Ceramic tiles are simply thin pieces of clay, usually with a color or pattern on the face, covered with a glaze and fired to produce a surface that is extremely tough, waterproof and stain resistant. The surface can be smooth or textured.

Tiles come in squares, commonly 4-1/4-inch (108 mm) or 6-inch (152 mm) squares, oblongs, and a small variety of interlocking shapes. Some tiles are sold in metric sizes, for example 100mm, 150mm and 200mm.

Originally, ceramic tiles had square, unglazed edges, and special borders with one or two rounded edges had to be used to finish off the edges of the tiled areas. Now square edge tiles are often glazed on all four sides, or some tiles in a box have one or two glazed edges. “Universal” tiles have angled edges so spacers are not needed – the correct size gap is left for grout.

There are two types of plastic spacers available for use with square edge shingles that do not have spacer lugs. Both are cruciform in shape and are inclined at the junction between four tiles (or two on one edge); one type is removed once the adhesive has set; the other is smaller and is left in place. An alternative is to use matching slicks placed between adjacent tiles.

To finish off the edges of ceramic tile areas, you can get a plastic trim, part of which fits under the edge of the last tile. For inside corners (next to a bathroom, say), matching quadrant tiles can be used, and there’s special trim to seal the gap between the tiles and the kitchen counter. Flexible silicone sealants can also be used for both of these jobs.

Ceramic tiles for special uses are also available, heat-resistant tiles for around fireplaces and next to boilers, and frost-resistant tiles for unheated outdoor toilets, for example.

Tile fixing is relatively easy, although it can be time consuming. They must be glued to the wall with a special ceramic tile adhesive and the spaces between the tiles must be filled with a waterproof compound called grout.

A tiled surface is cold, so in humid rooms it can suffer from condensation.

Cork tiles are made by cutting pressed layers of the bark of a cork tree to produce thin panels. Most are 300mm square and about 3mm thick, but oblong panels are also available.

The cork tile surface is warm to the touch, but unless scaled (cork tile, for example) it marks easily and is not easily cleaned. Tiles can be glued to the wall with cork tile adhesive or contact adhesive, making them relatively easy to fix but nearly impossible to remove afterwards.

Metal shingles are made from thin sheets of metal and have a hollow back. They can be fixed to the wall with double-sided self-adhesive pads or with adhesive. Most metal tiles can be cut with scissors, although tin snips may be needed for the sturdiest ones. Metal tiles can also be bent to shape. Tiles are usually gold, silver, or copper in color and can have a matte or semi-gloss finish. In addition, the metallic effect can be overprinted with a pattern or an individual design. Sizes are 108mm, 150mm or 300mm square. The durability of metal tiles varies from brand to brand; some are affected by steam. Most are damaged by abrasive cleaners.

Mirror mosaics are small squares of silver glass, usually 152mm or 230mm square. Most are clear glass, but there are silver, gunmetal, or smoke gray finish options. They are usually used to decorate the backs of bedrooms and similar small spaces, and are fixed to the wall with small double-sided self-adhesive pads. Unless the surface they are fixed to is perfectly flat and straight, a distorted reflection occurs on the surface of the tiles.

Brick and stone mosaics are man-made simulations of real brick and stone. Some are actually thin pieces like a wafer of pressed stone aggregate or brick chips. Most types are glued to the wall with a special adhesive. A wide range of colors, shapes and sizes are available.

Mosaics are small pieces of ceramic tile, usually square, although round and interlocking shapes are also available. The pieces are mounted on sheets, held together by a paper backing material that peels off when the mosaics have been glued to the wall or mounted on a mesh backing. The spaces between the mosaic pieces can be carved with grout, as in the case of ceramic tiles. The surface of the mosaics is resistant and easy to clean, although the grouting can be marked progressively.

Mosaics are easy to lay, especially around obstacles, as the sheets can be roughly cut to the desired profile and small irregularities can be corrected with grout or cut pieces of mosaic. They are, however, comparatively expensive.