Pictured Above: The finished bathroom has the classic, period-appropriate tile I’ve always wanted—but it took learning one massive lesson to get here.
When creating the design mood board for the main bathroom renovation in our Victorian home, my husband and I immediately knew we wanted white penny hexagon tile with dark grout. We knew we wouldn't outgrow our love for this classic and period-appropriate tile choice, and its affordable price point sealed the deal.
We got a referral for a great tile contractor from a friend for the installation, and it seemed like nothing could go wrong. But as it turns out, a lot could go wrong, and did. We ended up having to pay for the demolition of some new work, which was a tedious job that led to a busted water pipe and a broken window.
This entire scenario was completely avoidable, and you can consider this a cautionary tale in the importance of choosing high-quality tile from the start.
How the Mistake Happened
This bathroom project was just one piece of our full-home renovation, so we were working with a general contractor. We were starting with pretty much a blank slate, transforming two down-to-the-studs rooms into one main bathroom suite.
When communicating our tile choice, I made sure to send our general contractor a link to the exact white hexagon tile we wanted. It was from a reputable site and had wonderful reviews.
Our general contractor had great intentions when he went to purchase the tile. He had found a similar budget version at a local discount store. But when he dropped the tile off, I immediately knew something looked off. This tile was much more off-white, matte, and porous than the one we had picked out. The sheets were poorly packaged, and many of the pieces had chips on them.
My husband and I were pretty tired at this point in the renovation, and we were ready to wrap things up and move in—the house wasn't yet livable without a working bathroom. So against our better judgment, we decided to let things slide and gave our tile contractor the go-ahead on installation.
When the Issues Began
At the end of day one of the tile installation, my husband headed over to take a look at the work. The first thing he noticed was that you could see the outline of several of the tile sheets. We immediately knew this wasn't due to a poor installation job. Our tile contractor had already installed some different, higher-quality hexagon tile with a mosaic design in our downstairs mudroom, and he did phenomenal work.
So we took a closer look at the tile. Many of the individual pieces were installed crooked on the sheets by the tile manufacturer, so trying to align the sheets together was an impossible task. It was like trying to force two wrong puzzle pieces together.
Additionally, the tile was like a magnet for construction zone dirt. When we tried to wipe it off the tile, it just wouldn't budge. Our tile contractor tried to remove as many of the individual chipped pieces as possible before laying the tile, but the number of damaged pieces made that nearly impossible.
We are planning on this home being our forever home, so we knew what we had to do. We didn't want to live with this crooked, chipped, and hard-to-clean tile long term, so we worked with our general contractor to come up with a fair plan to increase the project budget and pay for the demolition of the old tile, plus new tile and its reinstallation.
Tips for Avoiding This Mistake
Take a Look at the Tile Grade
We ended up going with the original tile we picked out in the first place, and we made sure to get our tile contractor's opinion on its quality before he began installing it.
After chatting with him, I learned that it's important to pay attention to tile grade when selecting your product, which should be listed somewhere on the box. The Porcelain Enamel Institute established this 0–5 grading system to determine whether the product is intended for high-traffic flooring areas or for a backsplash. The higher the number, the more durable the tile, and opting for a grading of at least 3 is usually a good bet for a high-traffic bathroom.
This grading system will help you choose durable tile, but it doesn't necessarily help you determine the quality of the tile. For that, our contractor suggested using cues like the quality of the packaging. In his experience, he has noticed that a good tile manufacturer will more carefully package its well-made tile with thick cardboard boxes and additional layers of cardboard between each sheet to prevent damage.
Always Speak Up Early On
One of the biggest lessons I learned through this experience is that it's always best to speak up the moment you notice that something looks wrong. This applies to any type of renovation work. Had we had the patience and energy to communicate our reservations on the tile to our general contractor instead of just hoping for the best, we would have prevented a lot of wasted money, time, and stress.
However, I am really proud that my husband and I did eventually say something. That uncomfortable conversation and the cost to 8000 fix the problem were well worth it for a bathroom we love. The current tile is absolutely perfect and looks as straight as it possibly could in our old home, and it's one of my favorite qualities of the room. It is so easy to keep clean, feels amazing under our feet, and adds such a timeless feel to our bathroom.
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Tessa Cooper is a freelance writer and photographer based in Springfield, Missouri specializing in interior design, housekeeping, and lifestyle content. With nearly a decade of experience writing lifestyle and commerce content, Tessa has developed quite a passion for old and restored homes. In addition to House Beautiful, Tessa has written for Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, and Apartment Therapy. Previously, she was a contributing editor for 417 Home, her region's premier interior design magazine. Tessa attended Missouri State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations with a minor in design. She and her husband love traveling and have an affinity for France and Italy, but their restored Victorian home in the middle of America will always be one of their favorite places in the world.
