Neat edges for tiled walls and floors

People notice the edges of a tiled area more than the middle. A corner, a doorway or the line along a bath is where tiling looks finished or not. This page covers the edge details that help tiling look good and last, from trims to joints and seals.

Where a trim earns its place

Some tiles have a glazed edge, and that edge can be left on show. Many do not. The Tile Association says a neat finish on external edges and corners can come from a tile trim. It adds that the trim should go in at the time of tiling, not afterwards.

Rectified tiles have been cut to near exact sizes, with an almost perfectly straight edge. Each side sits at a right angle to the face of the tile. That gives a very even, uniform look.

Around baths, basins and showers

Water finds its way into gaps at the edges. The Tile Association advises a plastic sealing strip or silicone sealant around baths, basins and plumbing such as shower taps. In showers and wet rooms, a waterproofing system may be needed as part of the wall behind the tiles.

A new shower needs time before it is used. The British Standard for tiling in wet areas, BS 5385-4, recommends at least 14 days after tiling.

Doorways and where floors meet

Tiled floors move a little as they warm, cool and dry out. Movement joints take up that movement, so the tiles and grout do not crack or come loose. The Tile Association calls for joints at least 6mm wide, through the full depth of the tiling and its bed.

They go around the edge of the tiled floor, including at door thresholds. They also go where tiling meets steps, door frames and other parts of the building, and where two different floor bases join. On larger indoor floors, further joints go in every 8 to 10 metres.

Larger floors, heated floors and patios

Underfloor heating makes a floor warm and cool more. The Tile Association advises dividing a heated floor into bays of no more than 40 square metres, with no side longer than 8 metres. Movement joints go around the edge and wherever the tiling meets a fixture.

Outside, tiles face bigger changes in heat and moisture. Since its 2024 update, BS 5385-3 says intermediate joints in outdoor tiled floors should be 3 to 5 metres apart. The Tile Association also advises tiling outside only when it is above 5°C and rising.

Stair edges

The front edge of a step is called the nosing. In England, Approved Document K gives the building regulations guidance for stairs. For buildings other than homes, it says to make nosings stand out with a contrasting material at least 55mm wide, on both the tread and the riser.

For shared stairs in blocks of flats, the contrasting strip should be 50mm to 65mm wide on the tread and 30mm to 55mm on the riser. Where a nosing sticks out over the step below, the guidance says by no more than 25mm.

Useful links