Tiles

Ceramic tiles are not just another product within the tile industry—they are the starting point of it.

Long before vitrified and porcelain technologies emerged, ceramic tiles established the fundamental logic of surface design: a formed body, a fired structure, and a functional surface layer.

Even today, they remain one of the most widely specified materials—not because they do everything, but because they perform a specific role with consistency.

Their relevance is not historical. It is functional and ongoing.

Ceramic tiles are manufactured from natural clay and minerals, fired at controlled temperatures to achieve structural stability.

Unlike vitrified or porcelain tiles, they are not fully densified. This results in a body that retains a degree of porosity—an attribute that directly influences both performance and application.

This has three practical implications:

This is not a limitation—it is what defines the material’s role. However if glaze is applied ceramic tiles then the story changes.

The performance of a ceramic tile is largely determined by its surface.

The glaze, fused during firing, creates a non-porous layer that resists moisture, staining and routine chemical exposure.

It also defines the visual outcome—whether high gloss, matte, textured or digitally printed.

In practical terms, the glaze does two things:

This combination allows ceramic tiles to operate as both a functional surface and a design element.

Ceramic tiles are most effectively used on walls.

Their relatively lower density reduces dead load, while their body structure allows for reliable adhesion across a variety of substrates.

The glazed surface ensures resistance to moisture and staining, making them particularly suitable for wet and semi-wet areas.

Typical applications include:

They combine performance, ease of installation and design flexibility without over-engineering the solution.

Ceramic tiles can be used on floors, but within controlled conditions.

They are suitable for:

As load, impact or footfall increases, the material reaches its performance limits.

In such cases, vitrified and porcelain tiles become more appropriate.

This distinction is essential for correct specification.

Ceramic tiles function as a system of two layers:

In application:

This separation of roles is what allows ceramic tiles to remain efficient in their intended use cases.

Ceramic tiles are best understood as part of a broader material progression:

This is not a hierarchy of superiority, but of application specificity.

Each material exists because the demands of different surfaces are not the same.

Ceramic tiles remain one of the most design-flexible materials in interior architecture.

They allow:

This makes them particularly relevant in residential interiors and projects where visual outcomes are important, but structural demands are limited.

Vitrified tiles represent a significant advancement over traditional ceramic bodies.

The term vitrified refers to the process of transforming the tile body into a dense, glass-like structure through high-temperature firing.

During this process, raw materials fuse together, reducing porosity and increasing strength.

The result is a tile with:

This shift enables tiles to move from wall applications into load-bearing and high-use environments.

The defining characteristic of vitrified tiles is low porosity.

Water absorption levels are typically below 0.5%, which results in:

At the same time, increased density improves:

Where performance is largely surface-driven, vitrified tiles derive their performance from the entire body structure.

Vitrified tiles are designed for horizontal and high-stress applications.

They are commonly used in:

Their durability and low maintenance make them suitable for continuous-use environments.

They offer a balance between performance, longevity and visual consistency.

Not all vitrified tiles are the same. The category includes multiple subtypes, each engineered for specific use cases.

Full body tiles have a uniform composition throughout their thickness.

This means:

They are typically used in:

Double charge tiles are manufactured by feeding two layers of pigments into the tile during pressing. This creates a thicker patterned surface layer compared to standard printed tiles, resulting in:

They are commonly used in:

Double charge tiles balance durability with basic surface aesthetics.

GVT tiles combine a vitrified body with a glazed surface layer. This allows:

The vitrified base provides strength, while the glaze defines the visual output.

They are suitable for:

GVT tiles represent the shift toward design-led vitrified surfaces.

PGVT tiles are an extension of GVT, with an additional polishing process applied to the surface.

This results in:

They are typically used in:

PGVT tiles focus on surface refinement while retaining vitrified strength.

The idea of a “full body” tile extends beyond just a subtype, it represents a design philosophy. A tile that performs consistently across its entire thickness is inherently more reliable in demanding conditions. This principle becomes especially relevant in:

This same concept evolves further in advanced tile technologies and large-format slabs, where uniformity and strength are critical to both performance and application.

Vitrified tiles form the bridge between traditional ceramic bodies and advanced porcelain surfaces.

They introduce:

Porcelain tiles take this further through:

This progression reflects the continuous refinement of tile technology.

