I wouldn't use the bullnose, I think that would be more distracting. We are tiling a bath and the tile does not have any bullnose so we have the factory cut edge showing and it looks fine. It gives a more modern look. Perhaps use no bullnose anywhere. Also, if you have to cut any tiles, make sure the factory cut side shows.

milanovich's advice +1

I agree with no bullnose. In most cases there would be a tile edge, either plastic or metal, to give a more finished look.

Thank you both. I think you are right - the factory cut edge looks good. My only concern is that it may get dirty looking over time if the edge is permeable since it is unfinished. I wonder if there is a way to seal it?

Agree with others. David has a great idea, fabricate a metal channel for that edge. It will look like a design detail. Also, for the future you can bullnose most edges. The tile fabricator can bullnose the outside edge of the 12x24 pieces. With this type of look, however it's better to have the tile pieces butt up to something, feels a bit more modern.
Hope that helps. Charmean Neithart

Before you proceed please check into the Schluter System for tile edging. You can do it on-line. It comes in many finishes, is available at local tile or flooring shops and is similar to what Dytecture describes above. It will secure your tile and prevent future leakage at the seams,

Thanks, Steve, for the advice. I'll speak with my tile installer on Monday. I hope he has the equipment you're talking about! I do have to say that the "bullnose" tile doesn't even have a more finished edge than the regular factory cut sides. It's just at a slight angle (not a typical rounded bullnose at all). And interestingly, the dye lot it exactly the same as the regular tiles. Also, I'm having a local tile shop look into getting me flat painted metal Schluter strips (they had the vinyl rounded edge ones in a perfect color but I don't think they're sleek enough for the look I'm going for). If they can get them for me fast (what are the chances?!) I'm going to use them - hopefully my installer will understand what to do - he's never used 12x24 tile before and I don't think he's aware of the Schluter at all. I wish I used a designer like you for this process - there were so many things I didn't take into consideration. Your work is beautiful, by the way. I wish you lived in New York!

Thanks again.

Thanks you Sparkytoto for your very kind words, I really appreciate it. :o) Please let me know if there is anything else I can help with, I'm passionate about getting the details right, as it makes an enormous difference to the end result.

I wish you the very best with your project

Steve

Hi Steve. I do have a question - I hope you can help. I'm thinking about ordering the Schluter strip (flat aluminum painted pebble color which matches the tile beautifully). The problem is that it doesn't come in a 7/16" depth - which is, of course, what my tile is! I can order a 3/8" depth which is just 1/16" inch too short. Does it matter? My other option is to bring the tile to a stone yard where I can have the tile bullnosed. Is this a better option do you think? Thank you SO much for your advice - I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

Best,
Brenda

The schluter strips come in 8, 10, and 12.5 mm depths. Get a sample of the 12.5 depth and see if it mocks up correctly. We usually use a stainless or chrome rather than trying to match the tile color with the strip.

Hi Brenda, DeWitt's suggestion is a good one, as 12.5mm is 1/2", 3/8" won't work though as the tile has to fit into the edging. The 12.5mm may work out perfectly because you have a gap behind the tile as it is (most likely at least 1/8") because of the the thinset used to install the tile. Make sure they miter the inside and outside corners if you use the edging.

As for whether to use the chrome or stainless edging instead, the look is great IF you want to draw attention to the edges. Many times you do, and it can look awesome, but if there are numerous edges, "awkward" edges etc and/or they are going to be a distraction from another more important focal point, I wouldn't use them.

So I'm presuming your tile installer cannot do the flat eased edge? Thats a shame, its so easy to do, takes less than 60 seconds for each 24" edge. We don't even charge for that detail if its part of the project (we do for a bullnose).

Fwiw, I found a link that will show you the general process of edging with a grinder. Bear in mind that what they're doing in this link is actually more of a bullnose/angled edge, but the process is the same. (They are also use a diamond blade instead)

Regarding which choice is best for your bathroom - eased edge or the Schluter edging, I'd say it will depend on whether you want to draw attention to the edges or not. Even if its painted (and you want a great painted match, or go for a contrast with the chrome/brushed et al) it will stand out, which could look great in the right circumstances.

Btw, if the tile store you're taking these to can do a bullnose, they should be able to do an eased edge, (at a lower cost as its much easier) The eased edge will retain the contemporary look of the tile, and it will be more subtle.

