Redesigning your bathroom can be an exciting opportunity to create a beautiful space just the way you want. However, choosing from the hundreds of design options just for new tiles can be overwhelming – we get it! Bathroom mosaic tiles can be a fantastic piece in your home decor arsenal, if you know how to pick the correct ones.
Whether you’re retiling your shower walls, bathroom floor, or backsplash, the fun patterns you can create with mosaic tiles will help to add elegance to the space. Although you can go with bold patterns and wild colours for a project like this, sometimes simple and inexpensive is the best way to go to ensure your home has a timeless look that you’ll love for years to come.
Before purchasing bathroom mosaic tiles, you’ll want to know all about these unique style-making elements. There is plenty to know, and with so much variety in these tiles, you’ll want to get some expert input before you start. Keep reading to learn more about the types of mosaic tiles, how to install them, and our top picks.
How Do the Different Bathroom Mosaic Tile Materials Compare?
Mosaic tiles add beauty and charm to any space in your home – especially your bathroom. Although the term mosaic can elicit thoughts of loud, sometimes gaudy garden pathways, mosaic tile is often subtle and understated in the best way.
Bathroom mosaic tiles are versatile and beautiful. The variety of styles, colours, and materials that mosaic tiles come in makes them perfect for almost any space. Since bathrooms vary so much in size and style, the variety afforded by mosaic tile is ideal for these spaces.
Glass, ceramic, and porcelain are all common materials for making mosaic tiles. Each of these materials has its benefits and drawbacks regarding care, installation, look, and versatility. Let’s compare these materials to decipher which one might be best for your project.
Glass Mosaic Tiles
Glass tiles come in a vast variety of colours and styles. As bathroom mosaic styles go, they are one of the most popular and most expensive. These tiles work best for a backsplash or pop of excitement on a shower wall, although some work on floors as well. You’ll just need to ensure the manufacturer recommends them for floors if you want to go that way.
Glass tiles are more difficult to install than many other bathroom mosaic tiles due to their delicate nature. You may want to consider having a professional install these tiles for you – or at least prepare for some frustrating moments doing it on your own.
Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tile is all about durability. It is one of the most durable flooring choices available and looks beautiful too. Installing bathroom mosaic tile made out of ceramic is ideal to ensure your bathroom looks great without worrying how long the look will last.
There are some negative points to ceramic tile. It’s icy, for starters. If you want your feet to feel warm and snug when you step out of the shower, then you’ll either need to rethink this flooring choice or opt for in-floor heating before installing the tile.
Another thing to consider when utilizing ceramic tile is its weight. Ceramic tiles are heavier than porcelain and glass, making them somewhat difficult to work with on walls. Tile shower walls can add a gorgeous touch to your bathroom, but you may want to leave the installation to a professional if you opt for ceramic mosaic tile.
Porcelain Mosaic Tiles
Porcelain tile is a type of ceramic tile. The materials that make up porcelain tile are finer and denser than other ceramic tiles. Porcelain is also fired at a higher temperature, allowing for more scuff and scratch resistance and tougher overall material.
Porcelain tile is an excellent option for bathroom walls and showers. It is easier to work with than the other two materials we’ve covered, and it’s so durable that it’s hard to find a better option.
Porcelain tile is a hugely popular flooring option because of its durability. It typically comes in larger sheets than glass or other ceramic tiles. However, you can find small porcelain tiles that are perfect for an accent or a backsplash.
If you’re looking to save money, porcelain tile is not the way to go. It is often quite expensive compared to other ceramic tiles, and finding sales is tough. It is easy enough to install by yourself, though, so you could always save your budget by opting to skip the professional installation.
How to Install Bathroom Mosaic Tiles
Installing bathroom tesselation tiles isn’t always straightforward. Different sizes, tile materials, and shapes may require other installation techniques. Let’s start with the basics. All bathroom tile jobs likely need the following materials:
- Tile
- Tile cutter
- Trowel
- Mortar
- Waterproof membrane
- Level
- Rubber mallet
- Grout
Once you’ve gathered your materials, you’ll want to start by dry laying out tiles. This step is especially vital when installing montage bathroom tiles because you’ll need to check out that the pattern you’ve hoped to achieve will work for your space.
