Tile Types

The Tile Mural Store is the only tile mural manufacturer that gives you the freedom and flexibility of so many tile choices. The following information will help you in choosing the right tile size, type and finish for your kitchen backsplash tile project or for your bathroom tile installation.

Whether you are remodeling your kitchen or bathroom or building a brand new home and want that extra "something" we are here to help. By offering you so many tile choices you can be assured that your tile project will be the best it can be and so much more.

Scroll down this page for more in depth descriptions of each tile type and the finishes available or use these quick links to zoom down the page to the various tile types:

Ceramic Tile for Digital Art Murals and Digital Art Accents
Porcelain Tile for Digital Art Murals and Digital Art Accents
Marble Tile for Digital Art Murals and Digital Art Accents
Tile Types for Kiln Fired Murals and Kiln Fired Accents

If you still have questions about the type of tile you should choose for your tile mural please, do not hesitate to contact me. I am here to assist in any way that I can.

 

TILE CHOICES FOR TILE MURALS AND ACCENT TILES We offer 3 tile type body choices for the Tile Murals and the Accent Tiles -       - Smooth Surface Ceramic (with 3 finishes to choose from)       - Stone Textured Porcelain with a satin/matte finish       - Tumbled Marble Stone with a matte finish All Tile Murals and Accents tiles share some common traits:       - They are all the highest quality tile body available       - They are all suitable for indoor wall installations.       - They are perfect for your kitchen backsplash behind a cooktop or sink.       - They are perfect to use in a  shower as part of your shower/tub surround.       - They are all suitable for outdoor wall installations in shaded areas.       - The tiles should not be installed in areas that receive direct sunlight.       - They are easy to install just like regular wall tile with tile adhesive and unsanded grout (any color).       - We recommend that you do not use spacers between the tiles to keep the grout lines thin.       - You will not choose a tile color because the artwork completely covers the surface of the tile.

Ceramic Tile Choices For The Tile Murals and Accent Tiles All our Ceramic Tiles have a smooth surface and straight edges. Common sizes are 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" (usually referred to as 4 inch) and 6" x 6". We can customize your tile mural or decorative tile accents and use 2" x 2", 6" x 8", 8" x 10", 8" x 8" or 12" x 12" tiles. We use only high quality Dal-Tile (aka American Olean) tile bodies. You can purchase matching tile bodies at Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse or most any tile retailer nationwide. All the ceramic tiles are 1/4" thick (standard wall tile thickness). The 4 1/4" and the 6" have built in spacers that hold the tiles apart by 1/8" to give you a perfectly straight & even grout line. When installing these tiles we recommend that you do not use any additional spacers and just let the tiles space themselves with their handy built in spacers. Larger tile and tiles without spacers will generally be slightly smaller than the dimensions mentioned above to allow for grout. The ceramic tiles are perfect for use on the wall for your kitchen backsplash behind your cook top or sink or in your bathroom as part of your shower or tub surround. Heat from a cooktop and humidity from a steamy shower have no ill effect on the image. The ceramic tiles can be cleaned daily with any mild detergent or cleaner and a soft sponge or cloth. The ceramic tiles are suitable for any indoor wall installation. The ceramic tiles may be installed outdoors in shaded areas only. Use only unsanded grout (any color is fine) when installing these tiles. If you need tiles for a floor or countertop please call for additional info and options. Scroll down this page to see pictures of and to learn about each tile finish so you can choose the perfect tile for your tile project.

Ceramic Gloss (for Tile Murals and Accents) Ceramic gloss tiles lend themselves to a modern and contemporary look and feel. These tiles have a high gloss, very shiny finish. Notice the reflective nature of this tile finish in the bottom right corner of the image to the left. The images on the high gloss tiles are bright and vibrant. The glossy tiles are perfect for any kitchen backsplash or bathroom installation especially for images of waterviews and sea life. If you are using a gloss tile or high shine glass tile to finish the rest of your space (field tile) then you'll want to consider the high gloss tiles for your tile mural or decorative tile accents. When matching the tile body for your field tiles with your tile retailer, just ask for glossy tiles manufactured by Dal-Tile or American Olean to get a perfect match for your entire tile project.

Ceramic Satin (for Tile Murals and Accents) When choosing ceramic tiles for your project, the most popular finish and the finish we recommed most is the satin finish. Ceramic satin tiles can be used for a contemporary or traditional theme. These tiles have a slightly shiny (like an eggshell) finish. Notice that the satin finish tiles are not reflective but still have that bit of shine that keeps the colors of your tile mural or decorative accent tiles bright and lively. Our satin finish tiles are the perfect choice when using a "store bought" matte finish tile. Dal-Tile and American Olean call this finish "matte" but (not to be confusing here) you will want to use our satin finish tiles to match what they call a "matte" finish. Our satin finish tiles can also be used when you are installing a natural stone field but you want your tile mural to have a clean and bright unobstructed view. The satin finish ceramic tiles blend well with any field tile you choose to install whether it be ceramic or a natural stone.

Ceramic Matte (for Tile Murals and Accents) Ceramic matte tiles are used when you don't want any shine at all. These tiles have a completely matte (stone like) finish.  These tiles are best used when you are using a natural stone tile like travertine or tumbled stone on the rest of your walls (field tile area) but you want a clean unobstructed view of your tile mural. Notice that the colors become somewhat muted and darker on this finish tile than the gloss or satin. If the mural you are considering is dark in color and nature but you don't like a lot of shine to your tiles, we suggest the satin finish tiles as these matte finish tiles tend to darken already dark colors. The matte finish ceramic tiles are a great choice for a Tuscan, "Old World" or Country themed space. The matte finish for the ceramic tiles are difficult to match by your tile retailer unless you are using a completely matte natural stone product for your space.