Hope it goes well!

Steve

Such great advice - thank you, Steve. And thank you also, DeWitt. I just spoke with my tile installer who, I now realize, is old-school as he never heard of the schluter strips. It makes me more hesitant to use them in general as I'm not sure he'll be able to install them comfortably - I don't want to stress him out more than I have to about this! This is is first time installing 12 x 24 tiles and he's doing a beautiful job, but I think it is an extra effort for him.

The Youtube video was so interesting - I wish I had the equipment myself as it does look so simple. I'm going to check with the stoneyard that said they could do the bullnose - i'm sure you're right and they'll be able to do an eased edge. They're also doing some stonework for me (for the shower seat and for the entry to the shower) so really it is exactly that kind of edge that I need on the tile, right?

You have been so helpful. I can't thank you enough!

Best,
Brenda

Schluter strips were designed by an old school master tile layer to solve tile end and transition problems. They solve the problem that many modern tile designs do not included trim and bullnose edge pieces. They are really easy to install. You should get a sample and show him. He will be amazed.

I actually purchased vinyl Schluter strips from my local tile store over this weekend when worried that I had no other options. But they have a real bullnose edge and are vinyl and not aesthetically the look I want so I wasn't planning to use them. I'll show them to my tile installer though so he can see what is out there. Some people aren't as interested as others in learning about new products and techniques. I sense that he won't be interested - I'll be curious to see. I think it's an amazing option and wish I knew about them sooner. Not one of the tile stores I went to through this whole bathroom renovation process (and I did go to some high end stores) told me about this option. Incredible.

My Schluter sample chain has 29options on it. 6 vinyl the rest metal with all different colors, finishes and profiles. There may be more options than this available.

Steve, one last (I hope) VERY important question. I'm almost afraid to ask. Did I make clear that my tile is porcelain, color through body, with a fabric-like glaze on the front? It is a Daltile called "Spark" (here is a link http://products.daltile.com/series.cfm?series=344). Can it be eased?

Our Lowes and Home Depot carry a sampling of Schluter (trademark name) strips as do several local carpet/tile stores and I do not live in a metropolis, so I am surprised that your installer is not aware of them. If the grinding of an eased edge is not possible, look at the Schluter website and you will be amazed at all the products available for transitioning and finishing tile edges.

Hi Brenda, I have not used that specific tile before but a few that look very similar (by Crossville) and yes they can usually be edge sanded. SOME glazes are very brittle however so we always do a test first to see, and if they're an issue the solution is typically using a finer grit disc(s). Have your tile store do a sample test first and see how it looks.

The only other issue we've run into with edge sanding is when the color is not through body (as it sometimes reveals an ugly body color) but you dont have to worry about that! :)

I realize these details are impacting your tile installation schedule but I'm glad you're taking the time to get them right. You won't be sorry you did that in the long run :)

Steve

How often does a person have an opportunity to renovate a bathroom? It's only the 2nd time in my life! I agree - the details are so important. An extra week or two are nothing in the scheme of how long I'll be living with the results. My tile installer mentioned that the tile cuts very nicely - I suspect that it's not a brittle glaze. I'll follow your suggestion and bring the tile to the stoneyard to have them try it first so I'll see if the results are good. I'll let you know! Thank you again! So much!

You're very welcome Brenda, and please post photos when you're done, I'm sure its going to look great!

Steve

To everyone who helped me with my bullnose tile dilemma - especially Steve from Beautiful Remodel - I wanted to post a couple of pictures of my finished bathroom shower area. I took Steve's advice and brought the 12 x 24" tiles to my local stoneyard to have the edges eased. What an incredible gift that suggestion was! It worked beautifully and I didn't have to use the bullnose which would have been a design disaster. Again, thanks to all! The pictures seem to have posted sideways, sorry about that!

Hi sparkytoto - first of all, your bathroom looks GORGEOUS! Excellent job, I'm sure you're thrilled! Secondly, thank you so much for the compliments, I really appreciate it. I appreciate you not only taking the time to post your photos but also to say thanks to everyone that helped.

Thank YOU for that!

Steve

Hi, I came across this post because I have the same issue renovating my bathroom. I couldn't find the bullnose for the 12x24 tile I like. So I'm thinking between Schulter and eased edge. My question is after the edge is eased, is there any waterproof coating need to be applied? If it is used in shower niche, water will penetrate to the tile without any treatment, right? Your help is really appreciated!

