Large Format Tiles

Large Format Tiles

Large format tiles are tiles of 600mm or more on their longest edge. Common sizes include 600x600mm, 600x1200mm, 800x800mm and 1200x1200mm, with most produced in porcelain. Each tile covers a bigger area, which means fewer grout lines and a floor or wall that reads as one continuous surface rather than a grid.

Benefits Of Large Format Tiles

• Fewer grout joints: less grout to clean and maintain and fewer places for dirt and bacteria to collect, which matters in washrooms, kitchens and healthcare settings.
• A continuous finish: suited to receptions, retail floors and hospitality spaces where the surface should read as a single plane.
• A greater sense of space: fewer visible joints can make a room feel larger and calmer, including smaller areas such as WCs and lift lobbies.
• Matching walls and floors: many ranges are offered in both floor and wall formats, allowing one finish to run across both.
• Durability: most large format tiles are porcelain, which is dense and hard wearing and suits areas with heavy footfall.

Where To Use Large Format Floor And Wall Tiles

Large format floor tiles are widely specified for office receptions, retail units, hotel lobbies, restaurants and transport spaces. As wall tiles, they’re used for feature walls, washrooms, shower areas and lift lobbies, where fewer joints make cleaning easier. Exterior-rated porcelain also allows an internal floor finish to continue onto terraces and walkways, alongside the wider range of exterior tiles.

Specifying Large Format Tiles

Large tiles shift more of the risk onto the substrate and fixing specification than smaller formats do. Key points to plan for:

• Substrate flatness: a large tile can’t follow an uneven background. Substrates should be flat to SR1 (no more than 3mm deviation under a 2m straightedge). Any deviation should be corrected with levelling compound rather than extra adhesive.
• Adhesive coverage: a solid bed with no voids is needed, achieved by back-buttering the tile as well as notching the bed. Voids under a large tile can lead to cracking under point loads. Adhesive classifications are explained in the guide to the different types of tile adhesive.
• Offset patterns: limit brick or offset bonds to a third of the tile length. Larger offsets can cause lippage due to slight bowing in long tiles.
• Movement joints: include perimeter joints at all abutments and intermediate joints across larger areas, with closer spacing over underfloor heating or where floors are exposed to solar gain.
• Slip resistance: for floors, check the tile’s PTV rating suits the area, particularly at entrances and in wet areas.
• Handling and access: larger tiles need two people and suction lifters, with a clear route to the work area. Confirm access dimensions before the specification is finalised rather than on delivery day.

For formats above 1200mm, see extra large format tiles. For falls to drains and tight or irregular areas, see small format tiles.

Large Format Tiles FAQs

What are the disadvantages of large format tiles?

They’re less forgiving of poor preparation. Large tiles need a flatter substrate, fuller adhesive coverage and more careful handling than smaller formats. They’re also less suited to floors with falls to drains, where smaller tiles follow the gradient more easily.

Do large format tiles crack more easily?

Not inherently, but they’re less tolerant of poor installation. Cracking almost always traces back to voids in the adhesive bed, an unsound or moving substrate or missing movement joints rather than to the tile itself.

Can large format tiles be used on walls?

Yes. They’re used on walls in receptions, washrooms and shower areas. The background must be able to carry the combined weight of tile and adhesive. An adhesive with a T (reduced slip) classification helps hold heavy tiles in place while it sets.