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Remember when I used cement tile in our sunroom at our previous house? It was definitely 2015 when cement tile became all the rage, and I couldn’t escape the lure! At the time I really didn’t talk about cement tile much here on the blog because it felt like a “too obvious” design topic, something everyone was already writing about. I realize now that’s silly and we can all share our personal journey’s and reflections on similar topics.
Today I wanted to share some budget friendly cement tiles I found during my quest to source tile for our master suite. These tiles resemble almost identical to high end, designer tiles for a fraction of the price!
It’s pretty clear cement tile (also called encaustic cement tile) is a versatile product. It is used in more spaces like bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms, and laundry rooms to give the space a pop of color, texture, or pattern. It is definitely a look that is still trending, but can be timeless if done right. Here are a handful of recent spaces I’ve pinned or bookmarked that use cement tile:
Emily Henderson’s infamous patio
About Cement Tile
Cement tile is handmade and can be used for floors or walls alike. Because of this, cement tile can be a little bit of a splurge and a hard material to work with. Since they are not fired, there is no glaze layer on the surface of the tile, therefore it is extremely porous, is more prone to imperfections, and has a tendency to stain. I learned first hand it absolutely has to be sealed before installation, otherwise you risk staining it when grouting. My husband Antonio sealed each of our sunroom tiles by hand TWICE and we still battled a few stains after grouting.
During my never ending quest for tile options for our master suite bathroom, I discovered there are many more places now to source cement tile, and often for the same designs at a more reasonable price point.
Splurge vs. Save (in order from left to right, top to bottom)
- Handmade Encaustic Tulips Black Fleur Cement Tiles $10.95 / sq ft vs. Della Torre Cementina Ceramic Tile $1.49 each
- Tanger in Grey and White Handmade $10.74 / sq ft vs. Braga Classic Encaustic Ceramic Tile $3.24 / sq ft
- Taza 8″ x 8″ Cement Field Tile in White/Silver $17.31 / sq ft vs. Cementine Kira 8 in. x 8 in. Ceramic Floor and Wall Tile $1.59 / sq ft
- Handmade Encaustic Cement Tile Circulos White on Black $10.95 / sq ft vs. Twenties Petal Ceramic Tile $2.02 each
- SomerTile Cement Empress Ocean Cement Floor and Wall Tile $11.08 / sq ft vs. Faventine Azul Ceramic Tile, $7.54 / sq ft
Raise you’re hand if you’ve used cement tile before! Or perhaps thinking of using it in the near future? Which space? Bathroom? Kitchen? Sunroom?
I think the printed ceramic are a great alternative to expensive and hard to care for cement BUT I’m a sucker for that real cement texture and look 😉
Hi! Such timing! A friend had just picked the same tile you used in your sunroom for my master bath renovation. I’m a little worried about the staining and hope my contractor will seal it properly. Any suggestions for grout color/shade? I appreciate this info SO MUCH!!!