Large-Format Tile for a Turnkey Bathroom: From Design to Completion

A dream bathroom is a reality

The bathroom has long ceased to be merely a functional room for hygiene procedures. Today it is a space for relaxation, a personal spa, the place where we begin and end every day. And large-format tile is a key element in creating a modern, stylish and practical bathroom. But for the dream to become a reality you need a comprehensive approach, from the first idea to the final touch.

M-STONE offers a full cycle of work cladding bathrooms with large-format tile, from consultation and design to installation and commissioning. We take on the whole process so that you get the bathroom of your dreams without hassle or stress.

What ‘turnkey’ means

A full cycle of work

Stage 1: consultation and planning

• A visit to the site
• Measuring the room
• Discussing wishes and budget
• Preliminary recommendations

Stage 2: design and visualisation

• Developing the concept
• Selecting materials
• Creating the tile layout
• A 3D visualisation of the result

Stage 3: estimate and contract

• A detailed calculation of materials
• Costing the work
• A transparent estimate
• Concluding the contract

Stage 4: purchasing materials

• Ordering tile and accessories
• Quality control on receipt
• Delivery to the site

Stage 5: preparatory work

• Removing the old covering (if necessary)
• Substrate preparation
• Waterproofing
• Levelling surfaces

Stage 6: installation

• Laying tile on the walls
• Laying tile on the floor
• Cladding niches, boxings, panels
• Installing accessories

Stage 7: finishing work

• Grouting the joints
• Silicone joints
• Cleaning
• Final inspection

Stage 8: handing over the site

• Checking the quality
• Instruction on care
• Guarantee obligations

Advantages of a comprehensive approach

For the client

• One contractor, one responsibility
• Saving time on searching and coordination
• A guarantee on the whole complex of work
• A predictable budget and timelines
• A professional result

Comparison

Parameter	‘Turnkey’	Coordinating it yourself
Number of contractors	1	3-5
Coordination	M-STONE	You
Responsibility	Single	Blurred
Guarantee	On everything	Separately from each one
Your time	A minimum	A maximum

Features of a bathroom as a cladding project

Conditions of use

Humidity

• Constantly raised humidity (60-90%)
• Direct contact with water (shower, bath)
• Condensation on surfaces
• Steam

Temperature swings

• Hot water and steam
• Cooling after airing
• Underfloor heating (if there is any)

Chemical impacts

• Cleaning products
• Cosmetics and hygiene products
• Possibly aggressive cleaners

Requirements for materials

Tile

• Water absorption below 0.5%
• Resistance to chemicals
• Slip resistance for the floor (R10-R11)
• Stain resistance

Adhesive

• Class C2 (improved adhesion)
• Water resistant
• Flexible (S1 for large formats)

Grouting

• Water resistant
• Mould resistant
• Ideally epoxy

Waterproofing

• Mandatory!
• Quality materials
• Correct application

Bathroom design with large-format tile

Interior styles

Minimalism

• Large-format concrete-look or monocolour tile
• A minimum of joints
• A neutral palette (white, grey, beige)
• Concealed fittings
• Clean lines

Classic

• Marble-look tile (Calacatta, Statuario)
• Symmetry and proportions
• Decorative elements
• Warm or neutral tones

Spa style

• Wood-look tile or travertine
• Warm natural tones
• Natural textures
• An emphasis on relaxation

Contemporary

• A combination of materials
• Contrasting combinations
• An accent wall
• Bold solutions

Industrial (loft)

• Concrete-look and metal-look tile
• Rough textures
• Dark accents
• Exposed utilities

Popular design solutions

An accent wall

• One wall as a bright accent
• The rest as a neutral background
• Usually the wall behind the bath or shower

Book-match

• Mirror laying of slabs
• A symmetrical pattern
• The effect of luxurious marble

Seamlessness

• The largest possible format
• Minimal joints
• A monolithic look

Continuing onto the floor

• One material for walls and floor
• Visual unity
• The space seems bigger

Backlit niches

• Functional niches instead of shelves
• LED lighting
• Possibly a contrasting material

Colour solutions

White

• Purity and freshness
• Visual widening
• The bathroom classic
• Needs quality (epoxy) grout

Grey

• Modernity and elegance
• Practicality
• Many shades
• Versatility

Beige/Cream

• Warmth and coziness
• Softness
• Combined with wood
• Classic elegance

Black (accents)

• Drama
• Contrast
• Not for small bathrooms
• As an accent, not the base

Blue/Green

• An association with water
• Freshness
• As an accent or a base
• Naturalness

Bathroom zones and their cladding

The shower zone

Requirements

• Maximum moisture resistance
• An anti-slip floor (R10-R11)
• Quality waterproofing
• Ease of cleaning

The solution

• A curbless shower (flush with the floor)
• A linear drain
• The same tile as in the main space
• Or an accent material

Glass

• A frameless partition
• Or a partial partition
• Visual lightness

The bathtub zone

The wall behind the bath

• An accent opportunity
• Book-match laying
• Lighting (optional)
• Decorative niches

The bath panel

• Cladding with the same tile
• Or a contrasting material
• An inspection hatch (for access to utilities)

The washbasin zone

The wall behind the mirror

• Often the same tile
• Or an accent material
• Niches for accessories

The countertop

• Cladding with porcelain stoneware is possible
• Or an integrated washbasin

The toilet/bidet zone

The installation frame

• Cladding the boxing
• An inspection hatch
• The same tile for unity

An accent (optional)