Porcelain Tile (for Tile Murals and Accents) The Rialto Porcelain tiles are perfect for any indoor wall application and are perfectly at home behind your cooktop or in the bathroom as part of your shower/tub surround. Choose the porcelain tiles when you want a stone-like finish to your tile project but you don't want to seal natural stone or you want a "cleaner" look than tumbled marble. The Rialto Porcelain tile body is carried by most Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse stores throughout the Country. These tiles have small nicks and pits in the face and textured/chiseled edges. We sometimes cannot get color into the deeper nicks/pits or chiseled edges but this what gives the porcelain tiles it ability to mimic natural tumbled stone. The sides of the tiles are straight with rounded corners. The Rialto Porcelain tiles give your tile project an "Old World" or "Tuscan" feel and are also used when you want a rustic look for your area. The Rialto porcelain tiles have a slight satin finish (somewhere between satin and matte). The colors or your tile mural or decorative accent tiles will stay vibrant and crisp when you use these tiles. This tile type is the perfect choice for a landscape tile mural with an Italian or Tuscan theme or for an Animal tile mural when you want a rustic cabin like feel. Because these tiles are porcelain and not a true natural stone you never need to seal them and they are impervious to absorption. The porcelain tiles are 5/16" thick Since these tiles are made in Italy they have actual dimensions of 5 7/8" x 5 7/8" (called 6 x 6) and 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" (called 4 x 4). These tiles are suitable for any indoor wall installation and they may be installed outdoors in shaded areas only. Use only unsanded grout (any color is fine) when installing these tiles.

Tumbled Marble Tile (for Tile Murals and Accents) The tumbled marble tiles are perfect for any indoor wall application and are perfectly at home behind your cooktop or in the bathroom as part of your shower/tub surround. The tumbled marble tiles are a natural stone and therefore they are porous and need to be sealed before you install them and then periodically thereafter. Choose the tumbled marble tiles when you want a true natural stone for your tile project. The tumbled marble stone tiles have distressed edges and corners and a completely matte finish. Keep in mind that natural stone has varying shades of color and even though you don't see the tile color because the image colors completely cover the surface of the tiles - the shading does have an effect on the final image colors so when using the tumbled marble for a mural, there will be color tone and shade differential from tile to tile. They are 5/16" thick and are nearly a true to 6" x 6" and 4" x 4". Because these tiles are not man made, there are shade differences in the tile body and the edges can sometimes be quite distressed. Every tile is different in its texture, veining and pitting. It is normal to have corners and edges that are chipped and ragged. Some of the natural veining and shade variations of the tiles will show through the mural image. The colors of your tile mural and decorative accent tiles will be somewhat muted and toned down and soft (aged looking) when using the tumbled marble tiles. All these characteristics are what give the tumbled marble stone its appeal when you seek a Tuscan and Old World look and feel to your tile area. You can match our tumbled marble tile body with any natural stone field tile from your local tile store to complete your tile project. These tiles are suitable for any indoor wall installation and they may be installed outdoors in shaded areas only. Use only unsanded grout (any color is fine) when installing these tiles.

Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Choices For Kiln Fired Murals and Accent Tiles The ceramic tiles have a smooth surface and straight edges. Common sizes are 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" (usually referred to as 4 inch) and 6" x 6". The ceramic tiles are standard wall tile thickness of 1/4". The ceramic tiles have built in spacers that hold the tiles apart by 1/16" to give you a perfectly straight and even grout line. We recommend that you do not use any additional spacers and just let the tiles space themselves with their handy built in spacers. There are two available finishes for the ceramic tiles (gloss and matte). The gloss tiles have a high shine reflective finish. The matte finish does have some shine to it (like an eggshell) and is sometimes referred to as a satin or semi-gloss finish. The porcelain tiles are Rialto porcelain with a stone texture and they have nicks and pits on the face and textures edges. The colors of the design will not penetrate the nicks, pits and textures so these tiles give your tile mural an "old-world" look. Common sizes are 4" x 4" (actual dimensions are 3 7/8" x 3 7/8") and 6" x 6" (actual sizes are 5 7/8" x 5 7/8"). The rialto porcelain tiles are 5/16" thick. The rialto porcelain tiles have straight edges. Although these tiles do not have built in spacers we recommend that you butt the tiles up against each other and do not use spacers to separate the tiles to keep the mural tiles as close as possible for a cleaner view. The Rialto porcelain tiles come only in one finish which is a satin/matte (barely shiny). Since with many of the kiln fired designs you will see some of the plain tile color around the design edges, you choose the color tile you would like us to use. We stock American Olean ceramic tile bodies in white and biscuit colors and Rialto tile bodies in white, beige and noce (noce colored tiles are only available in the 6" size). You can purchase matching tile bodies at most Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouses throughout the Country. Both the ceramic tiles and the Rialto porcelain tiles for kiln fired designs are perfect for use on the wall for your kitchen backsplash behind your cook top or sink or in your bathroom as part of your shower or tub surround. Heat from a cooktop and humidity from a steamy shower have no ill effect on the image. The kiln fired tiles may also be used on the floor, indoors or outdoors and they may be installed in and around a swimming pool. Scroll down this page to see pictures of and to learn about each tile finish and color so you can choose the perfect tile for your tile project. The Kiln Fired Tile Murals and Accents can also be made on your custom tiles as long as they are glazed ceramic or porcelain. You can send us your own tile to decorate. Just choose the appropriate "Customer Supplied tile size" under the Ceramic Tile Choices on the order page. Please note - the kiln fired designs can not be resized like the Digital Art Murals and Accents. On each kiln fired design page there is information about the size of the design. That design (image) will be centered on the tile size you choose.