Waterproof Your Project
Once you’ve decided that your tiles will fit and the pattern will work, you’ll want to measure and cut the waterproof membrane. Waterproofing underneath the tiles before you lay them is essential to ensure that your subfloor or wallboard doesn’t become damp and that mould doesn’t form.
Remember, although the tiles themselves are waterproof, grout is not, and that means water can, and will, leak through if you don’t install the waterproofing layer.
Cut, Lay, Level, Repeat
For the next few steps, having a friend help is a great idea. Once you start laying tiles, you are working against the clock to get the tiles cut, laid, and levelled before your mortar sets up. Only put a few tiles or tile sheets worth of mortar down at a time to prevent issues with set-up.
If you dry fit your tiles, you probably already cut a few pieces before you started laying. Cutting first will help to move the process along. Remember not to tile yourself into a corner, and always check that your tiles are level after installing each new piece. If you need to level things out, use your rubber mallet to gently tap the tiles down where necessary.
Grout and Tile Spacing
You should utilize tile spacers to keep the tiles a uniform distance apart as you install your tiles. If you’re using individual tiles, the spacing is up to you. If you’re using tile sheets for your bathroom patchwork tiles, then you’ll need to ensure the spacers between each sheet match the spaces already existing within the sheet.
Once your tile is on and your mortar set, you’ll be happy that you used spacers. After you apply the grout, it’ll be apparent where the spacing is off, and that’s not the result you want on your brand new mosaic tile project.
A Visual Representation of the Process
Rather than just reading about tile installation, seeing it can help you visualize the process. Tile isn’t the easiest thing to install yourself, so don’t feel like you can’t call a professional if you’re concerned.
Check out this excellent demonstration video to help you decide which path to take.
What Are the Best Mosaic Tiles for Simplicity in Your Bathroom?
Not everyone wants an aggressively colourful or bold bathroom. For many of us, our bathrooms are places to get away and relax in the tub or hide from our children for a minute. We need these spaces to be simple and calming. It’s also important to not go overboard with spending when replacing flooring or wall cover in a bathroom space.
Below we have seven examples of the best value bathroom mosaic tiles for simplicity in your bathroom. Although there is no universal idea of perfect bathroom tile, we think these seven options would work wonders in almost any space.
Size: 291x291x6
Includes: 36 tiles per sheet
It would be tough to find more simplistic tile than the Churchill Snow Mosaic Tiles. These porcelain tile sheets are a lovely off-white shade that would perfectly accent an otherwise colourful room. They also work well as part of a tile rug with either black matte or small, colourful tiles.
Size: 300x260x6
Includes: 144 tiles per sheet
Bathroom plaid tiles like the Pixel Chequer Hexagon White & Black Matt Mosaic Tiles are perfect for a simple and classic bathroom look. The style is reminiscent of an old patisserie or tube station.
The timeless style will add a simple elegance to any bathroom space. The small size of these tiles works well in even the tiniest of spaces. It can also create a lovely and exciting backsplash or simple floor for your shower.
Size: 330x330x3mm
Includes: 196 tiles per sheet
The shining glass look of the Magia Silver Grey Mosaic Tiles is perfect for some drama in your bathroom. An accent wall or backsplash are ideal applications for these gorgeous tiles. The shimmer of these iridescent tiles adds excitement without too much colour.
These bathroom patchwork tiles are not ideal for underfloor heating, and the glass is more delicate than porcelain or ceramic tiles, so we don’t recommend them for floor applications.
Size: 300x260x6mm
Includes: 144 tiles per sheet
If you’re looking to modernize your home, matt black tiles are a fantastic option. Not only can you lay them on your floor for a beautiful black look with black, grey, or white grout, but you can also use them to create patterns and even words on your floor. One fun and classical pattern is the tile welcome mat featured in this photo.
The funky, geometric shape of the Pixel Black Hexagon Matt Mosaic Tiles creates interest without an overwhelming amount of colour or overtly aggressive patterns. You can also use these tiles with underfloor heating to warm up your feet on a cool day.
