a bit more creative. You don’t have to worry about slip or impact resistance, but if you can, opt for a tile with a level of water resistance for a space like your bathroom.

However, this isn’t necessarily vital if you install comprehensive waterproofing behind your new wall tiles. Many homeowners opt for ceramic tiles as they come in a range of designs and look the part.

If you want to create an effect with smaller tiles, the wall is the best place to do this, as smaller tiles aren’t commonly made with materials suitable for the floor. This is where you can try a mosaic tile or a metro tile.

Wall & floor tiles

Some tiles may be suited to both walls and floors. This is a great option if you want to create a cohesive, minimalist look where the walls flow into the floors. This’ll also disguise the join between your floor and ceiling, softening the overall look of your bathroom.

Bathroom tile materials

Bathroom tiles, both wall and floor, come in a variety of materials, with each having its own pros and cons. Let’s take a look at what’s available to help you make a decision on which is the best tile material for your bathroom.

Bathroom tile finishes

Once you’ve chosen your tile material, you’ll need to decide on a finish. Gloss, matt, and textured tiles all have their own aesthetic and practical functions, so you’ll need to decide which is best for you.

Matt tiles

Matt tiles are a great choice if you’re going for a cosy, minimalist vibe in your bathroom, as they don’t reflect as much light and create a softer look.

This finish is particularly suited to your floors as the matt surface generally has better grip than gloss and polished tiles, so it’s less likely to cause slips.

Gloss tiles

Glazed gloss tiles are a great choice for bathrooms as the glazed surface creates a non-porous layer, making them the easiest-to-clean bathroom wall tiles. They can help to brighten the space as they reflect a lot of light around the room, perfect for creating an eye-catching contrast against dark grout shades.

However, it’s important to only use these types of tiles on walls, as they offer less slip resistance in moisture-prone areas like your bathroom.

We think you'll like...

Wickes Mandarin Greige Matt Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 600 x 600mm

Wickes Pinhay Light Grey Matt Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 600 x 300mm

Wickes Farmhouse Soft Pink Ceramic Wall Tile - 300 x 75mm

Wickes Boutique Clover Blue Gloss Ceramic Wall Tile - 300 x 100mm

Polished tiles

Polished tiles have a smooth, reflective surface like gloss, but with much less sheen. Put simply, you may be able to see your reflection in gloss tiles, but not quite as clearly in polished tiles. This look is achieved by polishing the stone, ceramic, or porcelain to create a sheen, and their lower reflection requires less maintenance than gloss tiles, as smudges, water spots, and scratches don’t show up quite as much.

Satin tiles

Satin tiles sit between polished and matt on the ‘sheen scale’. A satin tile has a silky look, with an overall matt effect, but its slight sheen allows for some light to reflect off its surface. As a result, satin tiles add a little bit of softness to your bathroom without being too overpowering.

Textured tiles

Don’t forget, you’re not just limited to smooth tiles. You’ve got the option to go for a textured option, whether that be something that mimics a natural texture (e.g. stone) or a patterned texture like stripes.

We think you'll like...

Wickes Onyx Pearl Polished Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 600 x 300mm

Wickes Olympia™ Light Grey Polished Stone Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 600 x 600mm

Wickes Boutique Porto Grey Satin Ceramic Wall Tile - 600 x 300mm

Wickes Quarzo Black Splitface Porcelain Mosaic Tile Sheet - 394 x 160mm

Bathroom tile size

You can create a very different look depending on whether you go for large tiles or small tiles. Both options have their pros.

Bathroom tile colours

Of course, the colour of your tile will affect the overall feel of your bathroom. Here’s how certain colours can create different vibes:

White or cream tiles are the most popular and timeless choice. These shades create a sleek, minimalist, and clean look that reflects light around your room.

This is a great choice if you’re renovating a smaller bathroom, as whites and creams reflect light to make the space seem bigger.

Blue tiles are another popular choice for the bathroom for a sea-inspired or nautical look. Baby blues are a brighter option, creating a similar clean and fresh look similar to white tiles, but you can also go for a navy blue to add a bit of drama and impact.

You’ll just want to make sure you don’t flood a small space with dark shades, as this can make you feel closed in.

We think you'll like...

Wickes Atlantis Calacatta Polished Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 1200 x 600mm

Wickes Callika™ Sand Matt Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 600 x 300mm

Wickes Cosmopolitan Dark Blue Ceramic Wall Tile - 200 x 100mm

Wickes Boutique Wisteria Hexagon Blue Gloss Ceramic Wall Tile - 173 x 150mm

Green tiles are great for bringing a touch of nature inside. Any shade of green can do this, but dark greens are particularly trendy at the moment. Emerald shades are elegant and bold, and jewel tones like these (including blues like turquoise) bring luxury to a space that can otherwise be simply functional.

Black tiles are perfect if you’re looking to make an impactful statement. You can go for a fully black wall, using black or dark grey grout between your tiles, or opt for white grout between black tiles to create some extra textural interest. This works particularly well when laid in some more interesting tile layouts like herringbone and staggered lay (more on that next).

