All About Wall Tile

Captivating kitchen backsplashes, elegant walk-in showers, multi-functional wet rooms, and decorative accent walls all utilize the durability and range of styles provided by wall tiles. This simple, classic material can be used in many ways and comes in so many different looks that there’s really no limit to the ways you can use wall tiles throughout your home.

Wall Tile Vs. Floor Tile

It’s important to understand that not all tile is intended for all uses. Wall tiles should not be used on the floor, and floor tiles should not be used on walls, because each type is specifically designed for their intended uses.  

Every piece of tile will feature a Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI) rating ranging from one (lowest durability) to five (strongest rating). This rating will help you determine which tiles are appropriate for wall applications and which tiles are appropriate for floor applications with heavy foot traffic. If you’re interested in installing both wall tile and floor tile, check out our floor tile buying guide for all the information you need to select the best options for your space.

Floor Tile

Floor tiles are thick to enhance strength and provide for a durable flooring in high-traffic areas of the home. Most of the time, the surface of a floor tile has enough texture to prevent it from being slick and make it safer to walk across. When you’re shopping for floor tiles, you’ll want tiles with a PEI rating of five or four in high-traffic areas and possibly three in light-traffic areas.

Wall Tile

Wall tile is thinner and more delicate than floor tile. The thinner design makes it more lightweight and easier to install on walls without causing vertical drag or damage, but it also makes it too delicate to handle foot traffic. When shopping for wall tile, you’ll want to look for tiles with a PEI class of one, two, or three.

Ways to Use Wall Tiles

Wall tiles can have a variety of uses throughout the home. Not only are they incredibly durable and easy to clean, but decorative wall tiles also provide ultimate versatility in style and appearance. Update the look of your fireplace, create an eye-catching backsplash, refresh the look of a bathroom, and much more with wall tiles that reflect the look of your home.

Wall Tile Backsplash

A backsplash is one of the most common uses for wall tile because it is easy to wipe down if it is exposed to food or water splashes. A backsplash is essential in a kitchen, where it should be installed from the top of the countertop to the bottom of the upper cabinetry. If you don’t have upper cabinetry, you can make a bolder statement by extending the kitchen tile backsplash the whole way up the wall for a decorative statement.  

A backsplash can also be a useful addition to your bathroom vanity or tub surround design. They provide stylish protection for your walls against the moisture build up that naturally occurs in these wet spaces.

Accent Walls

Wall tiles can absolutely be a work of art. Showcase their beauty in a decorative light by using an eye-catching design to create a stunning accent wall. Wall tiles can be installed on any wall of the home. Use them to fill the interior of an art niche with a decorative mosaic, transform a laundry room or bath into an easy-to-clean wet room, create a decorative surround on an island or peninsula, and so much more. You are only limited by your own imagination when it comes to the ways to feature decorative wall tiles in your home. 

Shower Walls

Showers are exposed to a lot of daily moisture and require materials that are designed to hold up to the spray and grime. Installing tile on both the walls and floor is a great way to create an entire shower space that can stand up to the splash. Just because this space is utilitarian doesn’t mean it can’t also be beautiful.  

As you shop for your shower tile, try checking out mosaic wall tiles and decorative accents that you can use to create a stripe, border, or accent. You can even tile niches into the bath or shower wall design, so you have a place to store shampoo, conditioner, and other everyday essentials.

Bathroom Walls

The shower isn’t the only part of the bathroom that can benefit from the addition of wall tile. Update the look of any bathroom in your home by featuring tile more prominently. Penny tiles on the floor, subway tiles along the walls, and decorative backsplashes can be used in any bathroom throughout the home. Wall tiles in the bathroom can be especially useful around a standing tub or behind a toilet.

Fireplace Surrounds

Often, decorative wall tile is used on the wall surrounding the fireplace because it is heat-tolerant and easy to wipe clean of soot. The design of the mantle, wall color, and overall style of the room will help direct you toward a decorative wall tile that will create a sophisticated focal point around your fireplace opening.

Exterior Applications

Wall tile isn’t just a suitable material for indoor uses. It can also be a beautiful way to add visual interest to an outdoor kitchen, living room, or dining space. Use outdoor tiles on the wall to create a stunning mosaic tile wall on-theme with the rest of your outdoor living area, or feature them on the backsplash of your outdoor grilling area.

Ceiling Tiles

In especially wet or humid locations, such as inside a shower or wet room, you can extend the wall tiles right up to the ceiling. Not only does this help the whole area remain waterproof, but it also provides a seamless look that makes the shower area appear larger. If you do use wall tiles on the ceiling, try using a thinner (lower PEI rating) option. Floor tiles could be too heavy for this application.

