by Kimberley Heit

Created on: October 17, 2008   Last Updated: October 29, 2008

Selecting a bathroom floor tile is an important decision, not only does it have a strong influence on your bathrooms appearance, but once laid it is a semi permanent fixture. You need to consider the visual appeal of your bathroom floor tile choice, functionality, durability and cost.

If you are having difficulty deciding which type of bathroom floor tile to choose then the following information provides a lit of pros and cons on different floor tiles and some questions to ask yourself when trying to make a decision.

-Ceramic tiles-

Ceramic tiles are the most popular choice in bathroom floor coverings because they tend to score well in the three main areas of appearance, price and practicality. Many public restrooms use this type of tile.

Pros-cost effective, quite strong and durable, wide variety of designs available including tiles that look like natural stone, quite easy to cut and fit.

Cons-tendency to chip particularly on the corner of tiles, cold underfoot, can be slippery.

-Porcelain tiles-

Pros-very durable- they have a stronger chip resistance then ceramic tiles and if they do chip it won't be obvious because they are manufactured from the same material all the way through, also available in many different designs, still fairly competitively priced, bacteria does not breed easily and they are one of the most resistant tiles to staining.

Cons-they tend to be a little more expensive then ceramic tile, cold underfoot, can be slippery.

-Natural stone tiles-

Natural stone tiles are made from natural sources like; marble, limestone, sandstone, slate and granite. Please be aware that natural stone tends to be quite heavy so you must ensure that you have a good quality slab to lay these tiles on. Some homes these days have been built in a somewhat slap dash manner and the slab is filled with waffle pod and as little as 3-4cm of concrete. Applying a heavy weight can cause a cave in.

Pros-timeless appeal, all natural, the most durable, no moisture problems

Cons-cold underfoot, can be slippery (think about wet rocks at the beach), most expensive, can be difficult to cut to fit

-Vinyl tiles-

Pros-easiest to install, cut and fit making them great for DIY jobs, limitless choice in designs, they don't feel cold underfoot.

Cons-they tend to lift over time especially in areas where moisture exposure is high, they also tend to look cheap and they tend to be less hygienic in that they are a more favorable breeding ground for germs

-Quarry tiles-

Quarry tiles are constructed from clay

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