Tile layout is the most overlooked part of a bathroom and the first thing a trained eye notices. Thin slivers at the door, grout lines that miss the drain, niches cut through the middle of a tile: all of these come from laying without a plan.
How we plan a tile layout
- Start from a centre line on the main wall or the doorway, so cuts fall evenly at both edges.
- Put full tiles where the eye lands first: the doorway, the vanity wall and the shower wall.
- Align fixtures to grout lines: the WC, mixer, drain and niche sit on or centred between joints.
- Match floor and wall joints where tile sizes allow, so lines run unbroken from floor to ceiling.
Large-format tiles and slabs
Tiles of 800×1600 mm and slabs up to 1200×2400 mm need a flat base, full adhesive coverage on both surfaces, levelling clips and suction lifters. Laid badly, they sound hollow and crack. Laid well, they give a bathroom almost no grout lines.
Mitred corners and edges
We cut 45° mitres on external corners, niches and ledges instead of using plastic trims, for a clean stone-like edge.
Epoxy grout
Cement grout absorbs water and turns black in shower areas. Epoxy grout is waterproof, stain-resistant and doesn't need resealing, so we recommend it for all wet zones.
Hollow or loose tiles
If your tiles sound hollow when tapped, the adhesive bed wasn't full. Hollow tiles crack under load and let water through, so they should be lifted and relaid, not filled.