Wall Tile Materials

Once you know how you want to showcase wall tiles in your home, it’s time to determine which material makes the best choice for your application. When it comes to wall tiles, there are four main material categories from which to choose. Each tile material offers its own set of benefits and drawbacks, so understanding the differences will help you make the best selection for your wall tile application.

Ceramic

Ceramic tiles are composed of clay and water, shaped into flat or shaped tiles, and high-fired in a kiln. They can come in a wide range of different colors, looks, and textures. Glazed ceramic tiles are entirely waterproof, making them ideal for wet applications, such as a bathroom. Unglazed ceramic tiles are water resistant but not waterproof.

Porcelain 

Porcelain and ceramic are often referred to as similar items because both are crafted of clay and water, however porcelain is a more durable product because it is more dense and stronger than ceramic wall tile. Like ceramic, porcelain tile is available in many different shapes, colors, and textures. Unlike ceramic, the color of porcelain tile is often added to the clay itself, rather than only being featured in the glazed layer. This can result in brighter, long-lasting colors and designs.   

Glass

Bright and sleek, glass tile is a popular choice for backsplashes and decorative accents with wall tile treatments. Glass tile is crafted of glass in either flat tiles or more three-dimensional brick-like forms. Glass tile can be found in different color shades, with varying opacity, making it easy to coordinate with the look of any room in your home.

Metal Tile 

When you want to deliver a little added shine to your wall tile application, metal wall tiles make a fun choice. Crafted of durable metal, these tiles come in all the classic finishes, including nickel, copper, and more. These metal details can be showcased in the same shapes as ceramic, porcelain or natural stone tiles. Sometimes, the metal is merely used as a gleaming accent in a larger mosaic with tiles of other materials, such as glass. The metal wall tiles can be cut with a wet tile saw, just as most other types of wall tiles. 

Natural Stone

To showcase the beauty of nature, look to natural stone tile for a beautiful statement wall. This category includes marble, travertine, granite, limestone, and other stone varieties. Each tile offers a unique look because the coloring and veining is entirely realistic. There are even pebble styles that will help give you that stacked rock look.

Wall Tile Shapes 

Tiles come in many different sizes and shapes, each of which help you achieve a different look in your space. Although the shape of the wall tile and the pattern you choose for installation are technically different, they do work hand-in-hand to help you achieve your final look.

• Hexagons: This clean geometric shape does modern in a simple yet striking way. The six-sided tiles provide a fun alternative to classic rectangular or square tiles without being too busy. 
• Encaustic Tile: Encaustic tile boasts a beautiful pattern that continues to the edge and boasts a repeat. When you line these tiles up against one another it looks like one continuous pattern. This helps give the illusion of one large pattern. 
• Penny Rounds: This traditional flooring option makes a great accent on walls as well. These small rounds can be all one color or installed in a two-toned pattern. The small scale even allows you to create custom patterns and accents. 
• Subway Tiles: This classic rectangular shape gets its name for its use in subways throughout the cities, but it also brings a fun, retro vibe to any bathroom or backsplash. They can be a bright white in color or a fun color. 
• Arabesque: Arabesque tiles are a unique shape that provides instant elegance and sophistication. They are specifically designed to nestle in along one another in a traditional staggered pattern. The shape does prohibit them from being installed in other patterns. 
• Dimensional (3D) Tile: Bring a little depth and dimension to any accent walls with these shapely wall tiles. These aren’t your typical flat wall tiles. These wall tiles feature three-dimensional details that jump out at you, making any wall an instant focal point. 
• Specialty Shapes: Wall tile, like anything else, comes in a wide variety of different design styles. As you shop you may find other shapes we haven’t covered, such as cubed tiles, octagon tiles, herringbone tiles, and more. Each of these designs is simply an opportunity to have fun with your decorative wall tile applications.

Wall Tile Patterns

The patterns that you choose to arrange the wall tiles in can influence the look of the room. For instance, wider tiles arranged side by side can make a room look smaller, while narrow or diagonally placed tiles can draw the attention in ways that create movement and make a room feel larger.  

As you shop for wall tiles, keep in mind that certain shapes are limited in installation patterns. The arabesque shaped tiles line up in a specific way, so you won’t be able to use them to create a chevron pattern, for example.

