Give Your Pool a Facelift With Tile and Mosaics

If you're yearning to give your pool a facelift with tile, you've come to the right place. The right tile is ideal around a pool as Tile Outlets' Kate Spencer explains in this article.

Kate Shares Advice On Using Glass Mosaics and Porcelain Tile to Refresh a Pool on Suncoast View

Suncoast View is the locally produced hour-long Talk Show airing on ABC 7 WWSB in the Sarasota, Florida area. The program’s format is inspired by the ABC Network’s popular, long-running talk show, “The View”.

Kate has been a regular there and enjoys talking tile with co-hosts Joey Panek, Senior Producer, and ABC 7’s beloved veteran Reporter Linda Carson.

How to Give Your Pool a Facelift with Tile and Mosaics

When it comes to updating the look of your pool, you have many options including mosaics that add color and shimmer to a pool area as well as tile looks that are more understated. In this episode, Kate focused on the following three categories of tile for pools:

• Glass Mosaics in 1x1, 1x2 and puzzle formats
• Porcelain Mosaics in 2x2, 1x2 and penny rounds
• Porcelain Tiles in 6x6 format

>> Shop POOL TILE at Tile Outlets of America

Not all tile is suitable for pool environments. Most glass and porcelain tile are acceptable, however not all so it's important to check with your sales associate when making your final decisions.

Glass Mosaics for Shimmer and Color Around the Pool

Glass mosaics come in many varieties and sizes that work beautifully to highlight pool and water features. Here, I'll focus on three types: 1x1 glass mosaics, 1x2 glass mosaics, and puzzle mosaics.

In general, most glass mosaics are suitable for pools unless they are produced with a foil or decorative piece in the mosaic. Please be sure to check with a sales associate to confirm that the mosaic you selected is suitable for pool usage.

1x1 Glass Mosaics for Pools

You can use 1x1 glass mosaics for a water line or back wall feature. They come in an assortment of colors to create the look you want to relax too.

You can find multi-color mosaics as well as solid color mosaics.

Remember that pool tiles don't always have to be blue.

The multi-color earth tone glass mosaic below contrasts with the darker water color in the image below.

Here's a closeup of that multi-color mosaic.

If you love a shimmery blue pool, you can definitely create the look using glass mosaics not just at the waterline, but throughout the entire pool.

This next image features Reflections 1x1 on the entire floor and water line of a pool and it's beautiful!

Yes, you can put glass tiles on the floor of your pool for that shimmery glass glow.

You can also create elegant contrast between the shimmery pool floor and an all-white waterline mosaic as you see below.

These glass water features are done in white 1x1 glass mosaics, creating a clean and fresh look to this backyard oasis.

Try 1x2 Glass Mosaics for Your Pool

When you use 1x2 glass mosaics, you can create an offset pattern with the mosaics. It adds a sense of movement to the waterline as you see in the next image.

Check out the fun swim up stools or tables in the pool image below! Notice how the 1x2 coordinating mosaics outline those pieces in the pool as well as at the waterline.

Here, too, you have a range of color selections to choose from although 1x2 mosaics are very popular in multi-color patterns which give you several colors to coordinate with your pool décor.

Remember to check with a sales associate to make sure the mosaic can be used in pools.

Try Glass Puzzle Mosaics Around the Pool

Puzzle mosaics are just that: multiple sizes in a mosaic that create a puzzle pattern. This puzzle mosaic below - the Michelangelo Ocean Glass Mosaic - includes 2x2 and 1x1 pieces. These designs can be multi-color and tend to be more decorative in nature.

As you can see in this pool scene below, it's stunning installed!

Speaking of trying unexpected colors around your pool, have you considered a black mosaic?

Look how amazing and dramatic this black puzzle mosaic looks for a pool water line and fountain feature.

If you prefer to keep the color range more neutral then consider puzzle mosaics in this more muted color family as you see below.

Or, consider the Water Brush Puzzle mosaic you see below. 

Porcelain Mosaics Around a Pool

In addition to glass mosaics, you can also use porcelain mosaics in pools since porcelain has such a low water absorption rate. Ceramic mosaics, on the other hand, are not recommended.

You'll find many different varieties of 1x1, 1x2 and 2x2 mosaics as well as penny rounds. I'll highlight a few mosaics and penny rounds.

2x2 Mosaics

These two-tone blue 2x2 porcelain mosaics are great for the spa surround and the water line of the pool.

1x2 Porcelain Mosaics

The 1x2 porcelain mosaics are very versatile and can be used for waterlines, tub surrounds and spillover waterways. They come in a variety of colors, including the classic blue you see below used for a pool spill over a drain.

These 1x2 blue mosaics are shimmery and reflective in blue tones. They surround the entire hot tub in the middle of the pool and spill over into the water.

Penny Rounds

Penny rounds are circular porcelain mosaics. These shapes are fun and whimsical to use around a hot tub surround and spill over into the pool.

This next image shows you how the penny round mosaics look around your waterline.

Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain tiles used for pools are generally in the 6x6 range. Again porcelain tiles are recommended over ceramic tiles due to the water absorption is lower in porcelain tiles.

Notice in the image below the dark 6x6 porcelain tile used for the waterline and the hot tub which is raised up to the waterline.

The water flows over the top of the tile into the pool.

This next image gives you a better perspective of that hot tub. You can see that the tiles are a rich deep, dark blue in color.

In contrast, you see a neutral 6x6 porcelain tile used for the waterline and shelf feature in the images below.

In this color, the 6x6 porcelain tile looks like Travertine stone.

The tiles were used for the hot tub surround, the waterline and the wall feature in the back. It really coordinates nicely with the tiles used for the deck.

This pool uses 6x6 porcelain tiles and borders with 2x2 porcelain mosaics as the water line and trim. The diamond cutouts are a nice added feature.

Final Words About Pool Tile

Remember to verify with your sales associate and pool installer that you have selected the proper tiles to use and the correct setting materials. These are all factors in ensuring you have a successful pool installation to enjoy.

Learn more about pool tile with these articles:

>> Find Tile For Your Pool and Spa at Tile Outlets of America!

>> Aquatica Pool Tile: Q&A With Tom Cosky

>> Also check out: Looking for Pool Mosaics? Check out Artistry in Mosaics at Tile Outlets of America

>> Watch the entire 6:34-minute pool tile segment from Suncoast View

Note: We originally published this article on May 3, 2018, and have updated it.