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

Ever stared at your bathroom walls wondering whether those shower tiles should go all the way up? You're not alone. This question plagues homeowners and designers alike, and today we're solving this common design dilemma once and for all.

When it comes to tile height in showers, the decision impacts far more than aesthetics. Full-height tiling creates a waterproof shield around your shower, dramatically reducing the risk of moisture penetration that leads to mold and structural damage. Beyond protection, ceiling-height tile delivers a striking visual effect that can transform your space. As we share from real client experiences, even the smallest bathrooms gain a sense of height and openness when tile draws the eye upward. The clean, seamless look eliminates that awkward transition between tile and drywall that often becomes a maintenance headache.

Of course, we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't address the challenges. Higher material costs, skilled installation requirements, and maintenance considerations all factor into this decision. We break down exactly what to expect with different materials—from budget-friendly porcelain to luxurious natural stone—and share insider tips on grout selection that can save you countless hours of scrubbing. Whether you're planning a bathroom renovation or simply curious about design trends, our practical advice helps you balance beauty with functionality. The perfect bathroom isn't just about looking great in photos; it's about creating a space you'll love living with every day. Listen now to transform your bathroom from ordinary to extraordinary with confidence and know-how that only comes from decades in the tile industry.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
What kind of tile can you put on the wall or shower?
Do you have to seal tile?
How much extra tile should Ibuy for my project?
What thinset is the best for mytile application?
How hard is it to maintainnatural stone?
You have questions.
We have answers.
Welcome to the Belt TilePodcast.

(00:22):
How to style the bathroom, thebackyard, the kitchen, how to
improve your home style withtiles to make your home
absolutely beautiful?
Welcome to the Belk TilePodcast.
Here's your host, Mike Belk.

Mike Belk (00:43):
Hey everyone, welcome back to the Belk Tile Podcast.
I'm Mike Belk and, as always,I'm here with Abby.
Today we're talking aboutsomething we get asked about all
the time Should you take yourshower wall tile all the way up
to the ceiling?

Abby Stuart (00:54):
Hey, mike.
Yeah, this is one of thosedesign decisions that seems
simple, but it can totallychange the look and feel of a
bathroom and, honestly, it's notjust about looks.
There are some real practicalreasons to go full height with
your tile.

Mike Belk (01:07):
Absolutely the big one for me is moisture
protection.
When you tile all the way up,you're basically wrapping your
shower in a waterproof shell.
That means less chance forwater to sneak behind the walls,
which is huge for preventingmold and mildew, especially in
those high humidity bathrooms,you know.

Abby Stuart (01:23):
Exactly, and from a design perspective it just
looks so clean and modern.
I had a client last year.
Her bathroom was tiny, likebarely enough room to turn
around.
We did floor to ceiling whitesubway tile and she was blown
away by how much taller andbigger the space felt.
It's that vertical emphasis,right.
Your eye just goes up andsuddenly the room feels twice as
tall.

Mike Belk (01:42):
Yeah, it's wild how much of a difference that makes,
and, honestly, it's easier tokeep clean too.
No more worrying about paintpeeling or water stains on the
drywall above the tile line.

Abby Stuart (01:51):
Totally, but you know, it's not all sunshine and
rainbows.
There are some things to watchout for, which brings us to the
next part.
So let's talk about the not soglamorous side cost and
installation.
Tiling to the ceiling meansmore tile, more grout and more
labor, and if you're usingsomething like marble, that
price tag can get pretty steep,pretty fast.

Mike Belk (02:10):
Oh yeah, marble or any natural stone.
You're looking at a big jump inboth material and install costs
.
And it's not just about money.
There's a skill factor too.
I remember a job years ago.
We were using these big, heavyporcelain tiles and the
installer didn't prep the wallright.
A couple months later, tilesstarted popping off.
Not a fun call to get, let metell you.

Abby Stuart (02:29):
Yikes, that's the nightmare scenario and, design
wise, you got to be careful.
If you go with really dark orsuper busy tiles all the way up,
it can make the space feelclosed in.
I mean, we talked about thiswith black tiles a couple
episodes back.
Sometimes less is more,especially in a small bathroom.

