Spread out the adhesive over a fairly small area – I’m planning on being able to fix four tiles before the adhesive starts to dry but they are large tiles roughly 30 x 50 cm and I may have to adjust my estimate once I have started.

I will position the first tile immediately below the horizontal line that I have marked all around the bathroom and in the corner most visible from the doorway. The plan is then to continue tiling with whole tiles down to the floor and then sideways to the opposite corner of the room. I am using a strong adhesive that should hold the tile in place relatively quickly and shouldn’t allow it to slip down the wall. The absorbency of any substrate will affect how quickly and easily the tile is held in place. But I’m tiling onto an absorbent surface of plaster – old but sound – in which I have filled any noticeable dips.

Even with such large tiles I will be using tile spacers as I am hoping for a perfect, professional finish so want even spacing between each tile. A spirit level is on hand to check the horizontal and vertical lines at regular intervals.

Once I have completed the lower half of the bathroom the upper half, should, I hope, be easier because I will have a firmly established horizontal line all around the room and simply need to continue tiling upwards and across in the same way as I fixed tiles to the lower half of the walls.

When all the whole tiles have been fixed to the wall sections, then I will start the process of cutting tiles to fill the gaps. Luckily most of the tiles require cutting approximately in half so I will hire a professional electric tile cutter for a day and should be able to get good, clean cuts done on them all. If you are installing ceramic tiles it is possible to score them and crack them along the score line but if, like me, you have chosen porcelain wall tiles you will need a good quality electric tile cutter to achieve a professional finish.

Will post photos once complete and invite comments and suggestions!

The wall surfaces have been well prepared and are ready for the new wall tiles. The layout has been planned so that there are no annoying narrow strips of tiles in noticeable places.  The walls are full of horizontal and vertical lines marking the tile layout and it’s time to get started on fixing the tiles.

I have chosen large 32.5 x 49 cm porcelain tiles – that doesn’t equate to anything standard in imperial measurements but somehow the proportions of these large wall tiles just look right. They will be interspersed with a double layer of 5 x 5 cm large mosaic tiles at “dado rail” height and a single layer at “picture rail” height. The net effect will be two full height tiles from floor to dado level and from dado to picture rail level then half a tile up to the ceiling. I’m confident it will look fanastic…

In a typical bathroom there are very few large rectangular areas that can be measured easily. Most bathrooms have awkwardly shaped areas and you will probably find yourself crawling under the sink and behind the loo to get the right measurements. So arm yourself with a notepad, a pen and a metal extendable (and lockable) tape measure.

First of all measure the largest rectangular spaces – measure the height and width in metres and make a note of these measurements for each area that you have measured (I sometimes put a sticky yellow note on the actual space) so you don’t re-measure any space twice. Next measure the remaining space by dividing it up into smaller rectangles.

Now multiply each set of height and width measurements together and then add them all up. Your notepad will probably look something like this:

etc.

If the bathroom is comprised of lots of small areas you will need to use your judgement on rounding up and adding a 10% contingency – if you do this for lots of small individual areas you are likely to end up with far too many tiles. If in doubt, take the advice of an expert and maybe consider choosing a tile size that will be simpler to install in awkward spaces – large wall tiles are less well-suited to small awkward spces than small ceramic tiles.

The beauty of tiles in a bathroom is that they provide an enormous choice of colours, styles, sizes, textures and patterns; you can mix and match them for a unique design and they are extremely hard-wearing – you won’t find yourself having to tile your bathroom again for many years to come.

After you have chosen your tiles, whether they are ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles or natural stone wall tiles, you will need to buy the appropriate adhesive and grout (this will depend on the type of tiles you have chosen). You will also need some special tools to complete the job as quickly as possible. Don’t be tempted to save more money and do without any of these as they will make the task much easier:

• Grout spreader
• Adhesive spreader
• Tile cutter (for cutting tiles for around curved shapes such as a sink pedestal)
• Tile saw
• Spirit level
• Wooden guide batten (for aligning tiles)
• Tile nibblers (a special type of plier for intricate shaping of tiles)
• Tile spacers (small pieces of plastic to space tiles evenly)

Once you have all your equipment you will need to prepare the surfaces to be tiled – they need to be cleaned then dried and any old, flaking paint or wallpaper must be removed if the tile is to adhere well to the surface. If you are tiling onto bare, new plaster then apply a coat of primer to ensure the adhesive can actually stick to it.

