A question that I get pretty much every week, either here on the blog, via email, or over on our Facebook page is:
Where can I get plastic wall tile?
Here’s my answer, and it’s not an easy-peasy one:
There is no company that I know of that is making this stuff today. So, if you need some, I think the #1 most likely place you are going to find it is ebay. Story: I found some plastic tile at the Re-Store once, it was burgundy red, kind of marbleized. I bought it out of fascination and didn’t have anything to do with it. So I put it on ebay. I found a buyer right away! So: Click on over to ebay, learn to use their Saved Searches function, and then sit and wait it out.
A #2 most likely idea: Watch craigslist, nationally. Read this story — and especially the Comments on it — for tips on sites and apps that help you search craigslist nationally.
Other thoughts… probably real long shots: Ask neighbors. They may have the same tile in their houses. Maybe they have extras. Maybe they are planning to renovate, and will give you their throw-aways. And of course, keep an eye out at your local Re-Store/Habitat for Humanity and salvage places.
Even with these tips: Good luck with that. I think that there were many makers of plastic tile back in the day. So, there are going to be lots of colors and marble-like and pearl-like patterns. I think that if you are trying to match existing plastic tile, you are in for a needle-in-a-haystack search. If you buy something from ebay or craigslist based on photos, be prepared that the match, won’t.
Fun references here on the blog: A 20-page catalog of plastic tile from Church…. and how about this amazing kitchen, with plastic tiles on all four walls and 12″ square plastic tiles on the ceiling, too!
Also, dear readers, remember to be aware that there can be hazards in the materials, layers and products in old house — get with professionals to understand what you are dealing with. For more info see our Be Safe/Renovate Safe page>> https://retrorenovation.com/renovate-safe/
Devon says
Had light tan with dark brown beading and bullnose. Bathtub area needed restoration, attempted to remove and reuse, FAIL. Keep looking for matches on ebay, restore, cl, etc. no luck, watching for over a year, so tore it all out and put in tile (2×1) small subway’s.
JKM says
I always considered plastic wall tile a sort of poor man’s ceramic. Interesting as a historical footnote but, for any other use, no way.
Annie B. says
I’d imagine that plastic tile in pristine condition could be wonderful. However, my only experience with it was less than stellar.. Our last home had it in one of its baths. The tile was popping off the wall in too many places, plus it was that “Graveyard of the Atlantic” color which made every shower feel like you were trapped in a thunderstorm.
Scott says
I had a plastic tile nightmare when I moved into my house in 1999 too. The Einstein that lived here before me painted over the pink marble tiles because ONE was missing with the nastiest shade of green ever seen by the eye of man. It looked like equal parts kelly green, black, and white.
In retrospect I wish I’d have tried to save them and if I had any idea what a disaster was underneath I certainly would have. Wainscoting was a quick fix over ten years ago leaving me with a bathroom that’s probably going to be my hardest room to re-mid-century modernize.
Frances says
4 boxes of pearl pink brand new in my basement, half a box of brand new black edging, there also, and half a box of pearl white also in my basement, waiting for my next house, which will be required to have a place to put it.
Ann says
Hippo’s Hardware, Portland, Oregon in a box in the basement on the floor. I think there were three boxes of the stuff when I was there in October. You’ll have to search for it among everything else. (Hippo’s really straddles that line between architectural salvage and junk yard, but is still an amazing place.)
Vince says
The 1956 bungalow I grew up in had plastic tiles in the bathroom (sort of a forest green, with a strip of black along the top), and although they looked great, they were not practical for a bathroom at all, since it’s easy for moisture to get behind them. They would occasionally fall off too.
I just wish I had a photo of that bathroom. Everyone here would have loved it! Green fixtures, green tile, and faux mahogany wood paneling on one wall. I’ve noticed from this site that green wasn’t a common colour for bathrooms in the ’50s, so it might have been a neat little oddity too.
Kurt says
I own a four family and at least one of the bathrooms had green plastic tile with the black border. It is the same tile that is on the lower half of the entire back stairwell, also green with black trim. The front stairwell has a beige marbled tile with a burgundy trim. I need to find some of those to replace some bad ones.
pam kueber says
ebay, kurt!
PF Flyer says
Ugh, plastic tiles….you can have the ones on my kitchen walls and the petrified glue that holds it on…removal at your time and expense. I’m all for retro but plastic tile was not the era’s best idea…ugh again!
Nutella says
The plastic tile that we removed from our bathroom fell right off the walls due to years of trapped moisture and mold behind it. I understand people wanting to keep an original look, but I’m not even sure what would be an appropriate installation of plastic tiles in today’s world.
Brian T says
Had I but known, I might have saved the plastic tile I removed from my bathroom. The one wonderful thing about that tile is that it came off very easily — prying it off all four walls can’t have taken more than 15 minutes. Scraping and chiseling the mastic underneath, on the other hand, was all we did for the next two weeks.
Pat Wieneke says
I had cracked and stained plastic tile in one of my bathrooms. The mastic came off easily with a hair drier and an Oxo spatula..like what you flip burgers with. It was kinda fun!