A shower can only be so relaxing in a space you despise; no one likes to have their peaceful rinse disrupted by noticing all the things that irk them about the area.
Remodeling your bathroom is an opportunity to remove this friction from your everyday life, by redesigning an essential space that embraces your needs and preferences. The goal of your remodel should be to create a room with aesthetics and required maintenance that suits you.
See also: How to Choose Colors for Your Bathroom Remodel & Avoid Palette Paralysis
In the design process, you’ll be faced with many choices for your bathroom. One of those decisions will be what you’d like your tub and/or shower walls to be made from. While tile used to be the dominant choice, now there are more options to explore – including slab.
This blog post will compare the two options - tile and slab - and help guide you to choose the material that’s best for the shower walls of your bathroom project.
Slabs are large pieces of material that are meant to create a seamless, unbroken surface across a wall, backsplash, or floor, etc.
Tiles are smaller pieces of material laid across a surface, with grout used to fill the gaps between each of the pieces.
While slab and tiles differ in available material, cost, installation, and maintenance, the most prominent difference between the two is their look: seamless (slab) or arranged (tile).
Let’s learn more about each, and how they will affect your bathroom
Tiles have consistently been a popular surface covering for many years, and for good reason:
There are, however, some downsides to tiles as well:
See also: Finding the Perfect Tile: How to Satisfy the Needs of Your New Bathroom
What are the benefits to a shower wall covering that can rival the go-to choice? Turns out, there’s many!
However, no material can be perfect. Here are some drawbacks to consider about slabs.
Both slab panels and tiles can vary in cost greatly.
The cost of tile depends on the material the tiles are made of, as well as the manufacturer you purchase from and how rare those tiles are. Natural stone tiles will be much more expensive than porcelain or ceramic tiles.
A slab of natural stone will be more expensive than tiles of the same natural stone. However, since installation is more involved for tiles, the overall cost of tile may be just as expensive or even more so than slab.
There are more affordable routes as well as expensive options for both slab and tile.
See also: Smart Strategies for Staying on Budget During Your Bathroom Remodel
There is no firm right or wrong answer when choosing between slab and tile – the decision comes down to your design preferences, the care and maintenance you’re willing to put in, and what you can afford.
First, decide what your design goals are for your shower walls. Would you like to add interest and customized design to the room? If so, tiles may be your answer. Would you rather have a sleek, modern appearance to your shower? In that case, slab would probably suit you better.
Remember that tile will require more maintenance than slab. If you want the option that’s easier to clean, slabs are the way to go.
Finally, consider the cost of both options. If your heart is set on natural stone, tile may be a more avenue. If you’re willing to use porcelain, ceramic, quartz, or other manmade materials, slab could be financially sound for you.
See also: Solid Slab or Tile Backsplash: Which Design Will Look Best in Your Kitchen?
Remodels are full of tough decisions. Innovative Home Renovations has a team of experienced professionals that are ready to help you make choices that will lead to a Seattle home that you love. Whether you’re in need of remodeling partners for your bathroom, kitchen, or a more complex transformation, our in-house designer and project managers are happy to help. Contact us today to get started.