Hi, complete novice here, please bear with me. I want to put in a new bathroom and have floor and walls tiles. Just been into Topps Tiles and came out very confused as there was just sooo many different sorts of tiles. The bathroom will mainly be used by my young children and cost of tiles not a problem, can someone suggest the best sort please, particularly for the floor?? Also, it was was suggested I bought some marine plywood for the fllor, is this the correct sort? Many thanks

Pringle, why dont you register and post pics of the job?

Pringle - keep popping!

The only advice I will add to your post is - they wont be kids for very long and the tiling will be there a lot longer ( if its done properly) so look for that style that will not age!
Keep posting and fill us in with more details and photos.

Thanks John! Is there a certain type of tile you would suggest for the floor? ie. Is Ceramic too slippery, is Travertine worth the hassle of the sealing it etc?

Hi Pringle, please register and there are plenty of people on here to answer your questions.
and yes, marine ply is one option for your floor

Hi Faithhealer, I'm now registered . Are there easier to get hold of alternatives than Marine plywood?

As a general rule, I'd fit Hardie Backer Board onto a timber floor and tile with porcelain tiles.

Thanks guys. What advice would you give me on what tiles to put down on the bathroom floor? Are there sorts not to use, is ceramic the way to go??

Hi and welcome

Hi Pringle,

For the area that it is ceramic would be fine, but porcelain would be the stronger option if you are intending on throwing heavy objects about in your bathroom

That then leaves you to decide between glazed porcelain or solid body porcelainbasically the glazed option is made up of a porcelain biscuit with a decorative finish applied during the manufacturing process, whereas the solid body route gives the same decorative finish completely through the tile - but is not really necessary in a domestic bathroom - probs better to go for a porcelain bodied tile if you are looking at underfloor heating, but again not imperative.

In a nutshell because of the amount of heavy foot traffic your bathroom will get, i.e. not a lot!!, you can pretty much pick what you want just try to make sure they are a decent thickness on the floor, over 8mm.

With regards to your marine ply, I would opt for the Hardie Backerboard option, which the lads in Topps will be able to supply you. I've just started a thread in the 'Tile Adhesive, Grout and Preparation' section of this forum, which explains how to install it

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thanks John! Is there a certain type of tile you would suggest for the floor? ie. Is Ceramic too slippery, is Travertine worth the hassle of the sealing it etc?

Pringle - Is it a job you are going to attempt yourself or are you getting someone in to do it.
Practical features are important in tile choice but for me its the aesthetics of the room that counts.
Ceramics are not too slippery - unless you run with socks on!
Travertine is always worth the 'effort' of sealing to obtain that distinct look of individuality.
Garythetiler has just posted some photos in JOTM of a slate bathroom. You may be able to see them in his Album - its a brilliant mix of natural beauty with modern sophistication!

Originally Posted by timeless john

Garythetiler has just posted some photos in JOTM of a slate bathroom. You may be able to see them in his Album - its a brilliant mix of natural beauty with modern sophistication!

Are you sure they are natural slate? and not ceramic look-a-likes?

When I looked at the pics I was changing between the two but settled on ceramic but i could be wrong. (looks great either way)

[QUOTE=Colour Republic;284938]Are you sure they are natural slate? and not ceramic look-a-likes?

Then its a quality job and the winner is 'a natural look'!

Welcome Pringle.

Preparation is the most important consideration.
Is the bathroom downstairs or upstairs? What is the floor substrate?

You may want to consider tanking for your bathroom, too.

As for tiles, you just need to consider the surface texture before making your final decision. Depending on whether you select man-made or natural tiles will have an effect on the fixing and subsequent sealing etc.

Good luck,
Daz

Thanks for all your comments guys. In reply to some of your questions, the bathroom is upstairs with the floor space 10m square and the wall space 22m square. When I got a quote from Topps they included the tanking for the shower cubicle. And no, I don't intend doing it myself....I will leave it to an expert! Re the floor tiles, from your advices, it seems that ceramic would be ok but Travertine honed and filled would be better (although more time consuming to lay and the extra cost of sealent) as it would give a better look??

Travertine honed and filled would be better (although more time consuming to lay and the extra cost of sealent) as it would give a better look??

If trav is done properly by someone that knows what they are doing it will make your bathroom VERY special indeed