Large white tile with soft grey veining is one of the most requested bathroom looks right now. Fewer grout lines make a room feel bigger and calmer, and the veining gives plain white surfaces some depth. The catch is that large tile is unforgiving. Every wall that is out of flat, and every tile that sits a little high, shows.
Here is how a large format tile bathroom comes together, using photos from our white marble look bath renovation gallery, from bare walls to the finished room.
Why large format tile suits a bathroom
Large tile means fewer joints. In a wet room that is a practical advantage as well as a visual one, because there is less grout to keep clean. The veining also reads across a whole wall instead of being chopped up into small squares.
The trade-off is how much the substrate matters. A big tile bridges more of the wall, so a bow or a hollow shows up in the finished surface. That is why the work before the tile matters as much as the tile itself.
Preparing the walls and floor
The first photo shows the room before any tile. Around the tub, the walls carry a blue waterproofing layer, with the niche opening already formed. The long wall is covered in grey board, and an orange membrane is down across the floor.
Every wet area we build gets a full waterproofing system before tile goes on, and every floor gets an uncoupling membrane. Once large tile covers it, nobody sees that layer again, so it has to be right the first time. Our post on what proper bathroom waterproofing looks like before the tile goes on covers that stage in detail.
Setting large wall tile with leveling clips
In the second photo, the large white tile is going up the walls with blue leveling clips at the corners and along the joints. The tub is already in place, and the niche opening is still waiting for its tile.
Mechanical leveling goes on every install we do. With large tile, the clips pull neighbouring edges flush while the setting material cures, so the wall finishes as one flat plane. If you want to know why that matters to the eye and to the hand, read our post on tile leveling and lippage.
Cutting around the niche
The third photo is a close look at the niche. The tile wraps into the opening, with the clips still in place along the joints and the plumbing stubs showing below.
A niche is where large tile gets tested. Joints have to line up with the opening, and the cuts have to be clean, because there is nowhere to hide them. Planning the layout first is what lets the lines meet the opening neatly. We go through a similar detail in a walk-in shower with a bench and niche.
The floor goes down
By the fourth photo the walls are tiled and the floor is being set. The large floor tiles have leveling clips at their corners, a drain sits in the floor, and the wall tile runs down to the tub surround.
A large floor tile needs a flat base more than any other size. The clips keep the tile sitting flat edge to edge while it cures. For more on large tile in a shower, see our post on large-format slabs in a shower.
The finished room
The last photo shows the room with the surfaces finished. The same white, veined tile runs up the tub wall and across the floor, a tiled niche sits above the tub, and a mirror is up on the right wall.
Using one tile on the walls and the floor keeps a bathroom looking uninterrupted, which is why it suits a smaller room. The veining does the decorating, so the fixtures and the finish can stay simple.
What to ask before you choose large format tile
- How flat are the walls and floor, and what will be done to correct them?
- How will the tile layout line up with the niche, the tub and the corners?
- What waterproofing goes behind the tile?
- Will the tile be set on a leveling system?
- Will the price be fixed in writing before work starts?
FAQ
What counts as large format tile? There is no single rule, but it generally means tile noticeably larger than a standard square tile. The bigger the tile, the flatter the surface under it has to be.
Does large tile make a bathroom look bigger? Often, yes. Fewer joints mean fewer lines breaking up a wall, so the room can feel more open.
Why are leveling clips used on large tile? They hold neighbouring edges flush while the tile sets, which avoids raised corners that catch the light and the foot.
Does large tile need different waterproofing? No. Every wet area gets a full waterproofing system before tile goes on, whatever tile is going over it.
How is the price set? After a walkthrough, you get a fixed written scope covering materials, timeline and price. The number you approve is what you pay.
Planning a large format tile bathroom in Toronto or Mississauga?
Nazar will visit, look at the space and give you a fixed written scope. See the full white marble look bath gallery, more of our bathroom renovation work and projects, get in touch or call or text +1 647 223 4051.