• A different material behind the toilet
• Decorative tile

Floors

Requirements

• Slip resistance R10-R11
• A slope to the drain (if there is one)
• Water resistance
• Underfloor heating (optional)

The solution

• The same material as the walls (less saturated)
• Or a contrasting material
• A matt or structured surface

Technical aspects of cladding a bathroom

Waterproofing is the foundation of success

Where it is mandatory

• The floor entirely
• Walls to a height of 20-30 cm (at a minimum)
• The shower zone: entirely (walls + floor)
• The bath zone: around the bath
• Pipe penetrations

Materials

• Coating waterproofing (Mapei, Litokol, Ceresit)
• Two layers
• Reinforcing tape on corners and joints

Technology

• Preparing the surface (priming)
• Treating corners and junctions with tape
• Applying the first layer
• Drying (according to the instructions)
• Applying the second layer (perpendicular)
• Full drying
• A leak test (if necessary)

Preparing the surfaces

Walls

• Checking flatness (a deviation of up to 3 mm over 2 m)
• Levelling with plaster or plasterboard
• Priming
• Waterproofing (where needed)

Floors

• A screed sloped to the drain (1-2%)
• Flatness
• Waterproofing
• Priming

Boxings and niches

• A metal-profile frame
• Moisture-resistant plasterboard or gypsum fibreboard
• Priming
• Waterproofing

Laying large-format tile in the bathroom

The sequence

Walls:

• Marking out (a laser level)
• Determining the starting point
• Laying from the bottom up
• A support ledger for the first row
• Double application of adhesive
• Fitting the tile
• Levelling (TLS)
• Removing the ledger after it has dried

Floor:

• Marking out allowing for the slope
• Laying from the drain or the centre
• Checking the slope
• A levelling system for alignment

Features of a large format in the bathroom

• Limited space makes it harder to manoeuvre
• Many cut-outs (pipes, niches, plumbing)
• Every cut must be perfect
• Experience and patience are needed

Grouting the joints

Choosing grout for the bathroom

Type	Advantages	Disadvantages	Recommendation
Cement	Cheaper, simpler	Porous, may go mouldy	For budget projects
Cement with additives	Better resistance	Still porous	A compromise
Epoxy	Waterproof, does not go mouldy	More expensive, harder to apply	The ideal choice

An M-STONE recommendation: for a bathroom, only epoxy grout. It is an investment in durability and hygiene.

Silicone joints

• At junctions with plumbing
• Expansion joints
• Corners (wall-floor, wall-wall)
• Sanitary silicone (with fungicides)

Plumbing and accessories

Integration with the tile

Wall-hung plumbing

• Toilet, bidet, washbasin
• A clean floor (easy to wash)
• A modern look
• Needs an installation frame

Built-in systems

• Concealed-installation mixers
• A shower system in the wall
• Minimalism
• Needs preparation

Niches instead of shelves

• Functionality
• Aesthetics
• Ease of cleaning
• Needs planning in advance

Recommendations on planning

Before work begins, determine

• The position of all the plumbing
• The utility outlet points
• The places for accessories (holders, hooks)
• The size and position of niches
• The type and size of the mirror

A mistake: determining the position of accessories after laying the tile; you can hit a joint or make an unwanted hole.

Timelines

A 4-6 m² bathroom

• Consultation, measurements: 1 day
• Design, estimate: 2-5 days
• Waiting for materials: 5-14 days
• Dismantling (if needed): 1-2 days
• Preparation, waterproofing: 2-3 days
• Laying the tile: 4-6 days
• Grouting: 1-2 days
• Installing accessories, cleaning: 1 day
• Total work: 10-15 days

Factors that increase the time

• A large tile format
• Complex cut-outs and niches
• Book-match laying
• Natural stone
• Non-standard geometry

Guarantees and service

A guarantee on the work done

What the guarantee covers

• Tile coming loose
• Leaks (a waterproofing defect)
• Destruction of the grout
• Defects caused by a violation of the technology

What it does NOT cover

• Mechanical damage (impacts)
• Incorrect care
• Force majeure
• Material defects (the manufacturer’s guarantee)

After-guarantee service

• Care consultations
• Repairs (if needed)
• Re-grouting joints
• Replacing damaged tiles

Contact information

M-STONE: a turnkey bathroom

📞 Phones: +38 068 100 27 96, +38 050 914 18 99 📧 Email: [email protected] 🌐 Website: https://mstone.ua/

Social media

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mstone_kiev/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mstone.kyiv/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@M-Stone_Kyiv/

Geography of work

Kyiv: all districts Kyiv region: Brovary, Irpin, Bucha, Vyshhorod, Vyshneve, Boiarka, Kozyn, Koncha-Zaspa and others All of Ukraine: travel to projects

M-STONE advantages for turnkey

✅ A full cycle: from idea to completion ✅ One responsibility: one contractor ✅ Large formats: up to 160×320 cm ✅ Waterproofing: professional execution ✅ Epoxy grout: the standard for a bathroom ✅ Design and visualisation: you will see the result in advance ✅ A transparent estimate: no hidden payments ✅ A guarantee: on all work

The current cost of work for your project can be calculated in the online calculators or confirmed by the manager: it depends on the material, the slab format and the condition of the substrate. The consultation is free.