Encaustic or cement tiles have reemerged as the ‘it’ tile of the moment in the last ten years or so, with their gorgeous patina, fun colourful patterns and more handmade natural look providing home renovators with a different option to porcelain, stone, or the other tile of the moment, zellige.

They are generally made using high-grade marble dust, cement, sand and natural pigment dyes, poured into a metal stencil by hand giving every tile a unique finish and mimic the antique encaustic tiles seen around historical sites and old homes throughout Europe.

Along with the beauty and craftmanship of this tile, one must also be aware of the drawbacks too. Tile is always an investment with the purchase and installation not coming cheap, so you don’t want to make a choice you regret!

Two years ago we renovated two bathrooms at the same time (don’t recommend!) - one is a wet room downstairs with a shower, and the other is a small shower room for the kids upstairs. We used encaustic tile on the floors for both, and also encaustic tile on the walls in the wet room as well.

We have a busy family home with three young kids, people visiting all the time, little boys who can’t aim etc etc so to say we’ve put the tiles to the test is an understatement. Therefore, I feel like I am in a good position to talk about the pros and cons of choosing encaustic tile, from the prep and installation process to cleaning and maintenance a few years in.

Living with Encaustic or Cement Tile

On the whole I have found our encaustic tile more hardwearing than I expected having heard a fair few horror stories. I don’t know if it’s the brand of tile, the colours we’ve chosen or the use they get, but they have stood up fairly well.

Are they are as easy to maintain as porcelain or more standard tiles? Definitely not… but the charm they provide certainly makes up for it!

Sealing Encaustic Tiles

Before going further I want to make it clear however, that we sealed all our encaustic tile SIX TIMES before laying and then twice again once laid and grouted. Encaustic or cement tile is extremely porous so I sealed them until the material stopped soaking up the sealant, and instead sat on top. You need to create a strong barrier to moisture and stains and unfortunately, I think being overzealous with the sealant is the only way forward. We used EcoProtec Natural Stone Sealer.

It actually doesn’t take too long to seal them - as long as you have somewhere you can lay them all out - just use a clean foam roller and reapply every couple of hours. However, I do wish the companies that sold these gorgeous tiles would seal them prior to selling (it does seem mad so much prep is required to make a product usable) but the heart wants what the heart wants, so we persevered!

The Pros of Encaustic or Cement Tile

The aesthetic - their handmade natural look gives character and warmth to a space which I feel is of particular importance in a bathroom, where everything can easily feel quite cold and clinical due to all the hard materials required.
They have a timeless style which looks great in old period houses, from townhouses and country cottages to modern new builds too.
Lots of colour and pattern choices available, often in gorgeous softer tones than you can find in porcelain.
Sizing is uniform. I think this can depend a little on the brand but my experience is that the depth and width of each tile doesn’t vary making install easier.
Some encaustic tile can be sanded lightly by hand with a high grit to remove stains. I haven’t felt the need to do this yet however I have a friend who has designed a whole encaustic collection and she swears by this method! Just remember to seal again afterwards.
Unlike porcelain tile, encaustic tile doesn’t get slippy when wet, making it ideal for bathroom or wet room floors.
Encaustic and cement tiles are generally compatible with underfloor heating - just check with the manufacturer first.

The Cons of Encaustic or Cement Tile

Having to seal your tiles prior to use is a bit frustrating, especially when the price point of the product is hardly low in the first place. Allow plenty of time to seal properly before your tilers arrive (we did ours six times) and then seal again a couple of times once the grout has dried.
Some cleaning products will mark and ruin your tiles - use gentle cleaning products, that are low in chemicals and experiment on a spare tile or corner tile first. Also avoid acid based products like lemon or vinegar.
Sealant needs to be reapplied 1-2 times a year to maintain that barrier and protect your tiles. Though I must confess ours have been in for 2 years and I haven’t done this yet! 🤦🏻
Ours have collected a few ‘grease’ spot stains, probably from some soap residue that wasn’t wiped quickly which I now can’t get rid of however, the general shower area in the wetroom has faired so much better than I expected and isn’t stained at all so this definitely doesn’t apply to every soap or shampoo product.
There isn’t a huge size range. Encaustic tiles are generally sold in the UK as a 20 x 20cm tile with some limited options available at other sizes.