Patterned tiles are a more traditional choice that allows you to make a statement without worrying about interesting tile layouts or grout colour. They come in a variety of styles and materials and can be used on both the wall and floor. They’re a particularly popular choice for the floor, match nicely with plain walls, and can be used for feature walls too.

We think you'll like...

Wickes Boutique Wisteria Rustic Olive Green Gloss Ceramic Wall Tile - 300 x 75mm

Wickes Boutique Lava Black Matt Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 600 x 300mm

Wickes Soho Carbon Black Ceramic Wall Tile - 300 x 100mm

Wickes Greco Star Blue Matt Porcelain Wall & Floor Tile - 330 x 330mm

Bathroom tile layouts

Once you’ve chosen your tile, you’ve still got the big decision of your tile layout. The way you lay your tiles can make a huge difference to the overall look; for example, all 3 of the above walls use the exact same tile but offer a different aesthetic.

Straight lay tile layout

Straight lay is the simplest tile layout, as each tile is laid perpendicular to the one next to it. This means the grout lines look like a grid as opposed to being staggered.

This layout can be achieved in three ways: vertically, horizontally, or even diagonally, with vertical tiles creating the illusion of extra height, horizontal tiles widening the room, and diagonal tiles adding some visual interest.

The look will differ depending on the tile size you use, with smaller tiles creating a more mosaic-like look too.

Staggered tile layout

Staggered is your standard brickwork layout in which you lay a row of tiles next to each other, with the rows above and below being offset by 50%, so the grout lines meet the halfway point of your first row.

This is one of the more classic tile layouts, but it can be used in both modern and traditional settings, depending on the style and size of the tiles. You don’t even have to do a 50:50 stagger; often a 70:30 stagger works well as a fun twist on the classic too.

Stepladder lay works in the same way but with vertically laid tiles. This can elongate a space, making it particularly great for shower enclosures.

Herringbone tile layout

Herringbone consists of tiles laid at a 90-degree angle to each other to create corners that interlock across your walls and floor. This has been a popular flooring pattern for decades and has made a huge comeback, now being seen in wall tiling too.

You can lay this design both horizontally and vertically, with the horizontal variant elongating the room and the vertical variant drawing eyes towards the ceiling.

As it’s such an eye-catching look, you’ll want to use it sparingly, either creating a feature wall or just using it in your shower cubicle. You can cover your wall with it, but we recommend you use a grout in a similar colour to the tile, so the pattern isn’t overwhelming.

Hexagon tile layout

Hexagon tiles create a super modern look in your bathroom, and you can use them to make fun borders and create zones in your space. When put together, they create a beehive pattern, which can become a real eye-catcher when different coloured tiles are used together.

And if you position the different colours in the right way, you can even form a floral pattern.

Linear square tile layout

The linear square layout works in the same way as straight lay, but with square tiles. This creates a more uniform grid which, depending on the look of the rest of your bathroom, can create a few different looks.

This style fits in with clean, sleek, modern décor and can also find its place in 60s/70s retro design, so it’s a really versatile choice.

Top tip: try switching up tile directions by laying your tiles both vertically and horizontally. In the image below, we’ve used the tiles to create zones and focal points in the space to give the room a sense of movement, along with some more textural interest. This takes a lot of planning but can make a real impact when done right.

Choosing the right bathroom tiles is all about balancing style and practicality. You might want a sleek, modern look with large porcelain tiles. Or maybe you'd prefer to add a splash of colour with glass mosaics. Whatever the project, we're here to help.

And remember, you don't need to be an expert to make a great choice. Just think about who uses the space and the atmosphere you want to inject.

Ready to start installing your tiles? Take a look at our bathroom tiling guides, complete with step-by-step video instructions to help you through the process.

FAQs

Generally, we wouldn't recommend using wall tiles on your floor. Your floor goes through a lot more wear and tear, so it needs tiles with good impact and slip resistance. Wall tiles, like glossy ceramics or glass mosaics, are often too smooth and can be slippery when wet. For your floor, it's best to stick to durable porcelain or natural stone with a matt finish.

When you're building a wet room, safety is key. We suggest looking for a tile with a slip rating between R12 and R13, or a Class C slip rating, as these are designed for high-traffic and wet areas. A matt finish is a fantastic choice here as the slightly textured surface gives you much better grip than smooth gloss or polished tiles.

To make your space feel larger, go for large tiles in light shades like white or cream. Larger tiles mean fewer grout lines, which gives your walls and floors a sleek, seamless look. Pairing this with light colours or gloss finishes on your walls will help to reflect light around the room, making it feel bright and open.

Yes, natural stone is an excellent choice for bathrooms. It’s highly recommended for bathroom floors because stone is one of the densest and hard-wearing tile materials available. If you’re using natural stone on the floor, it’s best to choose a matt finish as this will provide you with much better grip.