Tile Buying Guides
Tile Buying Guides & Material Comparisons
Choosing tile is about more than color, size, or pattern. The right material also depends on how the space will be used, how much variation you want, how the surface should feel in person, and how much maintenance you are comfortable with over time.
This guide hub brings together ArtePierre’s material comparisons, room-based buying guides, and educational resources so you can make better decisions before ordering samples or placing a larger order.
Use these guides to compare materials, understand tradeoffs, and find the tile category that best fits your project.
Material Comparison Guides
Marble Tile vs Porcelain Tile
Compare real marble and porcelain tile for bathrooms, kitchens, shower walls, floors, maintenance, and overall design feel.
Zellige vs Ceramic Tile
Learn the difference between handcrafted zellige and ceramic wall tile, including variation, style, maintenance, and best uses.
Natural Stone Checkerboard vs Porcelain Checkerboard
Compare natural stone checkerboard and porcelain checkerboard for kitchens, bathrooms, foyers, maintenance, variation, and pattern effect.
Glass Mosaic vs Marble Mosaic
Compare glass mosaic and marble mosaic for backsplashes, shower walls, decorative details, maintenance, and overall design feel.
Travertine vs Limestone Tile
Compare travertine and limestone tile for bathrooms, floors, walls, maintenance, texture, and overall visual character.
Room & Application Guides
Best Tile Materials for Shower Walls
Compare marble, porcelain, ceramic, zellige, and glass mosaic for shower walls and learn which material best fits your space and style.
Honed vs Polished Marble Tile
Compare honed and polished marble tile for bathrooms, shower walls, backsplashes, floors, and finish selection.
Best Tile for Bathroom Floors
Learn which bathroom floor tile categories work best for durability, maintenance, small spaces, timeless design, and everyday use.
How to Choose Backsplash Tile
Compare backsplash tile materials, finishes, variation levels, and design approaches for kitchens, baths, bars, and more.
Shop by Material
If you already know which material family you want to explore, start with the collections below.
- ARIA — Marble Collection
- LINEA — Porcelain Collection
- ZELLIGE — Tile & Mosaic Collection
- COLOR CRUSH — Checkerboard Tile Collection
- TERRACRAFT — Ceramic Collection
- GLASS FUSION
- ATELIER PIERRE — Limestone Collection
- FORUM — Travertine Collection
- ONYX STUDIO — Onyx Collection
- SERAPOOL — Pool & Spa
How to Use These Guides
These pages are designed to help answer questions such as:
- Which material is easier to maintain?
- Which option feels more natural, more architectural, or more decorative?
- Which tile is better for showers, backsplashes, bathroom floors, or feature walls?
- How much variation should I expect?
- Which material best fits my style and daily use?
If you are early in the process, start with the comparison guides. If you already know the material you want, go directly to the collection pages and order samples.
Helpful Planning Resources
- Installation, Care & Maintenance Guide
- For Architects, Designers & Builders
- In Stock & Ready to Ship
- Help & FAQs
What Tile Size Is Best for Small Bathrooms?
Learn how to choose mosaics, small-format tile, larger tile, and checkerboard layouts for small bathroom walls and floors.
Why ArtePierre Builds These Guides
Many tile stores stop at product specs and inspiration images. We believe buyers and design professionals make better decisions when they understand how materials differ in real use—not only how they look in a photo.
That is why our guides focus on the questions that matter most:
- How the material actually behaves
- Where it works best
- What kind of variation to expect
- When one material is a better fit than another
The goal is simple: help you choose more confidently before you order.
Recommended Next Step
If you are still comparing options, start with one of the material comparison guides above. If you already know the look you want, move into the relevant collection and request samples before making a final decision.