New England Tiling

I often get asked the difference between gloss and matt tiles and generally everyone knows the basics of this, just from doing something as simple as painting a wall.

Most of it is common sense but we try to deep dive into alternatives and modern techniques in tackling the age-old choice. Most bathroom renovations we do in Perth use I would say seventy percent gloss wall tiles and ninety percent matt floor tiles, this, however, is not 100% accurate but it is pretty close. Below we will give the best pros and cons of matt v gloss tiles.

Pros and Cons Of Matt Bathroom Tiles

Below we provide you with the pros and cons of matt tiles in bathrooms.

Matt tiles are better suited to larger bathrooms and those with exceptional lighting design. They do not make a room appear smaller, but unlike gloss tiles, they do not open up the room as light is not able to reflect off the matt surface.

These types of tiles as you can see from this bathroom renovation in Inverell NSW below allow for the fittings and borders to pop as the dull surface isn’t overpowered by a gloss finish.

Above you have a complete matte-based bathroom tiling which allows the light fitting and basin to be the stars at the dulling finishing of matt tiles making everything else the stars of the room.

Matt tiles are preferred as floor tiles because they do not present the same slip-and-fall factor that comes with gloss tiles. Once again, the non-reflective, slightly dulled appearance is the result of a finishing glaze.

 Although matt bathroom tiles are a popular choice for the floor of your bathroom, you can use these tiles on the walls too. Matt tiles do not reveal smudges and dried water droplets easily which makes them ideal for busy bathrooms, especially those in holiday homes where cleaning is not on the daily agenda.

The biggest con I have found however they are a lot more prone to be scratched or marked which gets picked up easily on the more dulled surface, especially in a white finish.  I have also believed that the best use of a matt bathroom tile is the bathroom renovation below we did in Ballajura which uses wood look tiles or tiles with a pattern natural finish.

This finish is a clean and bold renovation that in the smallest of rooms feels special. If you can find a matt tile that you love you can use the floor to ceiling you can really create a larger feeling bathroom with no line breaks.

Pros and Cons Of Gloss Bathroom Tiles

 Gloss tiles are the shiny, light-reflecting tiles you’d typically expect to find in smaller bathrooms.

The reflection of these tiles opens up small spaces and allows limited light to bounce back and forth around the room. The gloss finish is in the glaze, so any type of tile can be sold this way.

 Although sometimes used for floors, gloss tiles are better suited to walls, especially in a home that often retains plenty of moisture when in use. However, they can be used for some floors if cared for correctly. Anti-slip tiles will help to prevent any problems with slipping if the floor gets a little bit wet.

Gloss tiles are particularly easy to clean, provided that this is regularly done. If left to dry, water and soap droplets become difficult to remove and quite obvious to the eye. To some extent, the colour will also influence how much you see, but regular cleaning will prevent water and soap stains and will keep your tiles looking sparkling new.

The bathroom below based in Armidale NSW that uses a gloss white wall tile and gloss glass feature wall

Why Not Have Both?

As the little old el Paso commercial says below why don’t we have both

You can combine matt finish and gloss finish tiles in your bathroom. Indeed, this is perfect for smaller bathrooms, to create light and texture.

Although you can use matt finish tiles throughout the bathroom, gloss tiles are not usually suitable for wet room floors as they can be slippery. When making elderly or handicapped-friendly bathrooms it’s often the best can scenario to go with matt flooring we however in Perth have a certain range of floor tiles that has a non-slip feel but a high gloss finish.

Below is a bathroom tiling we did in Tamworth that has both.

Most bathrooms will use matt tile on the floor and gloss on the wall. The basic reason for this is 1. matt tiles are generally non-slip and in a water-based room slipping is a real concern and 2. gloss white tiles feel brand new and make a room feel bigger. These two aspects will make up the mind for a client who is picking for their bathroom renovation. Though as we have covered you can mix and match with new trends that take a little planning and a little risk but often provide a big reward.

White matt tiles for me mark to easy to have longevity in a bathroom but their soft finish makes the rest of your bathroom features stand out more so it has its pros and cons.

If you are looking for a bathroom tiling quote and live in the New England NSW region just email us at newenglandtilingnsw@gmail.com

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