6 Things to Consider Before Choosing Tile for Your Home, According to Designers

Tile can completely transform a space, but it's important to carefully consider where you'll put it, as it's one of the most difficult design decisions to undo once installed. Beyond choosing the right color or pattern, factors like material, maintenance, grout, and even what's happening beneath the surface can determine how well tile performs over time. Considering these details during the planning process can help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure your investment looks beautiful years from now.

Before you commit to a tile, make sure you've weighed all the different pros and cons. Here, we asked experts about all the factors that homeowners often overlook and what to know before installation starts.

Choose the Right Material

Before falling in love with a color or pattern, consider the material itself. Different tile types vary significantly in durability, water resistance, maintenance requirements, and installation requirements. All of these factors affect how they perform in your home.

Common tile materials include:

• Porcelain: Dense, durable, and highly water-resistant
• Ceramic: Affordable, versatile, and often best suited for walls and backsplashes
• Marble: Elegant natural stone that requires sealing and ongoing maintenance
• Travertine: A softer natural stone with a timeless look
• Limestone: Natural and textured, but more porous than porcelain
• Slate: Durable natural stone with a distinctive rustic appearance
• Terracotta: Handmade clay tile known for its warmth and character
• Zellige: Traditional Moroccan handmade tile with natural variation and imperfections
• Cement: Bold and decorative, but typically requires sealing
• Glass: Commonly used for backsplashes and decorative accents

"The material you choose sets the tone for everything else," says Eli Mechlovitz, founder of TileBar. "For example, porcelain is typically precisely cut and can go almost anywhere with a straightforward installation. Natural stone can be more involved; it should be sealed before grouting and can require upkeep to protect against staining."

Porcelain remains one of the most popular choices for homeowners because of its durability and low-maintenance nature. "Porcelain and ceramic can look the same, but porcelain is fired at a higher temperature," says Douglas Conner, home improvement expert and owner of Universal Windows Direct. "That makes it denser, more scratch-resistant, and nearly waterproof."

Handmade materials such as zellige and terracotta can add depth, texture, and character, but experts note they often require more specialized installation and maintenance.

Consider Placement

A tile that works beautifully in one part of the home may not perform as well in another. Moisture, foot traffic, slip resistance, and exposure to the elements should all factor into your decision.

"Where you plan to install the tile dictates what you should be looking for," says Mechlovitz. "On a kitchen backsplash, you can go bold with texture, handmade tile, or natural stone. A bathroom floor has different needs—always check the manufacturer's guidelines for slip resistance ratings to make sure the tile is appropriate for wet conditions."

In kitchens and other high-traffic areas, durability should be a top priority. "For kitchens, especially backsplash and flooring, I prefer porcelain," says Celine Zhang, interior designer and cabinet manufacturing specialist at LivRanger. "It's durable, non-porous, and resistant to moisture." Porcelain's ability to withstand daily wear, spills, and heavy foot traffic makes it one of the most versatile choices throughout the home.

Bathrooms require a different approach. Beyond moisture resistance, homeowners should consider slip resistance, especially for flooring that may become wet. Conner recommends selecting tile with a Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF) rating of at least 0.42 for bathroom floors.

Shower floors present their own set of challenges. According to Mechlovitz, smaller-format or mosaic tiles are often the better choice because the additional grout lines create more traction underfoot. Larger-format tiles may create a sleek appearance, but can become slippery in wet conditions.

Outdoor spaces require extra consideration. Before installing tile on patios, terraces, or walkways, verify that the material is rated for exterior use and can withstand exposure to weather and temperature fluctuations.

Related Stories

24 Beautiful Kitchen Floor Tile Ideas, From Whimsical Patterns to Bold Colors

42 Bathroom Tile Ideas, from Elegant Patterns to Intricate Mosaics

Understand Maintenance

Not all tiles require the same level of upkeep, so it's important to be realistic about how much maintenance you're willing to take on.

"If you're choosing a natural stone like marble or travertine or a handmade material like terracotta, plan to seal it before grouting," says Mechlovitz. "Natural stone can require upkeep to protect against staining."

This is especially important in kitchens and bathrooms where moisture, spills, and daily wear are unavoidable. While marble and other natural stones offer timeless appeal, they are more porous than many manufactured alternatives, and can stain or etch over time if not properly maintained. Tile finish also matters: matte surfaces tend to hide fingerprints and smudges more easily, while glazed finishes are often easier to wipe clean, but may show water spots more readily.

The key is to think beyond aesthetics and consider how the tile will age in your home. A low-maintenance material may be the better investment if you have children, pets, or simply don't want to spend time sealing surfaces and scrubbing grout lines every few months.

Don't Overlook Grout

Tile gets all the attention, but grout can have just as much influence on both the final appearance of an installation and its aging over time.

"It's the thing no one warns you about," says Kelly Smethills, principal interior designer at Huron Interiors. "Pick the color before anything is installed, because a bright white or a black will start looking dirty almost right away, and you'll be scrubbing it constantly, while grey just hides life."

The type of grout matters, too. Zhang recommends epoxy grout in kitchens and bathrooms because it is more resistant to moisture and discoloration than traditional, cement-based options.

Prepare Your Space

What's beneath the tile matters just as much as the tile itself. Even the most expensive installation can fail if the surface hasn't been properly prepared.

Before installation begins, contractors should evaluate the subfloor and, when necessary, install an uncoupling membrane to absorb movement and help prevent cracking. Preparation also extends beyond what's beneath the tile. "A level surface, sealed substrate, and proper thinset application make a 20-year tile job over one that fails after five," says Zhang.

Much of a tile installation's long-term success comes down to the work homeowners never see.

Think Through Installation Details

Some of the most common tile mistakes happen before the first piece is ever laid. Details such as where the tile begins and ends, how the edges are finished, and how it transitions to other flooring materials should all be planned in advance.

Smethills also recommends paying attention to tile thickness, especially when two different flooring materials meet. A thicker tile next to a thinner surface can create an awkward lip.

These aren't the most exciting decisions, but they're often the ones that separate a professional-looking installation from one that feels unfinished. Get the details right from the start, and then you can move on to the fun part: enjoying the finished space.