A guide to choosing a high quality porcelain tile

In our guide to choosing a high quality porcelain tile we explore what, in our opinion, makes a high quality tile. So let’s start by finding out a little more about porcelain itself.

Porcelain is an exceptional material. It just ticks all the boxes – high wear and tear, scratch and fade resistance, frost resistance, easy clean, high stain resistance, etc etc . This is material that will not only stand the test of time, taking the spills and thrills of everyday life in its stride, it can also deliver on design and beauty. And at a price that shouldn’t break the bank. So what are you getting with a high-quality porcelain tile? Like anything, some manufacturers are continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible with their product – investing in technology and with porcelain it is no different – larger sizes, thinner formats, innovative anti-slip surfaces, more realistic designs, co-ordinating tiles for both inside and outside the home and a wealth of patterns per tiles are just a few of the ways manufacturers are setting themselves and their high quality porcelain tile collections apart.

Co-ordinating tiles for inside and outside the home

A porcelain tile is made from a mix of materials including natural clay and minerals. These minerals include things like feldspar, kaolin, water, minerals and colour pigments. Once mixed together, the tile is pressed into moulds and baked at high temperatures. This not only eradicates any water it also ensures the mixture fuses together. One of the most striking things about porcelain is its compactness – the result of top-level mechanical pressing and firing technology. It’s this mix of materials and process that deliver a product that is highly durable, has water absorption levels near to 0% and makes the product particularly resistant to wear, scratching and staining. That in turn makes porcelain one of the best possible materials for any environment indoors or outdoors. This means you can run the same flooring across both home and garden and porcelain is one of the only materials you can use.

Number of patterns or faces

As tile technology develops one of the advantages of choosing a high quality porcelain tile is the number of patterns per tile. Gone are the days when there were one or two patterns per tile hampering the ability to create a space that looked realistic. Yes you could turn tiles and try and mix it up but there are still only 2 or 3 patterns to do this with. Now, patterns are so developed that collections can house 20 or 30 or even up to 50 different patterns per tile. Of course, this is not so important with a fairly uniform tile such as a concrete, but it is important with a veined marble, stone effect or a porcelain tile that looks like wood. Our Season porcelain tiles have 39 individual plank designs – that means whatever colour you choose you will have a random mix of 39 different designs. That creates ultra realism.

Great design

As tile technology improves, another key benefit of high quality porcelain tiles is their ability to mimic other materials so brilliantly. This is not just about the number of patterns, this is also about advances in production where pattern and surface texture align. Imagine the veins in a leathered marble – where you can feel the pits and veins of the material. Or the knots and gnarls of a wood plank. Porcelains are echoing these natural materials like never before and with such incredible precision it can be tricky to tell the difference from the real thing. And of course, with porcelain there is no concern about wear and tear – unlike real marble your porcelain will not wear or stain easily and unlike real wood your porcelain planks won’t bend or warp in the shower area or need sealing and possibly resealing in the future.

Our Alpine collection of quartz stone effect tiles demonstrates beautifully the attention to detail in design. This high quality Italian tile has a surface that mimics real stone brilliantly with a slightly uneven riven surface so rather than a flat tile with an image, this tile really feels like a stone tile.

Surface texture

Surface texture can change a tile completely and change where and how you might use a tile. We’ve already talked about surface texture and design aligning to create tiles that are ultra realistic. In addition, antislip treatments are improving and delivering tiles that can be used in wet rooms, where a little more grip is required, that are still easy clean. Take our Antislip Soft tiles in our Docklands collection as an example. These Spanish tiles are great for wet rooms – where a slightly more antislip texture is key but you still want easy clean. Pick a tile that is too rough and you find it a nightmare to clean when installed inside. Instead our Antislip Soft texture is designed for easy clean and with an R11 A+B+C slip rating. That also makes this kind of tile great for busy kitchens or areas where water may be more prevalent.

These are three key ways high quality tile manufacturers are creating a high quality porcelain tile selection and setting themselves apart and producing tiles that really are top notch. Start exploring our high quality porcelain tiles by clicking here. You will find a whole host of beautiful Italian and Spanish designs!

High quality porcelain tile gallery

Knot Porcelain Wooden Effect Tiles – Ash

Macchia Vecchia large format marble porcelain tile

Serenity Wood Effect Porcelain Tiles – Sienna

Poise Porcelain Tiles – Pebble

Aspect porcelain tile that looks like Slate – Ash

Fusion Porcelain Tiles – Limestone

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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! This blog was updated in July 2025.

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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.