The Best Tile for Shower Walls and Floors

When looking for inspiration for your next bathroom tile project, it’s easy to find yourself drowning in choices. From simple subway to multicolored mosaics, it can be tough to decide. To narrow your options down, we’ve amassed a list of the best tile for shower walls and floors, including information about cost, durability, and safety. 

Tile Options for Shower Floors and Walls

Shower tiles are available in an endless number of colors, shapes, and sizes; here are the main material types and the key factors to consider about each of them.

1. Porcelain

Best for: Resisting moisture

Porcelain tiles are extremely moisture-resistant, boasting a water absorption rate of under 1%. The material is also very durable and less likely to chip, making it one of the best types of tile for bathroom floors. These tiles are reasonably priced, costing $3 to $10 per square foot, and come in a range of colors, shapes, and sizes. Be wary of larger-sized tiles, however, as fewer grout lines could increase the slippery surface of your tiled shower floor.

2. Ceramic

Best for: Budget-friendly style and function

Ceramic tiles are another affordable option, around $.50 to $15 per square foot. Like porcelain, they are available in many different colors and sizes and are very easy to clean. These tiles tend to be less durable than porcelain, and the glaze on the ceramic can crack, which can lead to moisture seeping in.

3. Travertine

Best for: Textured finishes

Travertine is a type of limestone formed by mineral deposits in natural springs. The “tumbled” variety boasts a more rough and rustic exterior, making it a great non-slip shower tile. When sealed regularly, it’s extremely durable and moisture-resistant. Expect to pay $3 to $15 per square foot for travertine tiles.

4. Granite

Best for: Uniquely-shaped spaces

Another strong natural stone option, granite can be cut into various sizes to match the shape of your shower floor or wall, often without the need for grout. A porous material, it must be sealed every year to prevent moisture problems and is better suited to the shower wall as it can be quite slippery. Granite is a bit pricey, ranging from $5 to $15 per square foot, but many deem its streamlined, no-grout look worthwhile.

5. Slate

Best for: Durability

Slate is a unique bathroom choice, with variations in each tile. Because it is naturally textured, slate is non-slip and can safely adorn shower floors. However, the color options are limited—you really have to love gray—and you’ll need to seal it every year. The cost to install slate runs about $5 to $15 per square foot.

6. Pebbles

Best for: Spa-like experiences

Pebbles create a spa-like ambiance to every shower; their natural, subtle rounded texture can feel like a light massage on your feet. They are slip-resistant but require more intricate cleaning within the grout lines, given their size and shape. They are also quite expensive, ranging from $30 to $40 per square foot.

7. Glass

Best for: Easy cleaning

Simple to clean and ultra stain-resistant, glass mosaic tiles come in every color, style, and size imaginable. Smaller, tumbled tiles are better for shower floors as they aren’t as slippery as larger ones. Glass can be cleaned easily using a mild vinegar solution and will run you about $5 to $15 per square foot.

8. Marble

Best for: Luxury

With its unique veining and eventual patina, marble adds quiet sophistication to the bathroom. This natural stone has long been associated with luxury, and it can easily turn a boring bathroom into a home retreat. Marble tile can cost anywhere from $7 to $300 per square foot, offering a wide range of tile choices. It poses some distinct issues that you’ll have to plan for, however. First, it can get tricky to match the veining from tile to tile, so you’ll have to weigh how seamless you want the space to look. Secondly, marble requires regular sealing and cleaners designed specifically for marble. You may need to seal a marble shower every six months or more if it’s used and cleaned often.

9. Quartz

Best for: Stone look with less maintenance

For those who want the upscale look of stone but don’t want the high price and maintenance of marble, granite, and similar materials, quartz is another option. This engineered stone (sometimes called a compound stone) is typically made of a composite of crushed stone waste that may be quartz mixed with marble, granite, or other natural stones and a cement-based binder. Quartz comes in many colors and is non-porous; it’s typically cut in slabs or larger tiles for use in the bathroom. Quartz tiles cost about $45 to $75 per square foot, while quartz slab averages $50 to $200 per square foot.

What to Consider When Choosing Tile for Shower Walls and Floors

While aesthetics and the latest bathroom tile trends will likely be what sways you, make sure you consider the bigger picture before choosing a tile for your shower walls and floors. 

1. Your Budget

While distinctive, natural stone is costly and not as moisture resistant as ceramic or porcelain tiles. However, it offers excellent ROI on your bathroom remodel, as slate, granite, or travertine are considered luxurious upgrades to many. If you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with glazed ceramic or porcelain tiles—they are timeless choices that are designed to work well in high-humidity rooms. For advanced-level DIYers, you can also follow steps to DIY tile a shower.

2. Tile Size

The tile sizes you choose depend on your personal preference and the existing design in your bathroom. Small, simple subway tiles offer a classic look, while larger tiles make smaller bathrooms bigger. Popular tile sizes are ​​12-by-12, 16-by-16, and 12-by-24. Of course, there’s no reason you need to stick to one tile size; you can play around with larger tiles framed by small, round, or square tiles to create diamond patterns.

3. Tile Shape and Texture

Tiles are made in an ever-increasing number of shapes, from traditional squares and rectangles to hexagons and circles. You have more options than ever with mosaic and textured tiles offering a way to customize your bathroom. If you choose one of the more unique tile shapes and textures, you may want to contact a local tile contractor for installation. These specialty tiles can make installation trickier because of the layout and spacing needed to maintain your chosen pattern.

4. Layout Pattern

If you need shower tile ideas, be sure to check out different layout patterns, which you can use to create a stunning shower using otherwise ordinary tiles. The layout may also include specialty tiles, such as bullnose tile to cover transitions from the shower to the wall or counter. Tile patterns include:

• Staggered brick/offset

• Herringbone

• ⅓ offset

• Vertical stack

• Grid stack

• Random

• Pinwheel/hopscotch

• Basketweave

• French/Versailles

• Diamond (diagonal)

• Chevron

Keep in mind that the more complicated the pattern, the more complicated the installation, which can boost tile installation costs. However, a unique pattern installed by an experienced pro can create a truly special space.

5. Tile Spacers

Depending on the kind of tile you select, you might have to consider which tile spacers to choose as well. Some tiles include lugs—or built-in spacers—but for those that don’t, you’ll need to select which spacer type you want, and the choice impacts the size of the grout lines between each tile. Factors that affect the choice of tile spacer include the size of your tiles, your intended design and overall look, and the evenness of your floor and wall.

6. Shower Use 

Will this shower be used by every family member, including an older person with limited mobility and kids who might spill or drop things often? In these instances, you need to consider tiles that meet your family’s needs, such as non-slip options (travertine or slate) or super durable choices. You may also want to consider how easy it will be to clean a shower that gets used on a daily basis. Everything from how to clean the shower tile grout to the shower floor tile itself could make cleaning a big chore in a frequently-used shower. A shower that’s used daily may also require more frequent sealing, especially if the tile has a porous surface.

7. Maintenance

Some tiles are easier to maintain than others. Slate is one of the easiest, while pebble tiles will require extra cleaning with their many irregular grout lines. The wider your grout lines, the more grout cleaning you will have to do (and the higher likelihood that mold and mildew might grow). On the other hand, slate and other natural stone tiles will be more expensive to repair. Expect to spend between $280 and $340 to repair your bathroom tiles.

8. Installation

Unless you have detailed tile experience, we recommend hiring a tile installer to handle this project. The cost of installing tiles can vary based on the job’s complexity, with special shapes taking longer to lay and install than simple square tiles.

C.E. Larusso contributed to this piece.