10 great reasons to choose designer porcelain tiles
With a wealth of material types to choose from for the walls and floors in your home, Porcelain ticks all the boxes as one of the most hardwearing and versatile you can possibly pick. From entire ground floors, kitchens, hallways, bathrooms and outside spaces - it’s pretty much perfect anywhere.
And whilst we can't promise you that view ... we can give you designer porcelain tiles to create impeccably stylish walls and floors.
1. Porcelain is exceptionally hardwearing
Porcelain tiles are made from a mixture of white clay, sand and feldspar and fired at very high temperatures. That makes for a dense, hardwearing product that will take pretty much anything life throws at it. Porcelain can be used across walls and floors and it’s great for areas with high footfall. It can be used across entire ground floors from busy hallways to kitchens and dining areas as well as living spaces, bathrooms and more.
2. High resistance to stains
Because it’s so dense, porcelain is highly unlikely to stain, so a swift mop with water is all it usually takes.
3. No sealing, waxing or polishing
Unlike natural materials like marble and stone, porcelain is pretty much install and go. Apart from an important initial clean to remove any grout residue it requires minimal love and care to keep it looking as good as new – again, ongoing a mop and water will usually do the trick.
4. Stunning designs
This is a material that, when done well, expertly mimics everything from metal, concrete, cement, stone, marble, woods and more.
It’s hats off to digital technology that designs are more and more realistic and that some collections often have 20, 30 or even up to 40 different patterns per tile making for brilliantly realistic walls and floors. Gone are the days of just one or two tile designs that repeat across entire stretches of wall or floor.
5. It can be installed outside for patios and terraces
6. There are lots of finishes and slip ratings
Tile finishes vary and many collections house a number of surface textures from Matt which can be used just about anywhere, to Polished if you are looking for a truly sumptuous feel.
Plus advances in technology are creating tile finishes that mimic natural materials with expert realism. Take our Contour finish where pattern and texture align on the tile surface to echo the veining of marble and the knots of real wood. With imitation comes none of the limitations of the natural materials. The humid, wet conditions of a bathroom are no issue for our Season wood effect porcelain planks.
Add to that technical advances in surface textures, that mean the same tile can be used inside and out in one slip rating and suddenly a whole new world of possibilities is opened up.
7. It can be used with underfloor heating
Unlike wood, laminates and quartz, porcelain works perfectly with both wet and dry underfloor heating systems. Just ensure you check with an expert regards installation of both the heating and tiling and initial commissioning of your system.
8. A wealth of sizes, larger formats and super-sizes
For walls, but in particular for floors, designer floor tile sizes have increased significantly over the past few years. The traditional ranges including 300 x 600 or 600 x 600mm sizes have been expanded to also house much larger sizes of tiles.
Large format porcelain tiles in sizes such as 800 x 800mmm, 900 x 900mm and 1200 x 1200mm are fast becoming the go-to for those seeking ‘more tile, less grout’.
Add super-size porcelain wall slabs at a giant 2780 x 1200mm and it's not hard to see why porcelain has always been considered one of the best materials for practicality and innovation.
9. Rectified edges, minimal grout lines
Where porcelain tiles are rectified, grout lines can be at an absolute minimum (recommended minimum 3mm for floor tiles and 2mm for wall tiles). The beauty here is a more seamless look. Definitely the go to for those seeking ‘more tile, less grout’.
10. It is beautifully hygienic
There’s nowhere for dust and dirt to gather with porcelain, so unlike carpet it has nowhere to hide.
What’s not to like? Porcelain makes perfect walls and floors.
Take a fresh approach to shopping for designer porcelain tiles with The TilePortfolio. Our online portfolios and 'go-the-extra-tile-service' are designed to make it easy for you to find the tiles you love. These are heavenly tiles, down to earth prices and friendly service. We'd be delighted to help.
The TilePortfolio specialise in Italian and Spanish Porcelain and Ceramic tiles, in particular large format Porcelains and Porcelain tiles for inside and outside. Our carefully curated, stunning tile portfolios are beautifully presented online and supported by our fuss-free ‘go-the -extra-tile’ service and tile consultancy service. Visit our website for unmissable interiors inspiration. The TilePortfolio team are always available to chat, we’d be delighted to help with your project so please do get in touch.
Please note: We strongly recommend using a professional tiler for your project. Always check with your tiler regards suitability of your chosen tiles for your project.