How we supply it: Ceramic tiles are arranged through a partner tile dealer who quotes, supplies and bills them and pays us a referral commission. We time them after your plumber has fixed and tested the concealed pipes; the P-Sand for the wall plaster comes from us well before that.
In one line: A ceramic wall tile is a glazed, pressed clay tile with a fairly porous body, typically absorbing more than 10% water (group BIII in IS 15622), made light and easy to cut for vertical surfaces.
What a ceramic wall tile is
A ceramic wall tile is a glazed, pressed clay tile with a fairly porous body, typically absorbing more than 10% water (group BIII in IS 15622), made light and easy to cut for vertical surfaces.
The porous body is what lets wall tiles bond well to mortar and cut cleanly around taps. The same porosity makes them unfit for floors.
Tile types and sizes for wet areas
| Type | Common sizes | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Glazed wall tile | 300 × 450 mm, 300 × 600 mm | Bathroom and kitchen walls |
| Highlighter or decor tile | Same as the wall series | One band or panel per wall |
| Anti-skid ceramic floor tile | 300 × 300 mm | Bathroom and balcony floors |
| Glazed vitrified wall tile | 600 × 1200 mm | Larger bathrooms, feature walls |
Choosing size and height
Bathroom floors slope towards the floor trap, and small 300 × 300 mm tiles follow that fall without lipping. Large floor tiles in a small bathroom need awkward diagonal cuts to drain.
On walls, a tiling height of about 7 ft covers the splash zone; full height is easier to clean and hides no paint line. Kitchen walls are usually tiled from the counter to about 2 ft above it.
Boxes for one bathroom
Typical estimate: wall area = perimeter × tiling height minus the door, plus 7–10% for cuts around fittings. Box contents vary by maker.
- 5 × 8 ft bathroom to 7 ft: about 165 sq ft net, buy about 180 sq ft
- In 300 × 450 mm at 8 per box (11.6 sq ft): about 16 boxes
- Floor of the same bathroom: 40 sq ft plus 10%, about 44 sq ft of anti-skid tiles
Checks on wall tiles
- All boxes for one bathroom should share the same shade and lot code.
- Look at the glaze under light at a low angle for crazing, the fine hairline cracks in the glaze.
- Hold tiles edge to edge: a millimetre's difference makes grout lines wander up the wall.
- Check the backs for cracks or flaking.
- Count highlighter and decor tiles separately against the order.
Handling thin wall tiles
- Wall tiles are thin and chip easily; carry the boxes, never throw them.
- Store them in the room they are meant for once the plaster has cured, out of the rain.
- Keep a few spare tiles from the lot, because fittings get changed and tiles crack when drilled.
Bathroom tiling mistakes
- Tiling before the concealed diverter, mixers and pipes are pressure-tested.
- Starting from one corner instead of centring, leaving thin slivers on the other side.
- Glossy wall tiles used on the floor.
- No waterproofing behind and under the tiles in the shower zone.
- Drilling near tile edges for accessories, or with the hammer action on.