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Subway tiles vs. hexagon tiles in the bathroom—what’s your pick?

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gaming870
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Yeah, totally agree—subway tiles are just easier to work with, especially if your walls aren’t perfect. I tried hex tiles once because they looked cool, but cleaning all those little grout lines drove me nuts. Subway’s classic, simple, and budget-friendly.


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wafflescyclist
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Honestly, I get the appeal of hex tiles—they look awesome in photos. But yeah, I ran into the same issue:

cleaning all those little grout lines drove me nuts
. After flipping a couple houses, I learned the hard way that the more grout lines you have, the more time you spend scrubbing. Subway tiles just seem to hide imperfections better, especially if your walls are a bit wavy or old.

That said, have you ever tried stacking subway tiles vertically or in a herringbone pattern? It gives them a modern twist without making cleaning a nightmare. Sometimes I miss the unique vibe of hex tiles, but for rentals or quick flips, subway is just less hassle and cheaper to install. If you’ve got the patience for grout maintenance, hex can be worth it... but I don’t think I’d do it again unless it was for a really small accent wall.


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jennifergenealogist
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Honestly, I get the grout struggle, but I’ve found that using a darker grout with hex tiles makes cleaning way less of a headache. Plus, hex tiles can actually help disguise uneven floors better than subway sometimes. It’s not always the easiest install, but the payoff can be worth it if you want something different.


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rubycloud731
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I totally get the appeal of hex tiles—they just look so cool and a little bit retro, right? I’ve been staring at bathroom inspo pics for weeks and keep coming back to them. The darker grout tip is gold, too. I’m not exactly a pro at cleaning (or installing anything, honestly), so anything that hides the mess is a win in my book.

But I keep second-guessing myself because subway tiles just seem... safer? Like, you can’t really mess them up style-wise, and they’re everywhere for a reason. My floor’s not exactly level either, so maybe hex is the way to go. The only thing that freaks me out is cutting all those little angles. I watched a YouTube video and it looked like a puzzle from hell.

Still, I’m leaning hex. If I mess it up, I’ll just call it “character,” right?


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Cutting hex tiles is definitely more of a puzzle than subway, but it’s not impossible—especially if you’re patient and have a decent tile saw. I get what you mean about the “character” thing. I’ve seen some older homes where the hex tiles aren’t perfect, and it actually adds a ton of charm.

From an investment angle, both styles are pretty timeless, but subway tiles are a bit more “neutral.” They appeal to a wider range of buyers if you ever sell. That said,

“hex tiles—they just look so cool and a little bit retro, right?”
—I agree, they stand out in a good way and can make a small bathroom feel unique.

For uneven floors, hex can actually be forgiving since the smaller tiles can follow the contours better than big rectangles. Just take your time with the layout and dry-fit a few rows first. And yeah, darker grout is a lifesaver for hiding dirt and less-than-perfect lines.

If you’re leaning hex, go for it. Worst case, you get some “character” and a bathroom that doesn’t look like everyone else’s.


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