If there are any cracks, uneven patches or large holes, repair them with filler and allow the filler plenty of time to dry. It is particularly important to have as level a surface as possible if the tiles are to lie completely flat.

You should now be ready to plan your tile layout and start marking out their positions.

Marble is readily available from a range of quarries around the world but varies considerably in quality with the very best quality being quite rare. In recent years it has also been produced synthetically but like most reproductions of natural products it lacks the uniqueness of each individual piece of natural marble. In many ways the reproductions are too perfect.

Marble has long been the favoured material for both prominent buildings such as the famous Taj Mahal and for artworks such as Michelangelo’s “David” – marble sculptures can be extremely realistic because of its translucent qualities and the ease with which they can be carved. But it is also highly valued in our homes because of its beauty and durability – there’s nothing more impressive than a marble tiled entrance hall or a marble bathroom. Ceramic tiles or porcelain tiles simply don’t have the same impact.

The quality of marble tends to be determined by the location of the quarry from which it was extracted. For example, the most highly valued of all white marbles is known by the name of the area from which it comes – Carrara in Italy. But there are also regions in Greece, Turkey and Spain from which high-quality marble is obtained.

One of these is the Crema Valencia marble extracted near Barcheta, in Valencia, Spain. Crema Valencia marble is extracted from only a single quarry – which is substantial in size and currently manages to satisfy market demand for this type of marble but there are questions about its future ability to do so. Crema Valencia is a unique type of marble because of its appearance, and the fact that it is suitable for a broad range of applications.

There are many cream, beige and honey coloured marbles extracted and refined in Turkey but Turkey also produces some stunning dark green marbles such as Verde Laguna marble quarried near Banaz in the Usak region of Turkey. Verde Laguna marble, whilst very beautiful, has a wide variation in colour and veining so large samples should be viewed and approved to ensure that any floor or wall tiles  are all extracted from the same quarry face and are a good match. Although part of the beauty of natural stone tiles lies in their individuality it is still important that there is some cohesion between the tiles.

Buying tiles for any room in your house is one such major purchase. The last time I bought tiles for a new bathroom I spent several thousand pounds but 8 years on they still look great and, more importantly, are still doing the job for which they were intended.

You may not be willing to go so far as learning about the manufacturing process of ceramic tiles but here at least is a glossary of the most common terms used in the ceramic tile trade so that you can have a basic understanding and also sound knowledgeable in the tile showroom. (With my thanks to the Association of Italian Ceramic Tile Manufacturers.)

Abrasion resistance

The degree to which a floor tile’s surface will withstand friction (the wear of foot traffic). Resistance is determined by abrasion tests, and tiles are grouped accordingly.

Adhesive

Any of the mortars or adhesives used to install ceramic tile. Choice of bonding material is determined by the selection of tile and requirements of area to be tiled.

Apparent joint

Decorative feature that simulates grout lines or joints on a single tile, so that a large tile, for example, may appear to be four smaller tiles.

Bas-relief

Decorative technique in which design elements are sculpted or carved to be raised slightly from background.

Base tiles

Trim tiles with a curved edge used at a perpendicular junction for desired sanitary or aesthetic design.

Bed

Layer of mortar or other adhesive that covers the surface to be tiled and onto which the tiles are set.

Body (of tile)

The structural portion of a ceramic article, as distinct from the glaze, or the material or mixture from which the item is made.

Border tiles

Tiles of various shapes designed to meet the specific architectural or sanitary needs of a given installation.

Breaking strength

The ability of a material to resist breaking or rupture from a tension force.

Ceramic tiles

A flat, cladding or building material, of relative thinness, composed of clays and fired to hardness. The face may be glazed or unglazed.

Clay

Natural earthen material, plastic when wet, that is the basic raw material of ceramic tiles.

Contraction joint

Groove in concrete structure to regulate location of cracking resulting from dimensional change of different parts of structure.

Cove tiles

Trim tiles featuring one curved edge to tile inside corners.

Crackle glaze

Special glaze featuring fine-line ‘cracks’ for antique effect.