Defining Porcelain Within the Tile Spectrum

Porcelain tiles represent the most refined category within ceramic-based surfaces. While often grouped with vitrified tiles, porcelain is distinguished by its raw material purity, finer particle size and higher firing temperatures. The result is a tile body that is significantly denser, less porous and more structurally stable. Porcelain is not a different material family, it is a more controlled and advanced form of vitrified technology.

Porcelain tiles are manufactured using highly refined raw materials, including kaolin clay, feldspar and silica.

These materials are processed into extremely fine particles and fired at temperatures exceeding 1200°C.

This results in near-complete vitrification, producing a compact, homogeneous structure.

The outcome is a tile with:

This level of precision enables porcelain tiles to perform in demanding architectural conditions.

The most defining characteristic of porcelain tiles is extremely low porosity.

Water absorption levels are typically below 0.1%, which impacts performance:

This makes porcelain tiles suitable for both interior and exterior applications, including environments where exposure conditions are unpredictable.

Porcelain tiles are engineered for high-performance applications.

Their dense body structure provides:

Unlike surface-dependent materials, porcelain tiles maintain performance throughout their thickness.

They are suitable for:

Porcelain is often specified where consistency under stress is critical.

Porcelain tiles combine performance with design flexibility.

Through advanced glazing and digital printing, they can replicate:

Available finishes include:

This allows porcelain tiles to function as both a technical solution and a design surface, without compromising performance.

Porcelain tiles are suitable across a wide range of applications due to their structural and environmental resistance.

Typical uses include:

Their ability to perform consistently across these environments makes them one of the most versatile materials in modern construction.

Porcelain tiles are a refined subset of vitrified tiles:

The difference lies in degree, not category. Porcelain represents the upper end of vitrified technology.

Porcelain or Technical Porcelain slab or tiles are central to the development of large-format slabs and advanced surface systems. Technologies such as Continua+ enable the production of large, thin yet strong slabs with high dimensional accuracy

These are used in:

Similarly, advanced processing technologies allow for full-body and high-density structures that maintain consistency across thickness, even in large formats. This expands porcelain from flooring into architectural and design-led applications.

Tile specification has moved beyond coverage.

In contemporary interiors, large surfaces are often resolved with neutral materials, while selected zones introduce contrast and hierarchy.

Premium decorative tiles operate within this second layer.

They are not used extensively, but deliberately, typically occupying a small percentage of the overall surface while carrying a disproportionate visual role.

Decorative tiles are defined less by base material and more by surface engineering.

They are typically produced using:

Surface technologies include:

These treatments influence how the surface interacts with light, cleaning and long-term use.

Unlike standard tiles that prioritise continuity, decorative tiles are designed for modular application.

Common formats include:

The choice of size is not incidental, it determines:

Decorative tiles are rarely used across entire rooms. Their application is selective and functional within design intent.

Residential applications:

Commercial applications:

In both cases, the tile is used to anchor or differentiate a surface, not to dominate it.

Across projects, decorative tiles tend to operate in three consistent roles:

These roles are practical, they help break and control visual monotony without increasing material complexity.

While design-driven, performance depends on the base material:

Important considerations:

This ensures alignment between design and long-term usability.

Decorative tiles are most effective when used in combination with other tile categories and slabs.

Typical pairing strategies:

This creates:

In well-resolved interiors, decorative tiles rarely exceed 10–20% of the total tiled area, yet define the character of the space.

Walk into a contemporary hotel lobby or a well-resolved living space today, and one change is immediately noticeable, surfaces appears seamless and expansive.Joints are fewer, lines are cleaner, and materials read as continuous planes rather than assembled pieces. This shift is not accidental. It reflects a broader movement in architecture and interior design towards visual continuity.

Large format slabs emerge from this requirement. They are not simply larger tiles, they are a response to a design demand:

This is why they have become increasingly preferred by architects and designers, particularly in spaces where proportion, alignment and finish quality are critical.

Large format slabs are engineered surfaces designed to function as continuous planes rather than modular units. Unlike conventional tiles, which rely on repetition and visible joints, slabs reduce segmentation, allowing walls, floors and architectural elements to be perceived as unified surfaces.

Typical sizes include:

At these dimensions, performance is not defined by size alone, but by the ability to maintain uniform density, dimensional stability and surface integrity across the entire slab.

