Fluted Shower Walls

last year

I've posted about my bathroom renovation and using fluted tile, and several people have advised against it. I'm curious—does anyone have actual experience with fluted shower walls?

In our shower, we have fluted walls, and I never squeegee them. I do squeegee the floor after every shower, but those tiles are different. The wall tiles are quite large, so there's very little grout, and we have a small window in the shower that I often open for ventilation. After a year, the shower walls still look great with minimal cleaning!

I'm considering using a similar tile in a smaller guest shower and would love to hear about others' experiences since this is a smaller shower. Thanks for any insight!!

Featured Answer

PRO

BeverlyFLADeziner

6 months ago

For rentals you always want materials you can clean wtih a firehose is necessary. (scarcasm)

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Comments (10)

PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
Fluted tile will be a gross mass of dead skin cells in a shower in short order. Ugly and unsanitary, I promise.
Kendrah
last year
In our shower, we have fluted walls, and I never squeegee them.

Is there no build up in the narrow fluted ditches of the tile? I'd run a toothpick down the ditch and see if it comes out clean.
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Clyde Kalvin
last year
I am confused why you are asking when you already have experience with fluted tile. What difference does it make if the shower is smaller?
martinc
Original Author
last year
Great question! The flute tiles we currently have are slightly different, shower is larger,
and there is a window. Just before I spend the money I want to double check that I’m not missing anything from people who have experience and not just assuming. Thanks.
Theresa Peterson
last year
This way madness lies.

No, this is a product I'd avoid.
coastal_vibe
last year
I have the same question. I borrowed a stack of blue tiles from a tile showroom to take with me to the stone yard. From the responses, it sounds like I should avoid the fluted porcelain tile from Marazzi (for shower walls) shown in the photo below. (The slab shown is a contender for the vanity top.)
PRO
Minardi
last year
Avoid dark and/or textured if you don't want soap scum and skin cells to show up immediately, and then be almost impossible to get off without vigorous scrubbing.
W Williams
6 months ago
OK… I could really use some advice on this…
I stupidly bought porcelain fluted tile for a rental property that I am renovating now. The tile is already installed in a small shower, but it hasn’t been grouted yet. A part of me wants to have it pulled out and replaced, even though I’ve already spent money on the tile and laying of it.

I don’t know whether to live with it and hope for the best or take it out now before it’s grouted, and I have to deal with it in a few years

I’d really love to hear from the lady who put it in her shower and hasn’t had a problem. Are you saying that buildup yet?

If it were in my home, I would know just accept that I’d have to use a soft brush to scrub it down and keep it well ventilated., but since it’s a rental property, it worries me that moisture and gunk will build up and get mildewy or moldy.

Thanks!
RNmomof2 zone 5
6 months ago
How the heck do you grout that without filling the flutes?