Crystalline finish

Extra thick glaze usually applied to small tiles for artistic effect, sometimes used on counter-top tiles for additional protection.

Curing

Process allowing new tile installation to set.

Decal

Transfer design used to decorate ceramic tiles.

Decorated tiles

Ceramic tiles that have been embellished by means of hand-painting, silk-screening, decals or other technique.

Dust-pressed tiles

Tiles formed by the dust pressed method in which the finely milled raw materials are shaped in molds at high pressure before firing.

Earthenware tiles

Tiles composed of raw materials producing a white tile body that can be coated with a transparent glaze and takes colour easily. Normally used for wall tiles.

Epoxy

Resin material used in mortars and grouts for thin-set

tile installations.

Expansion joint

Separation provided between adjoining parts of a structure to allow movement at stress points to prevent cracking.

Exterior tiles

Tiles suitable for outdoor applications because of their frost resistance.

Faience tiles

Highly decorated glazed earthenware tiles.

Finishes

Textural or visual characteristics of a tile surface. For glazed tile this may be bright or high gloss, satin or matte. For glazed or unglazed tiles, examples would be a flashed finish, textured, polished, raised, embossed, dimpled, etched, scored, ribbed etc.

Fire resistance

Ability to withstand burning by flame. Ceramic tiles are fireproof at any temperature and will not feed a fire or release toxic emissions.

Firing

Final step of tile manufacturing process when raw material is “baked” at high temperature (up to 1250°C for porcelain tiles) to harden tile body and glaze, if any.

Floor tiles

Glazed or unglazed tiles of sufficient strength, impact and abrasion resistance to withstand the weight and wear of foot traffic.

Frostproof tiles

Tiles specifically designated by the manufacturer to withstand freeze/thaw conditions with minimal effect, hence suitable for exterior applications exposed to

high humidity and low temperatures.

Frost resistance

Ability of certain ceramic tiles to withstand freeze/thaw conditions with minimal effect. Frost-resistance of ceramic tile is dependent on the tile’s porosity and water absorption levels.

Glass mosaic

Mosaic tiles composed of glass, rather than ceramic, material; mosaic tiles coated with a layer of coloured or transparent glass.

Glaze

Glassy coating fired on a ceramic tile.

Glazed tiles

Ceramic tiles with an opaque or transparent coating that has been fused to the tile body by firing, creating a smooth, impermeable surface that may also be highly decorated.

Grout

Installation material used to fill the joints between tiles.

Grout joint

Space left between tiles to be filled with grout. This space may be extremely narrow or wider depending on the required installation and/or its aesthetics.

High traffic tiles

Floor tiles with sufficient abrasion resistance to be used in areas of high foot traffic, such as hotel lobbies and airports.

Impact resistance

Ability of ceramic tile to resist breakage – either throughout the body or as surface chipping – as the result of a heavy blow. In general, ceramic tile is not a resilient material, and care should be taken to avoid dropping heavy or sharp objects on its surface. Glazed tiles are more susceptible to surface chipping than unglazed tiles.

Inserts

Small, sometimes decorative tiles used in combination with larger or plain tiles to create patterns. Small square inserts are known as insets.

Installation

The process of bonding tiles to the intended surface; the finished tiled surface (also known as tile laying or tile fixing).

Installation bed

The components of a tile installation applied to the subsurface, including reinforcing or protective backing, bonding materials, tile and grout.

Interior tiles

Tiles suitable only for indoor installation.

Iridescent tiles

Tiles decorated with a lustrous glaze that contains many seemingly changing colours.

Majolica tiles

Tiles composed of raw materials that produce a yellow/pink body of relatively high water absorption level.

Matte glaze

Glaze that produces a non-shiny finish.

Mortar

The setting material used to bond tiles to a given surface. Different types of mortar are suitable for different backing and conditions.

Mortar bed

The layer of the installation bed to which tiles are directly bonded.

Mosaic tiles

Ceramic mosaic tiles are defined by their size, generally less than 6” square.

Mounted tiles

Tiles assembled into units or sheets by the manufacturer for easier installation. Back and edge mounted tiles are bonded to material (mesh, paper, resin or other) that becomes a part of the installation. Face mounted tiles are bonded to a material that is removed prior to grouting.

