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Choosing the Right Porcelain Tiles for a Shower Cubicle

8 August 2017

Tommy Franklin

Tiling a shower cubicle can be the perfect finishing touch that creates a beautiful and peaceful space for washing. In smaller bathrooms, in particular, just having the shower tiled really makes it stand out and creates more of an impression of it being separate from the rest of the room.

The beauty and versatility of porcelain tiles make them an excellent choice for shower walls, but if you start looking into it, you'll quickly realise that not all of these tiles are the same. And, since the tiles need to be useful at keeping the walls clean and dry in addition to their aesthetic appeal, it's important to get the right kind. These tips will help you make sure you choose wisely and build a shower cubicle that will last.

Glazed or unglazed

Because you're going to be using the tiles in a wet environment, your instincts might tell you that you need to use glazed tiles. However, the density of porcelain makes it far less porous than materials like ceramic, so they do just fine in a shower without a glaze.

The choice comes down mainly to the look you want to achieve. Without a glaze, you can enjoy the natural look of the porcelain, which is very attractive to many people on its own. With a glaze, however, the options open up more. There are many porcelain tiles available with printed designs, and if this is what you prefer, a glaze is necessary to seal in the design.

Through body

Through body tiles are so called because the colour and texture of the porcelain runs through the entirety. They're only available without a glaze and normally have a plain outer appearance. Through body tiles are useful because, if they're chipped, it's more difficult to notice, since the underneath looks the same as the outer surface. This is more important with floors than walls, however, and shouldn't be a major factor in your decision here.

Polished or unpolished

Unglazed tiles are available with a polished surface. This polish is achieved by using micro abrasion to give a shiny, glossy finish without the need for any sort of coating. The downside is that it leaves the tiles more porous than they would otherwise be, which is less than ideal for a shower. If it's really what you want, though, they can be coated to protect them from the damp and stop them being absorbent.

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