The Big vs. the Small Size of Ceramic Tile

Appearance

• Consider whether it's important to you that the room look bigger than it is. If you'd prefer the room to look bigger, choose big tile, such as 18-inch-square, because you'll have fewer grout lines. Fewer grout lines make your floor look less busy, and therefore trick the eye into thinking the room is larger. However, if you're working in a very small room, such as a half-bathroom, you might find that small ceramic tile works best.

Shower Stall Tile

• If you're installing ceramic tile in a bathroom, you may want to install a different-size tile for your shower stall. Smaller ceramic tiles work best in this case, because you'll have more grout lines, which makes your floors more slip-resistant for safety. In shower stalls, the floors will need to be angled toward the center for drainage, and smaller tiles work better on angled floors, producing a smoother finished result and a more lasting floor that's less likely to break.

Existing Floors

• In new construction, floors are typically relatively level, giving you the freedom to choose the tile size that's most appealing to you. However, if you're installing tile in an existing home, you'll need to evaluate how level your floors are and choose the ceramic tile size that's most appropriate. When floors are not level, big tiles are more likely to crack and break, so use small tiles.

Installation

• If you're installing the floors yourself, you might be concerned with ease of installation. Though it may seem that big tiles make for a quicker installation job because you have fewer tiles to lay, that's not always the case. Big tiles are harder and heavier to move and more likely to break, so small tiles, such as 12-inch-square and smaller, may be easier to lay yourself.