Mike Belk (02:46):
Right.
It's all about balance andmaking sure whoever's doing the
install knows what they're doing.
Full height tile is not theplace to cut corners.
So let's say you've got yourfull height tile, what's the
maintenance look like?
Honestly, the tile itself iseasy, but grout that's where
people get tripped up.
You got to keep it clean, sealit and if you go with a light
grout, it's going to show everylittle bit of soap, scum or

(03:07):
mildew if you're not on top ofit.

Abby Stuart (03:09):
Yeah, grout is always the thing I tell my
clients.
If you're not up for a littleextra cleaning, maybe pick a
mid-tone grout or something thathides stains better.
And if you've got super highceilings, like those old
brownstones I see, sometimes itmight not make sense to tile all
the way up.
Sometimes we'll stop the tileat about seven feet and use a
waterproof paint above.
It saves money and still looksintentional.

Mike Belk (03:32):
That's a good point.
There's no one size fits all.
It comes down to your style,your budget and how much
maintenance you're willing to do.
Abby, you always say what is it?
Pretty is great, but practicalkeeps you sane.

Abby Stuart (03:42):
Ha, yeah, that's my motto.
I mean, you want your bathroomto look amazing, but you also
want to enjoy it, not just cleanit all the time.
Sometimes a partial tile with agood paint is the sweet spot,
All right, so you've decided togo for it.
How do you pick the right tile?
There's ceramic, porcelain,glass, natural stone.
Each one's got its own vibe andmaintenance level.
Porcelain is my go-to forshowers Super durable, low

(04:04):
maintenance and tons of styles.

Mike Belk (04:06):
Yeah, porcelain's hard to beat, but if you want
that luxury look, marble oranother natural stone can be
stunning.
Just know you'll be sealing itand babying it a bit more, and
don't forget about the finish.
Matte tiles are great forhiding water spots and give you
a little more slip resistance,which is nice in a wet area.
Glossy tiles bounce lightaround, make things look bigger,
but they can get slippery.

Abby Stuart (04:26):
And grout color.
People always forget how muchthat changes the look.
You can go classic with whiteor pick something darker to hide
stains.
There are even stain resistantgrouts and sealants now which
can make cleaning way easier.
It's like you can reallycustomize the whole vibe just by
tweaking those details.

Mike Belk (04:43):
Yeah, and if you're worried about maintenance, ask
about epoxy, grout or specialtysealants.
They cost a bit more up frontbut they'll save you time and
headaches down the road.
All right.
Last thing If you're going todo full height tile, get a pro.
Seriously, especially if you'reusing heavy or natural stone
tiles, you want someone whoknows how to prep the walls, use
the right adhesives and makesure everything's locked in for

(05:04):
the long haul.

Abby Stuart (05:05):
And don't skimp on the grout and sealant.
Mildew-resistant products are amust in a shower.
It's worth spending a littleextra for the peace of mind.
Oh, and if you've got plumbingor anything behind the wall that
might need access later, planfor it.
I've seen people do.
Removable tile panels or littleaccess doors Saves a ton of
hassle if you ever need to getback there.

Mike Belk (05:27):
Yeah, nothing worse than having to rip out a whole
wall of tile just to fix a leakyvalve.
Plan ahead, use the rightmaterials and don't be afraid to
ask your installer about futuremaintenance.
It'll pay off, trust me.

Abby Stuart (05:38):
All right, I think that's a wrap for today.
If you're thinking about tilingto the ceiling, weigh the pros
and cons and don't be afraid toget creative with your choices,
and if you've got questions,send them our way.
We love hearing from you.

Mike Belk (05:49):
Thanks for tuning in everybody.
We'll be back soon with moreTile Talk, Abby, always a
pleasure.

Abby Stuart (05:54):
You too, mike.
Bye everyone.

Speaker 1 (05:56):
You've been listening to the Belt Tile Podcast.
When it comes to creating abeautiful home using tile, this
is the podcast for products,design ideas and tips.
We hope you got some useful,practical information from this
show and we'll be back soon, butin the meantime, reach out.
The website is wwwbelktilecom.

(06:20):
Our store phone number is614-543-8334.
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