Are porcelain tiles good for bathroom floors?

In our blog, we explore the question, are porcelain tiles good for bathroom floors? The flooring you choose for your bathroom is an important decision. Ultimately if you are refurbishing or building new bathrooms as part of a home development, you will want a flooring that is going to last. That means, among other things, it needs to be water resistant, moisture resistant and stand up to daily wear and tear. You will also want a flooring that is beautiful to look at! Porcelain is all these things and more. So, in answer to our question:

Are porcelain tiles good for bathroom floors? Yes, they are. Porcelain tiles are very strong, highly durable, water and moisture resistant making them one of the bet flooring options for bathrooms.

Let’s take a closer look at why porcelain tiles are such a great choice for bathroom floors.

The benefits of porcelain tiles for bathroom floors

Moisture and water resistant: Because porcelain is such a dense material, it is very well suited to wet or high moisture environments because tiles are non-porous.

Scratch resistance: porcelain tiles are highly scratch resistant so they can withstand daily wear and tear making them ideal for the busiest of bathrooms!

Durable: porcelain tiles are very durable – like anything, correct installation is key of course, so employing the services of a professional is important, but once installed well, your tiles will last and last and won’t show signs of wear in well-trodden areas.

Low maintenance: All the above make porcelain tiles very low maintenance and so easy to clean. A sweep to remove dust and loose debris followed by a quick mop with warm water is all that is usually needed to keep them looking new.

Design: porcelain tiles are specifically designed to mimic other materials so you will find tiles that look like everything from wood to marble, limestone to concrete, cement to slate and more. Great quality porcelain tiles also house high numbers of patterns for ultra-realism, so pattern repeats are kept to a minimum.

Innovative surfaces: surface textures of tiles have been driven by innovation so gone are the days of just a polished or matt finish. Now tile textures come in everything from natural to soft finishes and even finishes with higher grip which makes them perfect for bathrooms. Take our Antislip Soft textured tiles, this innovative R11 A+B+C surface has a higher level of grip than a typical tile and is designed to be easy to clean.

Underfloor heating: porcelain tiles work very well with underfloor heating making it easy to keep your new bathroom toasty warm.

Some practical tips for choosing porcelain tiles for the bathroom

Tile finish: The finish of a tile is very important especially in bathrooms. Glossy or polished tiles can be slippery when wet whereas a textured or matt tile will give you better traction. It is key to consider the slip rating of tiles. Tiles have slip ratings between R9 and R13 with R13 being the highest. Read more about slip ratings here.

Tile size: Bathrooms tend to be the smallest of rooms in the home, so tile size is a major consideration. Whilst it may be tempting to think smaller spaces need smaller tiles, in fact it is worth considering larger tiles especially if you are trying to create a serene, calming and relaxing bathroom space. This is because large format tiles mean there are less grout lines and grout lines can make spaces feel busy. However, always check with your tiler regards tile size and your chosen tiles to make sure they are suitable.

Grout lines: With rectified porcelain tiles you can achieve a super slim 3mm grout joint which means grout lines are at an absolute minimum. Rectified tiles are tiles with straight edges, and it is these straight edges that allow you to opt for thinner grout lines.

Tile colour and design: Colour has a huge impact on your overall design and lighting, both natural and artificial, can also make a huge difference to a space. For darker bathrooms with minimal light opt for lighter coloured tiles if you want to keep spaces light and airy. Or if you do want to opt for darker tiles then the artificial lighting you choose will be key. Tiles with polished surfaces will reflect light more brightly than a matt tile. There are tile surfaces that are matt but still have a soft sheen and these will diffuse light gently rather than a really matt or textured surface that absorbs light. However, as we have already explored, tile surface is also about safety in the bathroom so you could look to combine tiles with walls in a softer or more matt finish that can help lighten the room whilst floor tiles have a higher slip rating.

Porcelain vs Ceramic tiles

Of the two materials, porcelain is undoubtedly the harder wearing, however ceramic tiles have their place. Ceramic tiles are lighter and less dense than porcelain tiles and whilst this means they are not quite as durable for floors, they are easier to cut and lighter to install. Combining porcelain tiles for the floor with ceramic tiles for the wall can be a really great way to get the best of both worlds.

In summary

Are porcelain tiles durable?

Yes, they are. With correct installation and care your porcelain tiles will last for many years.

Are porcelain tiles slippery when wet?

They can be. Gloss or polished surfaces are more slippery when wet so look out for tiles with a matt or textured surface and a higher slip rating.

Are porcelain tiles easy to look after?

Yes, they are. A sweep followed by a mop with warm water and a buff with a dry cloth will keep them in tip top condition.

So, are porcelain tiles good for bathroom floors? They are an excellent choice. Not only are porcelain tiles highly durable, they are ideal for spaces with high moisture like bathrooms. Whilst they can be cold underfoot, this is easily solved with underfloor heating. And because porcelain tiles are available in different slip ratings and textures, you can choose a tile suitable for your space.

Porcelain bathroom floor tiles - gallery

Knot Porcelain Wooden Effect Tiles – Honey

Nature stone porcelain sandstone effect tiles – Sand

Abode limestone porcelain tile – sand

Misto terrazzo effect porcelain tiles – Multi

Dune porcelain beige marble effect tile

Serenity wood plank porcelain tile – Taupe

Want to know more?

Click the images to head straight to these tiles on our website. Working on a project? We’d love to help! Get in touch and let us start searching for beautiful tiles with you!

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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. In addition, you can view our entire tile collection at our Northamptonshire Showroom. 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. Installation requirements may vary depending on the tiles you choose, the fixing products used and the specific conditions. Always check with your tiler regards the suitability of the tiles. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions.

Are porcelain tiles good for bathroom floors?