5 Things to Consider When Choosing Bathroom Tiles for Malaysian Homes
Bathroom remodelling can involve a lot of work including plumbing, putting fixtures, lighting, and so forth. It can get really expensive, so picking the right materials can save you a lot of money in the long run.
In this article, we will be focusing on flooring tiles, the part that you will pay the most attention to regardless of your bathroom renovation budget.
How do you pick the right bathroom tiles? Here are a few factors you should consider…
1. Durability
When it comes to cleaning, we do love our heavy chemicals on practically everything. Sambal stains on a white shirt? Bleach. Fear of germs in your bathroom and kitchen? Bleach. In fact, it’s hard to find a Malaysian household without at least a bottle of Clorox under their sink cabinet.
And no other surface in the house are more subjected to these heavy-duty usage, than the bathroom floors. Not only they have to withstand these regular splashing and cleaning products, but also hard scrubbing to get rid of the nastiest dirt.
Ceramic and porcelain are the most common choices to protect you against wear and scratches.
You also need to take into account how waterproof the tiles are, especially for high-splash zones. Plastic laminate or wood, for example, can absorb moisture thus they are more suitable for powder rooms as opposed to wet rooms.
2. Maintenance
Naturally, highly durable tiles are also longer-lasting, as they don’t change much in shape or colour over the years.
However, a certain type of tiles might require more maintenance than the others. Stone floors, for one, need more cleaning and sealing as compared to ceramic tiles.
Also, consider the grout that you will be using. If the sight of dirty grouts makes you start twitching, opt for dark-coloured ones. If you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist, right? (Just kidding! Make sure you take care of its cleanliness just like any other parts of the bathroom).
3. Safety
It’s typical for Malaysians households to not only have children but also elderly folks living together, which is why floor safety is paramount. You want to make sure the surface is easy on the feet and doesn’t get slippery when wet.
Other than the material itself, tile sizes can also influence how much traction you’ll get from the floor. Small tiles are easier to grip on since there are more grout joints. Big tiles, on the other hand (or foot), are more slippery, unless you go for the textured ones.
Additionally, you can also get anti-slip bathroom mats for added security over your loved ones.
4. Ease of installation
It’s typical for Malaysians households to not only have children but also elderly folks living together, which is why floor safety is paramount. You want to make sure the surface is easy on the feet and doesn’t get slippery when wet.
Either you are doing a DIY project or hiring someone for your renovation, ease of installation certainly does contribute as a cost factor.
Common tiles such as ceramic and porcelains can be fairly easy to put on; while fancier ones such as glass or stone tiles might require assistance from the experts.
5. Appearance
Function or form… why not both?
As bathroom designs keep innovating, the industry has come up with all kind of materials that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing at the same time.
These days, there are porcelain tiles that capture that wooden aesthetic but without the drawback of possibly getting stained by moisture.
You can also play around with the tile sizes to achieve the desired feel. Avoid using big tiles in a small bathroom as it can make the room look even smaller.
