I would love to hear the answer for this question too please.

I suggest tile and, if possible, at the same height as your wood baseboard in adjacent spaces.

Wood to keep the trim consistent throughout. I think floor tile used as baseboard is too thin to stand out to add much interest. Just my two cents.

Tile is durable, water resistant and already an integral part of your design. Also, if the mop hits it, it won't scratch or discolor or warp the way that wood will.

If your bathroom ever floods, you'll be grateful for tile baseboard!

Tile is the way to go. Consistency is nice but lets be practical. Bathrooms see more water than any other room in the house and tile will keep it from flowing into other rooms or through the ceiling if done properly.

Wood in the bath and tile in the laundry room. BTW I like the profile of the wood baseboard you showed.

I have the same wood baseboard in my bathroom. I HATE it. It's a bear to keep clean. Tearing it out and replacing it is on my to-do someday list. Go with the tile.

I've actually never heard of using tile as a baseboard. I just learned something new.

If your budget supports it I would suggest you go with 5/4 marble slabs, at the appropriate height ( 5 1/2" +/- ) with an edge detail (we often do a simple ogee). It is a classic look that won't go out of style and is how we normally trim out our bathrooms.

Use wood baseboards painted out white. Best look and very clean line. Cutting tile you will have problem since the top is not bullnose.

I have tile baseboard in bathrooms, doesn't look thin and easy to clean. However I do have MDF for a door frame that is very close to the kid bathtub -- bad thing, it got wet one time I didn't notice it and swell up, had to get someone to fix it. If your baseboard is wood, i think should be fine, but if it's MDF, then go with tile.

And one more pic...

I redid 2 bathroom one with tile molding other with plastic wood molding both do a fine job.

Comwest Construction - very good point about tile not being bullnose, we chose to install a chrome capping strip to solve that problem.

So did you use mdf trim on top of the tile? Never seen anything like this done before.
Usually it would be a bullnose finish.

Angel18432 I had my tile guy use chrome capping strip to cover the cuts on the tile and provide a clean edge for cleaning.

Tiles - water proof , neat finish.

Here is my "before" with porcelain baseboards... Which I love!
My problem now is finding porcelain baseboards that "look like" white Carrara Marble, as we are updating this area with a porcelain tile that looks like Cararra. I just don't want the upkeep of marble. I cannot find porcelain baseboards anywhere.. Online or tile warehouses, stores or shops?? Any suggestions on where to find porcelain baseboards would be so appreciated.

Btw...anitanazar... That looks great!!

Also this baseboard is 5x12 and is in a WC

Thank you Jo. I love how it turned out! It was an easy option as I would have a nightmare trying to find baseboards with bullnose to match. The chrome capping looks really sharp. That could be a solution for your bathroom too. The capping comes in different finishes (chrome, brushed nickel, antique bronze) so you can match it to your fixtures.

Where did you find the capping?

Home Depot! But all the hardware/home improvement stores carry them, they will be in the tile supply section. Actually my tile guy never used it for baseboards before but he loved the idea and was so impressed he will be recommending it for his future clients!

Very neat finish.

My husband is German and having lived there a number of years, most homes have tile floors and the baseboard is always tile in every part of the home. We tiled our large kitchen and LOVE that my husband used the same tile as our baseboard. We are now doing the same in our bathroom. We didn't 'cap' as someone here did (although that looks great too!), normally the grout is used over the cut edge at a slope, very easy to clean. It's all in one's taste. We have a European taste even living in rural PA! Have enjoyed this thread!

old post - March 2014 -

Any chance of pictures of the tile with the grout at the top over the cut edge? :)

depends on the level of use. wood can mold, warp, and get cracked paint if the bathroom is used a lot. MDF will swell up if water ever touches it, and tile looks very public-washroom-esque. you should put practicality first. if it's going to get a lot of use and abuse you're stuck with tile, otherwise baseboards look way better.

@Roger Pack - here is a close up of the top. We used a chrome capping to avoid the look of exposed grout on the top edge, and applied silicone to the corner.

