Just finished our Markham primary ensuite tile project. We went with a mix of materials — sharing the installer’s candid commentary on each choice.
What we used:
- Shower walls: 24x48 Emser porcelain in Calacatta Oro (matte)
- Shower floor: 2x2 Emser porcelain mosaic (matching colourway)
- Feature wall (behind double vanity): Moroccan Zellige-style handmade ceramic from a Toronto importer
- Vanity floor: large format 24x48 matching the shower walls
Installer’s candid feedback:
On the 24x48 shower walls: “These are heavy and unforgiving. If the substrate moves at all, you’ll see cracks in 3 years. We’re using Schluter Kerdi and setting tiles on an uncoupled system — not optional for large format.”
On the Zellige feature wall: “This takes 3x longer than standard tile. Every piece is slightly different — you can’t just set and move. Each one needs adjustment for level. Budget accordingly.” Labour for the 40 sq ft Zellige wall: $1,400 (vs $600 for standard tile of the same area).
On the mosaic floor: “People think large format on shower floors looks better. It doesn’t drain as well and needs a precise mud bed. Mosaics are actually more forgiving. We always recommend 2x2 or smaller for shower floors.”
Full tile cost (labour only):
- 24x48 shower walls and vanity floor (200 sq ft): $5,600
- Zellige feature wall (40 sq ft): $1,400
- Mosaic shower floor: $1,100
- Total labour: $8,100
Materials (our supply):
- Tile: $4,200
- Schluter products (Kerdi, trims, linear drain): $1,100
- Thin-set, grout: $380
- Total materials: $5,680
Grand total: $13,780 — most expensive renovation per square foot we’ve done. Worth every dollar.