One of the biggest areas of growth we’re witnessing in the tile world is large format material.
Only a few years ago, a 60 x 60cm tile was deemed suitable for most areas and was possibly the most common used size, which gradually crept up to 80 x 80cm or even 100 x 100cm. Nowadays however even the 1 square metre tiles are deemed nothing more than the norm.
A swift and impressive evolution in the production processes mean that we’re now seeing tiles as large as 160cm x 320cm in a variety of amazing designs being specified on a regular basis. Highly stylised, designs vary from an industrial concrete look such as our ‘Teknostone’ range through to fine quality marble replicas as in ‘Kensington’ and ‘Monmouth’ and in some cases even hand decorated and glow in the dark ranges.
So what’s the benefit of large format? Without a doubt a big part of the attraction is the grandeur, especially if you’re looking to create a centrepiece bathroom or living area. What once may have been clad in thick solid marble slabs can now be covered using 6mm porcelain which is a fraction of the cost to purchase and install, has huge benefits for the environment and, due to the incredible manufacturing processes now available, is almost indistinguishable from real marble – even incorporating book match and vein matched patterns.
Grandeur and practicality may not be the most obvious bedfellows, but when a large format porcelain tile is used instead of marble there are no sealants required and no ongoing sealer or maintenance costs. Against smaller tiles there’s also the practical side of having fewer grout joints. All in all, more chances for your tiling project to continue looking fabulous well into the future.
