Ceramic and Porcelain Tile

The essential difference between wall tile and porcelain is water absorption. Wall tile absorbs 10 to 20 per cent, has a porous, lighter body and belongs on walls only. Porcelain, absorbing under 0.5 per cent, is dense and frost-resistant, making it the right choice for interior floors, terraces, yards and high-traffic areas. Laying wall tile on floors is a common mistake that leads to cracking and debonding within a short time.

Ask the supplier for two further figures. Abrasion resistance is expressed as PEI 1 to 5: PEI 3 suits bedrooms, PEI 4 living rooms and kitchens, PEI 5 entrances and commercial spaces. The second is slip rating: bathrooms, terraces and yards need R10 to R11, and polished tile in these locations creates a genuine fall risk, particularly in homes with elderly residents.

Every box carries two important codes: the tone code, which identifies the shade batch, and the calibre, which gives the exact dimensions. Mixing boxes of different tone or calibre produces visible colour steps and misaligned joints after installation, correctable only by removal. Always buy 8 to 10 per cent above the calculated area to cover cutting waste and keep a reserve for future repairs.

Three installation errors recur: bedding large-format tiles in ordinary sand-cement mortar rather than tile adhesive rated for their weight, leaving voids behind the tile that sound hollow when tapped, and tiling bathroom floors without waterproofing the substrate. Grout in bathrooms and kitchens is better specified as epoxy or water-resistant, to prevent water penetration and blackened joints.