Choosing Porcelain Slabs for Walls

What are Porcelain Slabs?

Porcelain tiles have been gradually increasing in size over the past few years and whilst some of the more popular sizes particularly for bathrooms are still 600 x 600 and 600 x 300mm the choice of tile size is without doubt getting bigger.

The beauty and benefits of large format Porcelain tiles in sizes such as 900 x 900mm, 1200 x 1200mm, 1200 x 600mm and even 1510 x 750mm sizes for floors and walls is making them the go to choice for developers, interior designers, and home owners. Less grout is always appealing and with space opening up in homes as more and more people opt for open plan living to create seamless kitchen and dining areas the trend towards large format is likely to continue.

Porcelain Slabs are available in even larger sizes, for example 2400 x 1200mm and 2700 x 1200mm and just like large format tiles, can transform a space or a room and really create the wow factor! There really is nothing like a wall created from just 2 or 3 slab tiles. They look simply stunning and they are incredibly practical as we will see.

With the most beautiful decors available ranging from concretes to marble and cements to metal effects they not only look amazing, they are also very easy to maintain. Slabs come in varying thicknesses – some as thin as 4mm and up to around 9mm. A typical 9mm thick slab 2400mm x 1200mm might weigh in the region of 58kgs to give you some idea of weight and generally they are delivered on an A Frame – a wooden frame where the slab sits vertically and at an angle for ease of handling.

Where can I Use a Porcelain Slab?

Whether you are remodeling your existing home, creating a stunning new extension or undertaking a new build project, large slabs will create a fantastic wow factor and can be used in lots of ways around your home.

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Bathrooms and Showers

Probably the most obvious use is in the bathroom as shower panels or as a feature wall around the bath. Unlike natural stone which may require regular sealing, Porcelain doesn’t require any maintenance. Also, where many laminate panels can “blow” and delaminate if not installed and sealed correctly, Porcelain isn’t porous so there is no risk of anything happening to the tile itself. So it really is the ideal solution for bathroom installations and there is no doubt about it, with the right design, you really can create the feeling of a “spa” in your home! Of course the biggest benefit is just a single line or few lines of minimal grout. It’s worth checking that slabs have rectified edges, that means the edges are straight, which in turn means even where there is grout it is at an absolute minimum.

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It is possible to cut and install slabs on site with a really great tile fitter who is happy to handle the material, but it is always worth speaking with your tiler and weighing up the risk and deciding if you would prefer to have your room professionally templated and the slabs pre-cut and delivered ready for installation. That way, any shower valve holes etc can be cut precisely so there is less risk of damage on site.

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Working with a company who can produce a professional render of how your slabs will look once installed can help you visualise the final install.

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As well as installing slabs around an entire shower area or bath, you can think about creating one single feature wall and choosing other tiles to work around the remaining walls and the floor of the bathroom.

Feature Walls Anywhere in Your Home

And Porcelain slabs can be used to clad an entire wall in your kitchen or for that matter any room! They are a beautiful way to turn a wall into a gorgeous feature.

An Art Piece!

There is such an exceptional array of décor and stunning design these slabs are pieces of art in themselves so a single slab beautifully installed in your home can transform a wall or space!

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Kitchen Splashbacks

Slabs will very often be part of a collection of other size tiles making them incredibly versatile.

Elements Reef featured here is also available in 600 x 600 and 600 x 300mm allowing you complete design flexibility. Perfect if you are looking for a splashback to work with kitchen tiles. Choosing large format slab tiles to create splashbacks means a grout free easily cleaned stunning surface in your kitchen and they can beautifully bring a whole design together.

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What are the benefits of Porcelain?

Porcelain as a material is undisputed in terms of durability. That’s because the tiles are heated at extreme temperatures making them extremely durable and stain resistant as well as impenetrable to moisture so they can withstand cold, rain and frost meaning they can be installed in the harshest of conditions. Porcelain is also about as easy as you will get from a maintenance perspective.

Key Considerations

If you are thinking about Porcelain slabs for your home, it is worth double checking you are able to actually get them into the room you want them installed in. It can be tricky manoeuvring a 2.7 x 1.2m slab around a tight staircase or into a small bathroom and it’s one of those things that sometimes gets forgotten in the excitement of finding a product you’ve just fallen in love with!

If you love slabs but are struggling with space then looking at a slightly smaller 1500 x 750 size is a great option. Used either vertically or horizontally on walls – even in smaller rooms they can look amazing.

It is also important to check with a professional regards installation of slabs and use of the correct adhesives and products and how to apply them to ensure they are fitted correctly

TileHaus specialise in the supply of exquisite Porcelain floor and wall tiles and in particular large format Porcelain tiles, Porcelain tiles for inside and outside. Our showroom is housed in the Old Print Works in Kettering, Northamptonshire, a gorgeous example of Victorian architecture, set across 3 floors.

Our entire tile collection is on display and is also available to view on our website. We offer a fast turnaround sample service and deliver UK wide.

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