How to Choose Tile: Porcelain or Ceramic, Format, Finish and Style
Quick answer: choosing a tile means deciding five things, in this order. 1) Where it goes: floor or wall, indoors or outdoors. 2) The material: porcelain for floors and outdoor areas; white-body or red-body for walls. 3) Slip resistance if the area gets wet. 4) The format: large for fewer joints and a sense of space, small for pattern and character. 5) The style: wood, stone, cement, marble, terrazzo, hydraulic or terracotta.
1. Porcelain, Stoneware or White-Body
Material
Water absorption
Where to use it
Porcelain stoneware (group BIa)
Very low (≤ 0.5%)
Floors and walls, indoors and outdoors, frost-resistant
Stoneware
Low-medium
Indoor flooring
White-body or red-body (wall tile)
High
Indoor walls only
2. Rectified or Not
A rectified tile has its edges cut square, allowing 1-2 mm joints and a continuous look. Non-rectified tiles have somewhat wider joints and a more traditional feel, and are usually cheaper to install.
3. Format
Large format (80x80, 120 and 180 cm planks, 32x99 wall tiles): fewer joints and a greater sense of space. Some examples are Cervinia 80x80 in snow white, Rimini, Aulla and Livigno XL.
Medium format (59x59, 29x59): the balance between installation cost and a contemporary look.
Small format and special pieces (20x20, 15x15, hexagonal, octagonal): pattern, character and classic style.
4. Finish
Matte: the most versatile, doesn't show footprints, and is safer on floors.
Gloss or polished: maximum light; ideal on walls and on floors in dry indoor spaces.
Measure the length by width of each room and add up the square meters.
Add 10% for cuts and breakage (15% for diagonal, herringbone, or large formats with many cuts).
Divide by the square meters per box listed for each product and round up.
Buy everything from the same batch and keep some pieces for future repairs.
For large projects, buying by the full pallet lowers the price per square meter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between porcelain and ceramic?
Porcelain is made from finer clays, pressed and fired at a higher temperature, so it absorbs less than 0.5% water. It's harder, resists frost, and works outdoors. Wall tile ceramic (white-body or red-body) is more porous and is used on indoor walls.
Which floor is best for the whole house?
A matte porcelain in a medium or large format, in a neutral tone, with a slip-resistant version for bathrooms and the terrace. That gives you visual continuity throughout the home.
Can porcelain be installed over an existing floor?
In many cases, yes, if the existing floor is well bonded and level, using a suitable tile adhesive. Pieces 7-10 mm thick barely raise the floor height. Check with your installer.
Have a project in mind? Send us the measurements and the style you're after and we'll help you choose.
