Tile is one of the best materials for a beautiful and functional bathtub surround. Tiling the walls around a bathtub helps create a water-resistant protective barrier that reduces mold, mildew, and water damage. A tiled tub surround can also be a cornerstone of your bathroom design and help enhance your bathroom’s overall aesthetic.

What’s the Best Material for a Tile Tub Surround?

Ceramic or Porcelain Tiles

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are among the most popular materials for shower and bathroom walls, according to the 2024 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study. Tiling the walls around an alcove tub or standalone tub in your bathroom with porcelain or ceramic has lots of advantages. Ceramic tile is an affordable and versatile wall covering that’s available in many different colors, sizes, and styles. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are also highly resistant to water, heat, scratches, and stains, making them a durable, long-lasting material for tub surround walls that are easy to install, maintain, and clean.

Glossy glazed ceramic tiles are an ideal choice for a colorful contemporary tile tub surround. Glazed ceramic tiles are less porous than regular ceramic tiles which makes them more water-resistant and easier to clean. Glazed ceramic tiles are also available in a wide range of beautiful colors and designs.

Porcelain tiles are also a great choice for a durable, affordable, and attractive tile tub surround. Many porcelain tile designs are available that emulate the look of carpet, brick, wood, and natural stone. Yet porcelain is typically less expensive and easier to clean and maintain than natural wood panels or stone tiles!

Marble Tiles

While ceramic or porcelain tile is a cost-effective and water-resistant covering for the walls around an alcove or freestanding tub, marbles tiles are often used to create a durable and elegant luxury tub surround that’s highly resistant to moisture and heat. When properly sealed and regularly maintained, marble tiles can easily last for decades. Marble tiles are also ideal for a tub surround because they offer a classic and luxurious appearance, featuring unique natural veining that adds visual depth, character, and sophistication to a bathroom design. Adding marble to your bathroom design can also increase the value of your home. When paired with a vintage clawfoot tub or modern freestanding tub, a marble tub surround can help create a luxurious, spa-like bathroom design that’s increasingly popular among home buyers.

Popular varieties of marble for a luxury tiled tub surround include Italian marbles like Carrara marble and Statuario; milky white Bianco Dolomiti marble that’s quarried in Turkey; and bright white Thassos marble from Greece. In 2025, expect to see more bold color marbles with dramatic veining, such as blue and gold marble, incorporated into high-end luxury bathroom designs.

Bathroom Tub Surround Tile Ideas

Some of our all-time favorite tile tub surround ideas to help inspire your own bathroom designs include:

Bianco Carrara Marble 12x24 Tile Tub Surround

Bianco Carrara Marble 12x24 Tile is used to create an elegant freestanding tub surround in this contemporary gray and white bathroom. The simple yet stunning combination of Italian Bianco Carrara gray marble tile wainscoting and a modern stainless steel freestanding tub in a bathtub nook provides an understated yet upscale look. Using large format or subway brick marble tile to create tiled wainscoting in a recessed space or nook in your bathroom is a simple way to elevate your bathroom design.

Bianco Carrara Marble Tile & Trim Around Metallic Freestanding Tub

Calacatta Gold Marble Subway Tile Tub Surround

Luxurious Italian Calacatta Gold marble subway tile is used to tile the walls behind an elegant pedestal tub in this beautiful marble bathroom. Basketweave pattern mosaic tile and trim (also in gorgeous Calacatta Gold white marble with grey and gold veining) is used for the border above the subway tile. Subway tile is often paired with a contrasting border to add visual interest and classic style to a bathroom shower or tub area.

Calacatta Gold Marble Subway Tile Tub Surround

Luxury Marble Tile Tub Surround

This exquisite spa-like marble bathroom features a deep built-in bathtub surrounded by marble and other natural stone. Large format white marble tiles with striking blue-grey veining are used on the lower half of the walls. The upper half of the walls are decorated by a luxe white onyx, marble, and blue moonstone 3D floral pattern mosaic tile. We love the mix of white and blue-grey hues in this luxurious tile tub surround design!

