The most common type of wall tile, glazed ceramic, has a soft, nonvitreous body covered with a glaze. The glaze on wall tile is not as tough as that on a floor tile, but it effectively seals out moisture.

If an area will be subject to scratches, choose a tile with a glaze that is hard enough for countertops. (Don't install wall tile on a floor or countertop.)

A rainbow of colors is available. In addition to solid-colored tiles with a smooth, glossy surface, wall tiles may be textured to resemble rough stone; crackled, with a crazed pattern of tiny cracks; variegated in color; or glazed to appear as if they were hand-painted with a brush. Most wall tiles are stocked with border and bullnose trim pieces to match.

Don't be afraid to make up your own design using tiles of different colors. But if you do, buy tiles from the same manufacturer, to be certain they will be exactly the same size. Most ceramic wall tiles are self-spacing; small nubs along each side ensure that when the tiles are butted together a gap of about 1/4 inch automatically appears. Installing tiles that are not self-spacing takes a bit more time and patience.