Soaking clay tile before installation can distort appearance and isn’t necessary for proper shower prep.
No, soaking clay tile before shower installation is not recommended.
Why We Don’t Recommend Soaking Clay Tiles Before Installation:
Clay tiles, especially those with a glazed surface, are porous on the sides and back, but protected on the face by their glaze. When a tile is fully soaked in water (like submerging it), moisture can enter through the unglazed sides and back and saturate the tile body. This sudden water absorption can:
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Exaggerate surface crazing (fine hairline cracks in the glaze)
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Temporarily darken or discolor the tile
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Create a misleading impression of how the tile will perform when installed properly
These effects are cosmetic and usually temporary, but they can raise concerns unnecessarily, especially if you’re expecting a tile to stay looking exactly like the sample, dry out of the box.
How It’s Different After Installation:
Once installed properly (with thinset mortar, waterproofing, grout, and sealant if needed), the tile:
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Is no longer exposed directly to standing water on all sides
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Has the back protected by mortar, and the sides and edges protected by grout
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Is surrounded by a controlled, breathable environment rather than full saturation
This creates a much more stable and resilient system. Crazing may still occur naturally over time (as it does with most traditional glazes), but it doesn’t affect the structural integrity of the tile. It's a characteristic of handmade ceramic and clay tile, not a defect.
In short: Soaking a raw tile isn’t a true test of its long-term performance. It exaggerates features like crazing that are unlikely to present in the same way once the tile is properly installed in a dry-to-damp environment, like a bathroom or shower.