I am remodeling three bathrooms and setting white porcelain tile, we found someone that does a bullnose finish so we will be installing the same white porcelain tile as the baseboard

Hopfully the jobs already done, me, I would go with tile and if your base boards were white I would use white tile edging and trim.

Whenever using wood/mdf baseboard in a wet area you have to seal the baseboard before painting. I use Laticrete Hydrobarier as waterproofing so I coat the back and bottom that touches floor with the same to make it waterproof. I also do about a foot of the wall under the baseboard from the tub or shower pan. The front side is then primed with a good oil based primer followed by an exterior paint. Don't forget to glue any miter joints.

Nothing will be 100% waterproof but with the above I never have swelling, peeling or an other water damages. The wettest part of the bathroom is in those corners of the tub or shower pan where you exit the shower/tub. Water always pools there.

As a retired interior designer who worked in the tile and marble industry for 9 years I favour tile, marble or onyx base board, which ever best. Yes a wet area deserves this no care finish. If the bisket (back of tile ) colour is similar to your glazed front then the raw edge does not matter. It can also be painted to match. There are special bull nose tiles for this use also but may be limited in size colour etc. Or run a ceramic bull nose accent strip across the top of your tile.

Height should be min. 4"

The "capping" is called Schluter. It comes in many finishes, you can look at it on line.

Also I agree with Peter B Rice & Co, the same baseboard through out a house creates consistency and flow. I think tile baseboard looks a bit commercial at times and if the space is small like some bathrooms are, it makes the footprint of the bathroom seem more closed in.

Having said all that.....it does really depend on each room and each circumstance.

Using a accent brown marble for my bathrooms base. The floor will be a polished solid beige color. Could we poly the top lip of the base and use clear caulk to the wall?

Hi , should not be a problem finding porcelain base boards in calacatta look , where are you based ?

Would it look ok to use tile baseboards throughout the house over a wood floor ? And is it costly?

I think tile base around the tile floor in a bathroom is best.

I wish I put a metal trim on mine like @User did

Your baseboards are beautiful. You used silicone to fill the movement space between the floor and baseboard. Have you had any issues with keeping the bathroom floors clean at the silicone joint? We are looking into Schluter AHK cove trim between the tile floor and tile baseboard for ease of cleaning, but the cost for trimming a large bathroom with lots of turns, the trim plus inner and outer corners are really adding up.

I know this is an old thread but since houzz threads are such a great resource for others... porcelain tile can be bullnosed on site, and even if it's not colored through the edge is tiny and not noticeable. My previous house had 6 inch bullnosed matching .marble in all the bathrooms. In my new home, Im using porcelain that will be bullnosed on site for 2 bathrooms, and marble likewise for the other 2. The house currently has the metal caps in the master bath, but I do think the bullnosing looks better.

Should tile baseboard by silconed to the floor in lieu of grout which is likely to crack/separate over time? If so, any product recommendations?

My contractor used epoxy grout with 1/16 inch grout lines. I like the grout to be as invisible as possible. He used that for the tile baseboard as well.

We are putting tile throughout my home as we have pets Should i use matching tile baseboards or the traditional white in areas where there is no water ie kitchen, bathrooms

we are having this conversation right now, and I found this thread. very small bathroom. already has 3 different tiles ( floor, shower floor, shower walls - we used the Schuster caps for inside the shower but not sure I would like that look on the baseboards. I said wood, my husband was thinking tile, but my first thought was commercial bathroom. Looks like the responses are mixed here.

HU-364726537 I am finishing up 2 bathrooms in my current remodel and went with Schluter trim on top of the tile baseboards in chrome to match the fixtures, I think it looks nice. Note this is not grouted yet, it just went in today.

@krlaplant Per tilesetting standards, all changes in plane and/or material should be caulked instead of grouted. So inside corners between floor and base should be caulked.

@krlaplant According to tile-setting standards, all changes in plane and/or material should be caulked, not grouted. So the joint between tile floor and tile (or any) base should be caulked.