A few pattern ideas may include these familiar designs:

• Grid: The grid pattern stacks geometric tiles directly on top of one another so that the grout lines are continuous horizontally and vertically. 
• Offset: The offset pattern is more like lying bricks, where one row of tiles begins halfway down the previous row in a staggered arrangement. 
• Herringbone: The herringbone pattern arranges trapezoid tiles in a pointed stripe arrangement, much like an arrow. 
• Diagonal: When you want a traditional tile installed in a non-traditional way, try installing it on the diagonal. Instead of vertical and horizontal lines, these angled alternatives can help make your room appear longer and your ceilings appear taller all at the same time. 
• Basket Weave: Rectangular tiles can get a traditional twist when installed in a basketweave pattern. This alternates the arrangement of each rectangle, so that one is installed vertically and the next one horizontally. As the rows build, the rectangles nestle into one another. 

For more detailed explorations of different tile pattern options, check out our design tips for how to choose the perfect floor pattern.

Wall Tile Finishes

Of course, the tile you use to create a fun accent wall will be different than the tile you choose to protect your bathroom. The finish of the wall tile can be every bit as important and the color, design, and pattern.  

The finish of the wall tile helps to determine what application is appropriate for the wall tile. For instance, glazed tiles offer a higher resistance against moisture than unglazed or unpolished tiles.

• Matte: A non-reflective and hard surface that won’t bounce light around the room. They are a great slip-resistant choice in traditional or contemporary spaces. 
• Honed: Glazed or unglazed tiles that are polished until they have a smooth, satin finish. 
• Glossy: These tiles are nice and shiny, making them a little reflective. Glossy finish makes them easy to clean by preventing stains from penetrating into the tiles. 
• Metallic: The gold, silver, or nickel gleam offered by metal tiles or tiles with metallic glazes. 
• Polished: Glazed or unglazed tiles are polished until they have a smooth finish with a bit of luster or shine. 
• Textured: These tiles aren’t smooth. Instead, the rich texture of the surface makes them slip-resistant and ideal for use in bathrooms and wet rooms. 
• Mirrored: Some tiles actually feature a mirrored finish that allows you to see yourself in them. This can be very useful when you want a room to appear larger than it is. 
• Unpolished: Glazed or unglazed tiles that do not go through the polishing process.

Styles of Wall Tiles Available 

Today’s tile isn’t just your plain white ceramic squares. Modern wall tiles come in a vast array of different styles available, giving you the creative freedom to create just about any look.

Concrete-Look Tile 

Concrete-look wall tile makes it easy to achieve that casual, industrial vibe anywhere in the home. These tiles often have a matte finish with a color and texture that gives the wall tile the look of concrete. 

Mosaic Tile 

A mosaic pattern can be created out of virtually any type of tile if it is small in scale, although the most common tile for a mosaic is glass tile. These small glass tiles don’t have to take forever to install. Many mosaic tiles are already mounted on a mesh backing, allowing you to install a whole sheet of tiles at once. 

Stone-Look Tile 

When you love the look of natural stone, but you want a more budget-friendly option, consider shopping for ceramic or porcelain wall tiles that feature a stone look. The surface design of these tiles will provide small design details inspired by natural stone, such as marble, limestone, and travertine. Stone look tiles will have the same color variety and vein patterns as natural stone, but may provide predictable, repeating patterns that allow for more custom design layouts. 

Wood-Look Wall Tiles 

These tiles may look like wood planks, but wood-look tiles boast all the benefits of durable tile. With normal wood, you would never be able to feature it in moist or wet rooms of the home, such as bathrooms. Wood look tiles feature the intricate style lines that make it look like wood, without any of the maintenance concerns that come along with natural wood. 

Wall Tile Installation Methods 

Now that you’ve selected the wall tiles that make the best choice for your shower, backsplash, or living room, it’s time to get them up on the wall. 

Thinset & Grout 

All true wall tile is installed with thinset or grout. These products act as the adhesive that holds the wall tile to the wall or cement board. Because tile needs to be cut with a tile saw and grouting can be a very specific process, professional installation is strongly recommended.  

If you want to take on the process yourself, start with a small project, such as a backsplash or accent niche. Once you master the process, you can always take on a larger wall tiling project. 

Peel & Stick

When you don’t want to bring in the professionals for a more complete wall tile installation, peel and stick wall tiles make a fantastic alternative. These aren’t tiles in the traditional sense because they are usually a lightweight vinyl, metal, or glass material that’s lightweight enough to mount with adhesive. You simply peel the protective backing off the tile and adhere the sticky side directly to the wall.  

The look of mortar is already worked into each sheet, making them ready to go. Peel and stick wall tile can typically be cut with a razor blade or sturdy scissors, but some glass or metal options may require a wet saw. The downside is that they are limited in their applications, as they are not waterproof. They can be a no-damage option in rental properties, however.