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jkart

HELP! Semi-Vitreous Shower Tile?

9 years ago

I'm having such a hard time finding impervious tile for my shower. Everything I'm seeing in the color/size I want is at least semi-vitreous. Ideally, I want a tile that is white porcelain/ceramic 3x12 or 4x12 or 4x16 in format that is safe to use in a wet shower environment (impervious). Any ideas or suggestions?

Here are the three semi-vitreous tiles I'm considering, but worry it will not be good in a wet environment/shower:

Home Depot Fresh White Jeffrey Court

Home Depot Allegro White Jeffrey Court

Floor and Decor Meringue Ceramic Tile

Thanks for the help!

Comments (15)

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    Any glazed porcelain tile will work. Any glazed ceramic wall tile will work. All of the photos you have shared are glazed tiles. Be careful with floor & decor cheap wall tile, I have seen a lot of warped products come from them.

    jkart thanked Cinar Interiors, Inc.
  • PRO
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    All are fine. The key to a safe and water tight shower is what is UNDERNEATH the tile. That means no home joe projects over insufficiently water proof materials.......like plain old cheesy drywall.....promptly guaranteeing leaks and mold

    jkart thanked JAN MOYER
  • 9 years ago

    All the tiles you show are great..... if the shower is large it's a lot of grout to clean is all. Super high gloss tile shows more water spots IMO, but I like your choices. If the shower is large I'd go with a larger field tile. If it's not a big walk in all are a nice choice for walls. I'd go with 4x16 or 4x12 if you go with any of the above!

    Agree with above... there are numerous systems out there. Our walk in shower was first prepared with the Schluter Ditra shower system then all was tiled. Again, other systems out there as well.

    jkart thanked Porter Edun
  • 9 years ago

    If you click on the specifications it says they are good for a shower wall. A bunch of us would be in trouble if not!!!!

    jkart thanked Pool Habit
  • 8 years ago

    to those that respond ..how do you feel about those same tiles on the shower floor? i too am picking out tiles that i have concerns with on the floor...I want bigger tiles and less grout. TIA

  • 8 years ago

    speaking of the tile links above (?) it's a super slippery option.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Use a mesh mounted product for the shower floor with sanded grout for best traction. The more grout joints = better traction.

    Larger 4x4 or 6x6 tiles are ok if they have large enough grout joints but labor will most likely increase. Also, low spots where water can stand happen more often when these tiles are laid individually. Mesh mounted products normally come on a 12x12 sheet and are much easier for the installer to slope to the drain properly without low spots for water to catch.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    So i am not necessarily looking at these specific tiles..but large 6x36 planks into a shower that will not have a lip. My hubby will have future operations and getting a wheel chair in the shower will be needed. I like tiles that look like wood planks. Are they too porous? semi-vetrious...i have found other large tile 12x12 and larger but they too are semi-vetrious..they say high traffic for business and homes..but the water? i want simpler lines and less grout to clean.


  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Porcelain tile for wet areas. Porcelain absorbs between 0.06-0.5% moisture.

  • 8 years ago

    tiles have a water absorption rating which has nothing to do with whether they are porcelain or not.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Actually it does, are you going to install a standard ceramic tile outside in freezing conditions where moisture is present?
    Porcelain is recommended for wet areas due to the very little amount of moisture that it absorbs. Standard ceramic tends to hold on to moisture in wet areas and could cause an issue down the road. Grout in a shower will absorb moisture, ceramic will act as s sponge and suck it in.

  • 8 years ago

    the term "porcelain" has no standard definition. There are multiple definitions. You need to go by the ANSI rating on the tile which can be Impervious, vitreous, semi vitreous or non vitreous. Just because a tile is listed as porcelain does not make it safe for outdoors. Porcelain tile can absorb water if it is not fired for a long time, just like ceramic can. The tile should also be marked safe for outdoors, in addition to the water absorption label. for further info read a great article on this topic on the website of starcraft custom builders--

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    I've been in the industry for 20+ yrs. Porcelain tile is categorized as “impervious,” which means it has a water absorption rate of less than 0.5%


  • 8 years ago
    As a potter trained in glaze chemistry and porcelain clay bodies, I would choose porcelain tiles because they are fired at higher temperatures so the the glaze is more bonded to the claybody and clay is less porous. Vitrified means it is more glass like and absorbs less water but as others have said the structural waterproofing is under the actual tile.

    Smaller tiles and more grout will give better traction for floors. Use only floor tiles for this which should have a less slick or shiny glaze. Some porcelain tile is solid color throughout and fired high enough to not need a glaze to be impermeable.
    To ease cleaning use bigger, slicker tiles on the wall so there is less grout to grow mold. Lower fired ceramic is ok for this but if the color of the clay and the glaze differ chips will show more. Also the glass in the glaze may craze over time and let the tile absorb water.