metro effect tiling (big tiles) in bathroom

[BlardyBlaaaaa]

Hi there

I'm trying to plan our new bathroom, and want to learn from the mistakes I made last time i.e. Limestone tiles fitted badly and not sealed properly look awful after a few years, and are costly to replace.

I'm very keen on metro tiles and have the f&b lookalike ones in my kitchen. I'm very averse to mouldy grouting, and realise that the only way to have the metro effect and avoid this problem is to use larger rectangular tiles in the metro pattern. I was thinking a plain creamy tile perhaps, maybe a limestone effect that doesn't need sealing etc...

Has anybody done this and have pics I could see?

And can anyone recommend a good shower screen that doesn't leak at the corner.

thanks, in advance

Cannot provide picture but we redid our bathroom six years ago with very large dark grey tiles and matched grout laid in a horizontal metro block (not brick bond) and have been very pleased. Still looks smart and crisp, and the mouldy grout has been minimal, although I spray it with mildew remover. Still have to replace the silicon seals every so often. Our BathStore shower screen has been okay, but refer to silicon seal above. I think it's all/mostly about the fitters myself!

I bought v large rectangular wall tiles and asked for them to be laid in a brickwork pattern. It wasn't successful. Half a wall in the tiler took them all down and started again abandoning the brickwork idea. Admittedly the tiles were fairly cheap but it seems large tiles can have a slight bow in them. The bow is really only obvious when laid in brickwork pattern as you get what they call lippage. To prevent this a 1/3 tile overlap instead of a 1/2 tile overlap is recommended. Personally I don't like the look of a 1/3 overlap.

We did this horizontally and vertically (different bathrooms) with large tiles and it worked great.

Cresset any chance of a pic? What size are these big metro tiles?

I did this
Wickes tiles and no complaints from tiler.
Grey grout.

Think my tiles are about 6 inch by 12 and were fairly cheap.

LL did you get that style all over your bathroom? I would probably put mine horizontal as my ceiling is low and bathroom small, to give the impression of a larger bathroom!

I really am however struggling with which tiles to go for I like the textured ones for a feature wall but don't want it to be too grey and cave like. What do you think?

Sorry Cresset I just re-read that you don't have a pic

Bum, my tiles were cheapish at around c£28 pm and are 45 x 20cm each. I cannot remember what make they were, but I got them from a big independent in Launceston, Cornwall. They are very dark plain charcoal (no mottling) and the tiler laid them floor to ceiling in a straight landscape grid (quite a Euro look) just in the double walk in shower and I used three place vertically to make a splash back behind the basin. There's a free-standing bath so no tiles needed as we never use it. The bathroom is pretty large though and I was trying to escape from too many tiles: think every wall from skirting to coving! I love it still. I used very large sealed cork tiles on the floor for warmth and comfort, which are okay but require care: when the shower leaked, they swelled and warped and it was a PITA to replace the two damaged ones.

pinterest.com/pin/440930619743107970/

This looks good ...

I would say keep tiles to a minimum, only tile around the shower/bath and as a splashback for the sink.

Also I would avoid too many different tile with feature wall tiles and the like.

We used large format white tiles laid brick bond with as small a grout line as was possible. I think they looked great!

Large format tiles need very flat walls or you get lippage, as burnishedsilver says. Our walls were crap, so the builder put up new plasterboard (or whatever the waterproof version is called.

I'll try and find a photo...

Could not have put it better over. Minimal tiling also makes it easy to repaint a different colour when you (inevitably) tire of the original scheme. The original notion was based on posh hotel bathroom, but done economicall!

Economically, of course! Keyboard needs replacing!

We put up new plaster board too strong. In our case it was the tiles that weren't flat. If you put two tiles face to face there was a slight rocking movement between them. The tiles were 60x30cm. As it happens they look great laid normally so I'm not too bothered that I didn't get the brickwork look I had in mind.

OP Love that textured tile but it's fashionable right now. It would look great just in the shower and one over the basin, agree with whoever said just tile shower and use bathroom paint in the rest of the room.

I get endless sighs from those who visit my ensuite. ! It's briwn and grey but with a lighter floor and of course the White tray, loo and basin lift it.
So I know what you mean by cave.

Either of your large tiles would look good, but the plain I would do vertical like mine.