Hi dong_jason,

The short answer is no, you do not need to apply waterproofing to the eased edge of the tile. If installed correctly all the critical waterproofing is installed underneath the tile, as a continuous membrane from drain to ceiling. The tile is not a critical part of that, it is more cosmetic. However, if you do not have through body color tile, the eased edge may have a different color. While just a small amount is visible, it's worth doing a test first.
-Steve

Hi Steve, thank you very much for the quick response! This is the first time I'm renovating a bathroom. Never think it would be so complicated:) Thanks again!

Use a schluter strip. I use them all the time in contempory designs. You can choose the metal color to coordinate with the bathroom or you can get a beige, white, dark tone. They come in different textures and thickness. Tile companys have this available on the spot. We typically use Virginia Tile. Good luck but I have used that almost exact tile and done exactly that... turns out great!

Beautiful Remodel is spot on. Colorthru porcelain is a blessing. 2 examples from a client. Niche is a polished and eased edge porcelain colorthru. The other is a non colorthru. The homeowner was against a Schluter strip, and actually, music to my ears. I avoid it whenever possible. As you can see, the edge is a different color. The homeowners like the polished and bullnosed edge even though its not colorthru tile.

No bullnose, use factory cut edge to finish

Do not use the factory edge for finish. Sorry but I don't like the factory edge finish, or ground, or polished unless it is natural stone. It makes the tile job look not well thought out and the product not researched as far as the details go. We always use tile with edge and trim details, or use use differents tiles for edging, or finish the tiles on an inside corner of the room, or use a finish strip. I don't think the person posting the question in this tread liked the factory edge or they would not have posted the question. It definitely is a personal preference and a cost issue. The cost of the tile work always surprises the contractors on our jobs.

Have your tile guy hand bull nose the edges on site. adding smaller pre-bullnosed pcs will take away the clean look.

Now here is another question. I do not want to use the bullnose tile or the shulter strips. My tile for the bath and shower is 12 by 12 ceramic. The color does not go through. Can I get away with this? There is a half wall between the tub and bath. Thank you.

Top the half wall with a piece of the material for your countertop, such as quartz or granite. Then affix your glass to that top piece. We just did that in our shower and it looks great. As a matter of fact, we had 12 x 24 ceramic tile and didn't use any bullnose or schluter product. It can be done if you have a good tile guy and plan ahead. Look at the first photo from Yarbro Home Improvement posted a few comments above and Sparkytoto's photos a bit further up.

@sparkytoto - love the bathroom. That tile is exactly what we're looking to use for our guest bath remodel... what brand/name is it? Thanks!

Thank you so much! I LOVE the way my bathroom came out. And it looks brand new after almost two years - I think using large tiles with less grout than would be needed with smaller tiles is part of why it still looks so great. The tile is Daltile Firelight Flicker - size 12 x 24. And I used a glass mosaic on the floor, and in the niches, by Bisazza. It was VTC-20.55. Hope this helps!

Thanks so much. I think I've looked at that one online (but they all start to look the same after a while and it is so hard to imagine how one sample would look in an entire application). Appreciate it!

Has any body here used a Schluter strip for beveled tile? I'm running into a problem where I cannot determine which size profile to use because when the tile is cut the depth will be different depending on where it is cut in the bevel. I appreciate your help!

@mhaber22: this Schluter strip may be your best option with beveled tile, depending on how much bevel it has:

http://www.schluter.com/picture_zoom.aspx?pic=p/content/ss_schn_rondecdb_webus_r.tif&name=Schluter-RONDEC-DB

The safest option however is to order samples of different profiles and try them with your tile. If you go to Schluter.com you can locate your closest dealer.

- Steve

Hi
I'm about to have my kitchen tiled, grey concrete looking 200x800 tiles. Probably brick style pattern.
Are there any other options rather than using an edging strip I could use? I'm going for a bit of an industrial look.
It's a porcelain tile. The edges will only be showing on the 2 600 high ends and approx 2m of top edges but that 2 m is in 2 sections.
Thank you very much, any ideas would be great fully received.

I am using glass subway tiles all over a small bathroom, I even want to tile the window ledge so as not to have any wood moulding. Any thoughts on how to avoid using Schluter? I like what was done in the photo above with the granite ledge but wonder if this could work with glass ledge on a window?