Natural clay tiles

Tiles made from clays producing a dense body and having a distinctive, textured appearance.

Pencil tiles

Narrow rectangular tiles (e.g. 2x20cm) sometimes with rounded surface, used on walls as accent pieces.

Porcelain tiles

Dust-pressed ceramic tiles with water absorption levels <0.5% and high mechanical and chemical characteristics. The surface of these tiles may be glazed or unglazed.

Often specified for exterior installations. Also known as Fully Vitrified Stoneware.

Porosity

Volume of pores relative to volume of tile body that are capable of absorbing moisture.

Quarry tiles

Traditional term for natural clay tiles with water absorption level not exceeding 6%

Rustic finish

Rough or uneven tile surface designed for an artistic effect.

Satin glaze

Glaze that produces a low-gloss finish.

Sealers

Clear coating sometimes applied to unglazed tile floor to protect the surface from grease spills or to add lustre (also known as sealants).

Slip resistant tiles

Tiles treated to prevent slipping either by adding an abrasive grit to the glaze or texture to the surface.

Spacers

Small plastic or wood pieces used during installation to maintain even joint width between tiles.

Terracotta

Traditional Italian raw material used to produce unglazed, red body tiles generally extruded and 1/2” thick of more. Surface may be rustic, smooth, polished, or waxed for lustre.

Unglazed tiles

Tiles which may be left untreated after firing. Unglazed tiles derive their colour and texture from their raw materials or may be coloured by means of oxides dispersed throughout the body.

Wall tiles

Generally glazed, non-vitreous tiles, for use on walls where mechanical strength and impact or abrasion resistance are not considerations.

If you are completely re-designing your kitchen or bathroom, there is a huge range of floor and wall tiles to choose from. You might even decide to base the whole colour scheme of the kitchen around a tile you have fallen in love with. If you are simply refurbishing your kitchen or bathroom and have to live with the existing fittings then your choice will naturally be limited to those tiles that suit your bathroom suite or kitchen cabinets.

But once you have found a tile you like, what else should you consider before going ahead with a purchase?

If the tile you have chosen is a porcelain tile then there are many advantages to this type of tile. They are extremely strong and hard-wearing so if they are being laid on a floor where people walk straight in from the street or garden they will be resistant to damage and chipping from any grit carried in on the soles of shoes.

Depending on the type of porcelain floor tile, they can also be frost-resistant or frost-proof so this factor, combined with their durability, make them ideal for outside areas such as balconies or verandas.

They are generally suitable for any type of domestic or residential use but their strength also makes them suitable for commercial uses particularly on floor areas with large amounts of traffic. Certain types of porcelain tile are extremely hard-wearing because the pattern and colour are not just on the glazed surface but run through the entire thickness of the tile (these are referred to as “full-bodied” tiles). Other types are glazed much like ordinary ceramic tiles but even the glazed tiles are more hard-wearing than ceramic glazed tiles.

So if you are looking for a durable tile in a range of colours and designs (and, of course, a range of prices) then porcelain tiles will fit the bill.

One thing to bear in mind is that their very strength makes them harder to cut than ceramic tiles so might require the use of special tools and special adhesives, mortar or grout. This would not pose a problem for a professional tile-fitter but if you are thinking of installing porcelain tiles yourself you may want to take this fact into account.

But, what makes ceramic tiles more suitable than any other type of wall or floor covering such as wallpaper and paint or wooden flooring and carpet?

Perhaps the most important feature of ceramic tiles is how long they last – for example ceramic tiles on the walls of a bathroom can substantially outlast painted or wall-papered walls. I’ve seen a 50 year-old bathroom with ceramic wall tiles that still look in good condition – perhaps the design was not to my taste but I couldn’t fault their durability. And the fact that they are water-resistant makes them an excellent choice for bathrooms.

But ceramic floor tiles are also more resistant to wear and staining than, say, carpet or wooden flooring. Properly laid (and sealed, where necessary) they require minimal maintenance and are easy to keep clean and looking as good as new. The ease with which they can be kept clean also makes them a very hygienic option for a floor covering, especially in bathrooms and kitchens.

