The Great Shower Tile Debate: Should Your Tile Reach the Ceiling?

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What kind of tile can you put on the wall or shower?

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Do you have to seal tile?

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How much extra tile should I buy for my project?

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What thinset is the best for my tile application?

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How hard is it to maintain natural stone?

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You have questions.

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We have answers.

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Welcome to the Belt Tile Podcast.

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How to style the bathroom, the backyard, the kitchen, how to improve your home style with tiles to make your home absolutely beautiful?

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Welcome to the Belk Tile Podcast.

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Here's your host, Mike Belk.

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Hey everyone, welcome back to the Belk Tile Podcast.

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I'm Mike Belk and, as always, I'm here with Abby.

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Today we're talking about something we get asked about all the time Should you take your shower wall tile all the way up to the ceiling?

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Hey, mike.

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Yeah, this is one of those design decisions that seems simple, but it can totally change the look and feel of a bathroom and, honestly, it's not just about looks.

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There are some real practical reasons to go full height with your tile.

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Absolutely the big one for me is moisture protection.

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When you tile all the way up, you're basically wrapping your shower in a waterproof shell.

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That means less chance for water to sneak behind the walls, which is huge for preventing mold and mildew, especially in those high humidity bathrooms, you know.

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Exactly, and from a design perspective it just looks so clean and modern.

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I had a client last year.

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Her bathroom was tiny, like barely enough room to turn around.

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We did floor to ceiling white subway tile and she was blown away by how much taller and bigger the space felt.

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It's that vertical emphasis, right.

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Your eye just goes up and suddenly the room feels twice as tall.

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Yeah, it's wild how much of a difference that makes, and, honestly, it's easier to keep clean too.

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No more worrying about paint peeling or water stains on the drywall above the tile line.

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Totally, but you know, it's not all sunshine and rainbows.

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There are some things to watch out for, which brings us to the next part.

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So let's talk about the not so glamorous side cost and installation.

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Tiling to the ceiling means more tile, more grout and more labor, and if you're using something like marble, that price tag can get pretty steep, pretty fast.

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Oh yeah, marble or any natural stone.

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You're looking at a big jump in both material and install costs.

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And it's not just about money.

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There's a skill factor too.

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I remember a job years ago.

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We were using these big, heavy porcelain tiles and the installer didn't prep the wall right.

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A couple months later, tiles started popping off.

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Not a fun call to get, let me tell you.

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Yikes, that's the nightmare scenario and, design wise, you got to be careful.

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If you go with really dark or super busy tiles all the way up, it can make the space feel closed in.

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I mean, we talked about this with black tiles a couple episodes back.

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Sometimes less is more, especially in a small bathroom.

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Right.

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It's all about balance and making sure whoever's doing the install knows what they're doing.

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Full height tile is not the place to cut corners.

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So let's say you've got your full height tile, what's the maintenance look like?

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Honestly, the tile itself is easy, but grout that's where people get tripped up.

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You got to keep it clean, seal it and if you go with a light grout, it's going to show every little bit of soap, scum or mildew if you're not on top of it.

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Yeah, grout is always the thing I tell my clients.

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If you're not up for a little extra cleaning, maybe pick a mid-tone grout or something that hides stains better.

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And if you've got super high ceilings, like those old brownstones I see, sometimes it might not make sense to tile all the way up.

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Sometimes we'll stop the tile at about seven feet and use a waterproof paint above.

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It saves money and still looks intentional.

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That's a good point.

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There's no one size fits all.

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It comes down to your style, your budget and how much maintenance you're willing to do.

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Abby, you always say what is it?

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Pretty is great, but practical keeps you sane.

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Ha, yeah, that's my motto.

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I mean, you want your bathroom to look amazing, but you also want to enjoy it, not just clean it all the time.

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Sometimes a partial tile with a good paint is the sweet spot, All right, so you've decided to go for it.

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How do you pick the right tile?

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There's ceramic, porcelain, glass, natural stone.

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Each one's got its own vibe and maintenance level.

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Porcelain is my go-to for showers Super durable, low maintenance and tons of styles.

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Yeah, porcelain's hard to beat, but if you want that luxury look, marble or another natural stone can be stunning.

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Just know you'll be sealing it and babying it a bit more, and don't forget about the finish.

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Matte tiles are great for hiding water spots and give you a little more slip resistance, which is nice in a wet area.

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Glossy tiles bounce light around, make things look bigger, but they can get slippery.

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And grout color.

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People always forget how much that changes the look.

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You can go classic with white or pick something darker to hide stains.

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There are even stain resistant grouts and sealants now which can make cleaning way easier.

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It's like you can really customize the whole vibe just by tweaking those details.

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Yeah, and if you're worried about maintenance, ask about epoxy, grout or specialty sealants.

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They cost a bit more up front but they'll save you time and headaches down the road.

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All right.

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Last thing If you're going to do full height tile, get a pro.

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Seriously, especially if you're using heavy or natural stone tiles, you want someone who knows how to prep the walls, use the right adhesives and make sure everything's locked in for the long haul.

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And don't skimp on the grout and sealant.

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Mildew-resistant products are a must in a shower.

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It's worth spending a little extra for the peace of mind.

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Oh, and if you've got plumbing or anything behind the wall that might need access later, plan for it.

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I've seen people do.

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Removable tile panels or little access doors Saves a ton of hassle if you ever need to get back there.

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Yeah, nothing worse than having to rip out a whole wall of tile just to fix a leaky valve.

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Plan ahead, use the right materials and don't be afraid to ask your installer about future maintenance.

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It'll pay off, trust me.

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All right, I think that's a wrap for today.

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If you're thinking about tiling to the ceiling, weigh the pros and cons and don't be afraid to get creative with your choices, and if you've got questions, send them our way.

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We love hearing from you.

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Thanks for tuning in everybody.

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We'll be back soon with more Tile Talk, Abby, always a pleasure.

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You too, mike.

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Bye everyone.

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You've been listening to the Belt Tile Podcast.

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When it comes to creating a beautiful home using tile, this is the podcast for products, design ideas and tips.

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We hope you got some useful, practical information from this show and we'll be back soon, but in the meantime, reach out.

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The website is wwwbelktilecom.

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Store phone number is 614-543-8334.

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