Tiles have become an extremely popular choice of décor. Manufacturers have risen to the increase in demand and hunger for varied designs with a myriad of different sizes and styles. Choosing the right size tile for a project can be a very daunting and personal decision.
However, there are some basics that should be considered and may help you narrow down the selection and put you on the right track.We also talked about A Detailed Insight on Choosing the Right Tile for Your Project in our previous article. If it is helpful to you, you can click here to view it.
Large or Small Tiles?
Let’s start by explaining what we mean when we talk about tile sizes. A small tile can be considered anything up to 200x200mm. A medium tile can be considered anything from 200x200mm up to 600x400mm.
A large tile is from 600×600 up to 900x450mm and extra large from 750x750mm upwards. Now this does not cover every size but it gives you a basic understanding of the common sizes available.
The correct size of tile for your project depends on the size of the room and the design style you are adopting. When installing small tiles there will inevitably be more grout joints. Smaller tiles can give you more options with fitting patterns and when used with a contrasting grout can create an interesting feature.
If you have a large open-plan space and want to add a contemporary or minimalist design then a large tile such as 800x800mm or 1200x600mm may be just the ticket. Even a large wood effect tile such as 1200x200mm may be suitable.
If on the other hand, you want a country cottage or traditional style project, then you may wish to choose a smaller tile and use the grout joints to complement the design with a carefully selected grout color.
Will a Big Tile Make a Small Space Look Bigger?
This is a common question and one without an easy answer. The best way to think about this is to think of a tile size in proportion to the room space. For example in a small cloakroom, a 300x600mm tile may look big and create fewer grout joints, making the room feel larger.
While a 1200x600mm tile will probably be too big whilst generating even fewer joints. This size tile can look clumsy if out of proportion to the room, creating unsightly small cuts and even dwarfing the room. In this case, you are better off thinking about the tile size as a ratio to the room size.
How Fitting Patterns Impact the Look
While tile sizes do have an impact on the feeling of space, the same can be said for fitting patterns. If a rectangular-shaped tile is fitted on the floor in a landscape fashion running across the entrance, the room will appear wider. If the same tile is fitted in a portrait style then the room will appear longer.
This is because the eye and brain work to interpret the surrounding décor and consider grout joints to be broken in the surface area. Thus creating the illusion of a smaller or larger space.
Fitting square floor tiles in a diamond pattern can also make the room appear larger. Fitting brick-shaped tiles in a herringbone style on walls can look visually stunning but can make the room feel smaller.
What is the right size tile to fit?
Planning an installation in order for all cuts to look balanced and in proportion with the room, with a high-quality tiled finish is a bit of an art.
The wrong-sized tiles can create many awkward cuts and generate a high amount of waste. Imagine a small cloakroom with 1200x600mm tiles fitted. It will be hard for the installer to cut around any furnishings, windows doors, etc. while keeping the right visual balance in the room.
A medium-sized tile such as a 300x600mm will be easier to manipulate around this space and will look far more appealing. Just as a large tile can be awkward to fit in a small space, the same can be said for a small tile in a large space. A large open plan area is going to look far more balanced with a large tile, it will also be easier and faster to install and easier to maintain.
Sizes Availability in the Market
What Sizes Are Available for Floor Tile?
The most common sizes in the market today are
400 x 400
300 x 300
600 x 600
800 x 800
900 x 900
1000 x 1000
1200 x 600
1200 x 1200
What else needs to be considered?
Choosing the right size tile goes much farther beyond what will fit in a space. There may be standard sizes for certain applications and tile sizes that are commonly used in different places. But there is actually a wide array of size options you can use for the various spaces in your home.
Different tile sizes impact the overall appearance of a space and can either enhance the look and feel you were going for, or diminish your intention.In this post we explore the different aspects of tile size, how they influence the appearance of a space, and how to choose the right size.
Choosing Tile Relative to the Space and Expected Feel
The simplest approach to choosing the right size tile is to choose a tile relative to the size of your space. A large area like an open floor kitchen and dining room, or a large living room will be able to handle large tiles. A medium space like a bathroom will work well with medium-sized tiles and small, mosaic tiles will be most suitable for a small area.
Begin by measuring your space to be tiled by the length and width of the floor or wall. The square footage will help you create a template out of paper that will allow you to experiment with different tile shapes and sizes to create the layout you like best.
When doing your measurements, consider the cabinets and countertops you need to work around, as well as any corners or kitchen islands on the floor. Bear in mind that when tiling a floor, large tiles like Paving Tile won’t allow you as much flexibility and room for working with the natural flow and structure of the floor.
With large tiles, you need to be extra careful to install them as evenly and as level as possible.While it’s easy to get hung up about tile sizes, it’s worth taking a minute to consider the different finishes that are on offer as these can also have a dramatic impact on the project.
A large dark tile in a small room can make it look smaller than a light medium-sized gloss tile. A large bathroom may look fantastic with a mosaic finish shower adding an eye-catching feature rather than large tiles throughout. Gloss finishes tend to make a dark room look larger as they reflect any available light.
Aesthetics
Perhaps the most important factor to consider when choosing large or small tiles. Whilst large format tiles offer a seamless and chic surface that can elevate any room, small tiles can offer more creativity. Small tiles add character and charm with the option to create different patterns and play with color.
Large format tiles, however, are often one color and mimic textures such as marble, cement, and/or wood.Ultimately, large format tiles will look modern, stylish, and expansive. Small format tiles will come in handy with their fun, creative, and interesting patterns.
Functionality
Both large and small format tiles can accommodate different spaces. From kitchen and bathroom to dining areas and bedrooms—both options can accommodate a wide variety of needs.If you’re installing tiles in your kitchen or bathroom, it’s important to consider slip resistance.
For both residential and commercial settings, slip resistance is a vital feature to include in your ceramic tiles to prevent accidents from occurring. Ensure to check the tile description or hop on a call with George Ceramic should you need help selecting a slip-resistant tile.
Maintenance
Those who choose large-format tiles will be delighted to discover that large-format tiles require less maintenance. Considering there are fewer grout lines to treat up, and in some cases no grout lines, between large format tiles, there’s less vigorous maintenance required.
The smaller the tile, the more grout lines you will have on your surface. The grout line is the gap between one tile and another. Grout lines are essential, allowing for dilation of the floors and natural settling due to structural movements and variations in temperatures.
Although 0 grout line is impossible, there are options for those seeking a minimal aesthetic with as few grout lines as possible.If you are aiming for flooring with no grout lines, we would recommend large format tiles. Large format tiles have grown in popularity due to their striking appearance featuring minimal grout lines.
Large format tiles are big in size varying from 500mm x 1000mm, 1000mm x 1000mm, 1000mm x 3000mm, and 1440x3200mm. The result is a surface with nearly no visible grout lines.
Tiles with a rectified edge require less maintenance due to their straight edges allowing for fewer gaps between tiles. Tiles with a rectified edge generally have a gap between 1-2mm rather than 2-5mm, which greatly aids the cleaning process.
Related Reading：Exploring Techniques to Keep Your Tiles Clean and Maintained