hex tile questions

15 years ago

We're renovating and wanting to put hex and subway tile into three small bathrooms. I think we'll go with the American Olean greenwich village 1x1 hex in two of them. Looking at Bungalow Bathrooms, we liked 2x2 hex with a border of 1x2 in a brick pattern (p.96)(love that book!). But AO doesn't seem to carry either the 2x2 hex or the border. Any other ideas for sources? Or other border options besides the 1x2s? Olympia can supply both, but the "Jasper" hex series is ceramic, not porcelain. (It has a somewhat grey tint compared with the peachy white of the AO porcelain hex.) Does anyone have experience with putting ceramic hex, "Jasper" or otherwise, on a bathroom floor? Will it chip? Is it risky?

Another question is whether borders make sense in smaller bathrooms. Will a border make a small bathroom look too busy? Or does a borderless hex floor look too plain? What do you think?

And finally, does anyone make porcelain subway tile to match porcelain hex? Or is it just expected that ceramic subway tile isn't going to match porcelain hex?

Thanks in advance!!

Comments (8)

piegirltoo
15 years ago
American Universal Corporation imports porcelain hex from Japan. I got the 1.5 inch size, but they also come in 1 inch and 2 inch, I think.

They're shown in lots of showrooms as kind of a no name brand product.

If you call or write American Universal, they will direct you to the distributers in your area. They are gorgeous tiles. I think jejvtr used the same tile in 1 inch.

Here is a link that might be useful: American Universal Corp
weedyacres
15 years ago
Another question is whether borders make sense in smaller bathrooms. Will a border make a small bathroom look too busy? Or does a borderless hex floor look too plain? What do you think?

We did a border in a small bath. I don't think it makes it look busy; rather, it classes it up a bit.
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codnuggets
15 years ago
Daltile has a line of shape tiles, including a few hex sizes. They come in many colors.

Joe
douglaspark
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the info., piegirltoo. The AUC tile looks great on the website! Hope they have a distributor in Canada.

And that's a great border you've got, weedyacres.

I saw some of Daltiles octagons with squares at Home Depot, codnuggests. Looks great but they're ceramic and wondering how they'll hold up. I'll have to look in to their hex tile.
catka
15 years ago
I just put in the 2x2 hex tile from Olympia and it is beautiful. I bought it for the exact reason that it didn't have that peachy or pinky undertone and was very white. I have to warn though that by using a white grout it did make it read a bit grey. I can't tell you whether it will chip or not because I'm not done the bathroom, but it really is a nice look. I don't have young children so not thinking on much being dropped in there. I would advise if you are looking for something historic this has more of a modern feel to it but I would suppose it depends on how you finish the rest of your bathroom. I'm using white subway for the walls so hoping it all turns out how I envision it.
plants4
15 years ago
American Restoration Tile has hex tile. It appears to be ceramic but it also is used in some very big public places! take a look at their website.

Here is a link that might be useful: American Restoration Tile
budge1
15 years ago
We used Olympia's 2x2's as well. It's been in for a year and two young kids treating it quite harshly (not to mention the things I've dropped on it) and we haven't had any problems (that sound is me knocking on wood).
juaninhalifax_hotmail_com
13 years ago
we want to use the olympia tile in our bathroom but we are wondering if it will hold a cast iron claw foot tub without breaking. I mean the smallest hexagons.