Large format slabs are based on highly refined porcelain compositions consisting of:

These materials are processed into fine powders to ensure:

At slab scale, even minor inconsistencies in composition can result in warpage or internal stress. Material control is therefore significantly tighter than in conventional tiles.

Powder Preparation

Raw materials are:

Continuous Compaction (Continua+)

Large format slabs are formed using continuous compaction systems such as Continua+, which fundamentally differ from hydraulic presses.

Mechanism

Key Outcomes

Why Cylindrical Rollers Matter

Unlike vertical pressing:

This is critical for large formats such as 1200 × 2400 mm and above, where uneven compaction would otherwise lead to deformation.

At the forming stage, slabs can be engineered as:

The full body concept becomes more critical at slab scale, especially in:

After forming, slabs undergo high-temperature firing (typically 1200°C–1400°C). During sintering:

This results in:

Uniform compaction from Continua+ ensures:

At slab scale, surface performance is critical. Somany’s FCS (Frittage Compact Slabs) technology ensures:

Surface Consistency

Performance

Hygiene

Application Relevance

Particularly known for:

Applications: Expanding the Role of Tiles

Large format slabs extend ceramic surfaces into multiple applications:

Their low porosity, strength and dimensional stability allow them to perform in environments exposed to moisture, heat and structural use.

Different thicknesses define application:

Large format slabs extend ceramic surfaces into multiple uses:

They perform reliably in environments exposed to moisture, heat and structural use.

The choice between large format slabs and conventional tiles is not a matter of preference alone, it is a function of scale, application, execution capability and design intent. Both materials operate within the same ceramic ecosystem, but their effectiveness depends on how precisely they are deployed.

1. Visual Continuity vs Modular Expression

Use Large Format Slabs

When the objective is to create continuous, uninterrupted surfaces with minimal joints.

Typical in:

Use Standard Tiles

When the design benefits from modularity, repetition or pattern articulation.

Typical in:

2. Scale of space

Slabs

Perform best in larger spaces, where their size enhances proportion and reduces visual fragmentation.

Tiles

Offer better control in compact spaces, where large slabs may require excessive cutting or disrupt layout balance.

3. Application Type

Slabs

Suitable for:

Tiles

Suitable for:

4. Structural and Performance Requirements

Slabs(especially thicker variants)

Used where surface must handle:

Tiles

Suitable for:

5. Installation and Execution Capability

Slabs

Require

Tiles

More adaptable to:

6. Maintenance and Lifecycle

Slabs

Tiles

7. Cost and Material Efficiency

Slabs

Tiles

A Practical Approach

In most well-resolved projects, slabs and tiles are not competing choices, they are used together.

A common strategy:

This ensures:

Mosaic tiles represent the smallest unit within the tile spectrum, defined by their modular composition and fine-scale surface articulation.

Unlike standard tiles or large format slabs, which aim to reduce joints and create continuity, mosaics operate in the opposite direction, introducing density, segmentation and detail into a surface.

Typically composed of small units mounted on mesh or backing sheets, mosaic tiles allow complex surfaces to be constructed through repetition of smaller elements.

Their strength lies not in size, but in resolution.

Mosaic tiles are not limited to a single material category. They are manufactured using a range of base materials depending on application and design intent:

In most cases, these materials are pre-assembled into sheets (commonly 300×300 mm), allowing easier installation while maintaining the visual effect of individual small units.

Mosaic tiles are defined by chip size rather than tile size.

Common configurations include:

These chips are typically mounted on backing sheets for installation efficiency.

The choice of chip size affects:

Unlike large tiles, mosaics are designed to increase joint frequency, not reduce it.

Mosaic tiles are produced through standard tile manufacturing processes (ceramic, porcelain or glass), followed by:

This sheet-based system ensures:

Despite their small size, mosaics require precision in assembly to ensure overall surface consistency.

The performance of mosaic tiles is influenced by both the material and the joint system.

1. Slip Resistance

2. Flexibility on Surfaces

This makes them suitable for applications where larger tiles cannot be used effectively.

3. Water Resistance

Mosaic tiles are used where precision and adaptability are required.

Mosaic tiles are rarely used for large surface coverage. Their role is more specific:

In well-designed spaces, mosaics are often used in combination with:

This layered approach allows surfaces to achieve both: scale (through slabs) and detail (through mosaics).

While mosaics are easier to handle due to sheet mounting, they require:

Grout becomes a critical component in mosaic applications, influencing both: