Subway Tile for Showers

Which size suits a shower: 3x6, 3x9 or 4x12?

For a shower, 3x6 subway tile gives the classic period look, 3x9 a slightly longer line, and 4x12 the most modern wall with the fewest joints. The 3x6 comes here in glossy ceramic such as Seafoam, Midnight and Caramel, and in matte ceramic as Cotton Matte and Conch. The 3x9 is the main size for glass subway, including Foam, Fog and Sterling, and it also comes in Acorn and Coffee glossy ceramic. The 4x12 covers Blanc and Noir ceramic, Gris Fonce in matte and glossy, and the Gold Statuary and Bardiglio Gray marble look porcelain.

Two other lengths fill in the range. Marble subway comes in 3x12 as Bardiglio Light and Calacatta Cremo, and Roca Flow Frost is a polished ceramic 3x12. At the small end, Aegean, Delos Sun, Grecianisle and Santorini are glass subway tiles in 2x6. A longer tile suits a tall, plain shower wall, and a 3x6 suits a bathroom with vintage fixtures.

White subway tile for the shower

White subway tile is the starting point for most showers, and it comes here in four materials. Cotton Matte is a soft white ceramic in 3x6, 3x9 and 4x12, and Blanc Glossy is a bright white 4x12. In glass, Foam is a glossy white and Frost a metallic white, both in 3x9. Calacatta T is a white marble subway with a polished face, and Gold Statuary is a white marble look porcelain in 4x12. Matte white has a soft, chalky face and glossy white a bright, reflective one.

Colored ceramic options

Color is where glossy ceramic subway stands out. The greens are Sage, Sage Jade and Pebble, and the blues are Seafoam and Powder, with Ocean Drift as a matte blue. Warm shades come as Caramel, Coffee and Acorn, and Blush is a soft pink. For a dark wall, Midnight and Noir are the blacks, and Noir also comes in matte. For a whole room in one color, see the green, blue and black bathroom tiles pages.

Glass subway tile

Glass subway tile here comes in satin, glossy and metallic faces. Satin glass includes Ege in blue in 3x9, and Grecianisle in green and Santorini in black in 2x6 and 3x9. Glossy glass covers Foam, Drift, Fog and Tide in 3x9. The metallic group includes Frost, Sterling, Urban Alloy and Dusk, with Cedro and Cenere as warmer metallic shades.

Marble and porcelain pieces

Marble subway tile turns the classic shape into natural stone, and these pieces are listed for shower floors as well as walls. Bardiglio Light comes honed in 3x12, and Calacatta Cremo comes honed and polished in 3x12. Alpina White, Calacatta T, Carrara T and Silver Horizon come as smaller marble subway pieces. Patchwork is a textured blue marble subway in 4x12. For a marble look in porcelain, Gold Statuary and Bardiglio Gray are honed 4x12 tiles, and Brera is a glazed stone look. A honed marble subway gives a soft, quiet shower.

Glazed terracotta subway

Glazed terracotta subway pieces come in glossy, leather, rustic and natural finishes. Ocean and Crimson have a leather finish, and Topaz, Ash and Sunset Brew are glossy. Peggy Blue and Free Spirit are glossy glazed terracotta in a longer, slim format. Joy Green has a rustic glaze and Mortar a natural finish. For a vintage accent, Antique Mirror is a beveled mirror subway in 3x6. These tiles suit a shower with a relaxed, collected look.