Size: 305x305x6mm
Includes: 36 tiles per sheet
The variety of natural colours in the Reef Seamount Anti-Slip Mosaic Tiles is enough to sell us on their utility in a simple and elegant bathroom. These tiles would make a beautiful shower floor, bathroom floor, or backsplash. Their natural colours work well with any accent or paint colour you could want to use as well.
The anti-slip properties of these bathroom patchwork tiles make them excellent for use as flooring, but they wipe down quickly enough for wall uses as well.
Size: 295x295x5mm
Includes: 36 tiles per sheet
The slight texture on the Ceramic Blue Anti-Slip Mosaic Tiles makes them great for floors, especially in a tile shower where slipping is often an issue. The light blue colour of these tiles helps to bring a bit of brightness to an otherwise bland space.
The square look of these tiles is where their simplicity comes into play. You can turn the sheets to create a diamond style or keep them straight for a simple, easy-to-install, and timeless look.
Size: 49x49x10mm
Includes: 36 tiles per sheet
Simple, grey tiles can create a timeless and elegant look with minimal effort and a tight budget. The Grey Haven Mosaic Tiles are perfect for such an application. They are an excellent addition to any bathroom wall, floor, or shower.
A modern accent wall with these simple tiles while utilizing larger grey tiles throughout the rest of the room can elongate a stocky wall. The tiles are porcelain, so they can take underfloor heat as well should you choose a floor application.
FAQs
We’ve covered a lot about mosaic tiles already, but there are still some common questions that we’d like to answer before wrapping up.
Do mosaic tiles require grout?
The short answer is yes. All tile requires grout. The good news is that you can choose the colour grout that works for your space and style. With the black tile, you could use a black grout for a simple and seamless look, white grout for a bold look, or grey for a more subtle blend.
The grouting process for tile is overall simple. Grouting is especially easy if you watch a few videos before diving into your project. Here is a great video detailing the grouting process related to bathroom mosaic tile.
Are mosaic tiles difficult to install?
Tile is innately more difficult to install than other wall and floor covering options. Mosaic tile is no different from any other tile in this way. The sheets that mosaic tiles often come on help space the individual tiles. Each tile is small, so sheets are helpful versus having to place and space them all individually.
Installing tile on walls is also more complicated than installing it on the floor. On the floor, gravity works with you. Whereas on the wall, the tiles can slide if you don’t hold them in place for long enough.
What are the uses for mosaic tiles?
Mosaic tiles are incredibly versatile. You can use these tiles in the bathroom, kitchen, and even outside. Many times, you can use them on the floor or your walls. Some people like mosaic tiles for backsplashes, whereas others like these tiles for creative flooring applications like tile rugs or other specialized designs.
You’ll need to ensure you know whether the tile you’re purchasing is rated for use on floors or not before you buy it. Investing in a beautiful glass mosaic tile for your shower floor and then getting it home to realize it would crack under the weight of your feet is a massive disappointment.
You can also break up leftover tiles or utilize cut tiles for stepping stones or table toppers in a garden or on a vase in your home.
What adhesive do you use for mosaic tiles?
Thinset mortar is the best adhesive for most mosaic tiles in a bathroom setting. Typically your local tile store can help you decide on the exact product that’s right for your application.
Thinset mortar is an excellent option because it helps hold the tiles on without creating a massive barrier between the wall or floor and your tiles. It is also naturally water-resistant and helps to prevent mould growth. These are essential features when installing tile in a bathroom. It also dries slower than epoxy, which means it’s more forgiving for new tilers who don’t move as quickly.
Final Thoughts
Mosaic tiles make a beautiful addition to any bathroom. They are versatile, beautiful, and overall quite durable. Although glass mosaic tiles don’t make the best tile for flooring, most ceramic and porcelain tiles are excellent for floors or walls. The glass tiles are perfect for walls, especially as a fun accent in an otherwise simple space.
Knowing all you can about the look you want for your project, the product you’re using, and the installation process can help make your next tile job quick and simple. It’s always exciting changing up the look of your home, and tile is a spectacular way to make it happen.
Choose one of the options above, and create a beautiful bathroom space today!