Luxury Bathroom with Marble & Natural Stone Tile Tub Surround

Arabesque Marrakech Waterjet Tile Tub Surround

This OKC modern farmhouse style marble and gold brass primary bathroom features a modern freestanding tub and Arabesque Marrakech waterjet mosaic tile tub surround. The White Thassos and Bianco Carrara marble arabesque lantern pattern waterjet tile is also used for the walk-in shower walls.

Marble Arabesque Lantern Tile Tub Surround

Classic Clawfoot Tub Tile Surround

Pairing an old-fashioned clawfoot tub with a classic ceramic square tile surround creates a beautiful and timeless tile look that can be easily continued throughout the rest of your bathroom. Add visual interest to your design by mixing solid color glazed ceramic tiles with Portuguese-style deco accent tiles.European glossy ceramic 5x5 square tiles for bathroom and tub surround are available in soft coastal colors like sky blue, aqua, white, and light gray.

Sky Blue Ceramic 5x5 Tile Tub Surround

Carrara Venato Marble 12x24 Tile Tub Surround

This luxurious bathroom features floor-to-ceiling marble tiling. Key features include floral patterned marble mosaic tile floors and a classic white marble tile tub surround. Carrara Venato 12x24 marble tiles are used to create a sophisticated yet inviting freestanding tub nook in this luxury all-marble bathroom.

Freestanding Tub Surround Featuring Polished Carrara Venato Marble Tile Walls

Patterned Mosaic Tile Tub Surround with Niche

Wild flower pattern marble mosaic tile is used to create an eye-catching tile tub surround with built-in niche. This design adds storage to the freestanding tub area in this bathroom, while also creating a stunning focal point and tranquil spa-like oasis.

Floral Mosaic Tile Tub Surround with Niche

Flower Mosaic Tile Tub Surround with Niche

Luxury Mosaic Tile Accent Wall Behind Tub

This graceful freestanding tub accent wall is made from our beautiful Ballet Ribbon marble waterjet mosaic tile. We love how the gentle curves of the freestanding bathtub are accentuated by the arched accent wall tiled with a ribbon pattern mosaic!

Ribbon Pattern Mosaic Tile Accent Wall Behind Tub

Ribbon Pattern Tile Accent Wall Behind Oval Freestanding Tub

Black Ceramic Tile Tub Surround

Incorporating black ceramic mosaic tiles into your tub surround design will add drama to your bathroom. A black tile tub surround provides a bold look that’s perfect for a moody bathroom or organic modern style bathroom design.

Freestanding Tub Surround with Gray Stone & Black Ceramic Linterna Tile Walls

White & Gray Marble Hexagon Tile Tub Surround

Small format tiles like hexagon and 1” penny rounds provide a tub surround with a classic, upscale look. This timeless luxurious Las Vegas bathroom features Bianco Carrara marble 1” hexagon mosaic tile behind a freestanding tub placed between two vanities.

Bianco Carrara Marble Hexagon Tile Tub Surround

Calacatta Gold Marble Tile Tub Surround with Window

This luxury marble bathroom features a freestanding tub surround tiled in Italian Calacatta Gold marble field tile. This elegant freestanding tub niche is located under a large window, next to a spacious walk-in shower also tiled in Calacatta Gold.

Calacatta Marble Tile Tub Surround with Window

Freestanding Tub Surround Tiled in Calacatta Gold Marble Field Tile

3D/Textured Ceramic Tile Tub Surround

Tiling around a tub with textured tile can add dimension and depth to your bathroom design. White wavy ceramic tile can be used to create a contemporary tub surround that’s the focal point of your bathroom.

Textured White Ceramic Tile Tub Surround

White Herringbone Tile Tub Surround

A herringbone tile tub surround provides an understated look that never goes out of style. This contemporary bathroom features matte white porcelain herringbone tile around a drop-in alcove tub that continues as the backsplash for the dual sink wood vanity.

White Herringbone Tile Around Alcove Tub

Porcelain Ivory White Tile Tub Surround

Large format porcelain tile in neutral colors like white, gray, and black is ideal for an attractive, affordable water-resistant tiled tub surround that’s easy to install and maintain. Large format porcelain tiles are available in a variety of eye-catching patterns. Popular contemporary porcelain tile styles include bohemian carpet look tiles and distressed look tiles.