In addition to their durability, their beauty, their resistance to water, wear and stains their colours are also permanent – so they will not fade over time in areas that receive a lot of sunlight in the way that paint, wallpaper and carpets will.

What’s not to like?

In addition to all those advantages, ceramic tiles are inexpensive and relatively easy to cut, making installation quick and cost-effective.

For example, most people refer to ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles inter-changeably – many people just refer to all wall tiles are ceramic. So it’s little wonder there is some confusion especially since both types are made from clay (or a clay mixture). But the way in which they are made is quite different and has an enormous effect on the end-product, particularly in terms of their strength, durability and resistance to frost.

Ceramic tiles are made by moulding a pliable mixture of clay, minerals and water into a tile shape. They are fired in a kiln and then usually have a glaze applied in a range of colours and patterns. They can be used as wall tiles and floor tiles, providing the floor is not subject to heavy traffic, so are suitable for most domestic uses.

Porcelain tiles are made from very finely milled raw materials (which can include coloured minerals) and compressed in moulds under high pressure to remove gaps between the particles. They are then fired in the kiln at very high temperatures to form a dense and very strong tile. Porcelain tiles are also highly waterproof making them frost-resistant. They can either be glazed, with the colour and pattern as part of the glaze, or “full bodied” where the colour and pattern runs through the entire thickness of the tile. The full-bodied type are the most hard-wearing but even glazed porcelain tiles are much harder-wearing than glazed ceramic tiles.

The Porcelain Enamel Institute has a rating scale that indicates the areas most suited to the use of a particular tile (but note that it is not a quality rating). The PEI scale ranges from 0 to 5 with 0 being the most fragile tile suitable as wall tiles only and 5 indicating suitability for high traffic floor tiles.

Class 0 – No Foot Traffic:

Suitable for wall tiles only and should not be used on floors.

Class 1 – Very light traffic:

Very low foot traffic, bare or stocking feet only. (eg. Master bathroom)

Class 2 – Light Traffic:

Slipper or soft-soled shoes. (eg. family bathroom, bedrooms)

Class 3 – Light to Moderate Traffic:

Suitable for any residential area except hallways and kitchens where extremely heavy or abrasive traffic is anticipated.

Class 4 – Moderate to Heavy Traffic:

For high foot traffic areas where abrasive or outside dirt is likely. (eg, Residential entrance, kitchen, balcony)

Class 5 – Heavy Traffic:

For residential, commercial and institutional floors subjected to heavy traffic.

I know that the flooring really is a key design element to any space so I want to make the right choice as I’m going to have to live with it for a long time so I want it to be a success. I have spent a lot of time searching for the right type of floor tiles and have already made the decision that they will have to be natural stone but there is a much bigger range of natural stone tiles available than I had imagined.

I have received some good advice about durability, ease of laying (and cutting), the necessity for sealing natural stone floor tiles and all those other important details you need to know before making a choice but now it has come down to what I actually like, what will make the design statement I am trying to make and what will enhance my kitchen and give it a new lease of life. Marbles floor tiles tick all my boxes but are other types of floor tiles more suitable?

As many people do, I instinctively love the look of marble (of all types and colours) but think maybe I need a slightly more rustic look.

Thetravertine floor tiles I have viewed are without doubt impressive and some of the aged designs I’ve seen would give me the elegance combined with a slight rustic edge which I think may be more appropriate for my floor. The creamy beige colours would blend well with my existing kitchen cabinets.

Then again, so would the beautiful golden colours of some limestone tiles I have seen and their colour choices would be likely to give me a better colour match (or contrast). They also have the necessary durability that is one of my key requirements after a previous disastrous affair with budget “slate-effect” tiles.

But neither should I let my previous bad experience with “slate-effect” tiles put me off the real thing. Slate tiles are so versatile that they can look great anywhere so if I decide I also need a new floor in my hall or conservatory they could provide a key design element that pulls together all these linked spaces. The textured surface of slate provides some measure of grip (always useful in kitchens and hallways) and, again, a range of colours. My only slight reservation is that maybe they are “too” rustic.

I really must make up my mind otherwise this time next year I will still be living with my tatty floor tiles. I’m going to get my hands on some samples of floor tiles and lay them out in-situ to see which ones really do look best with my kitchen cabinets and appliances.