Large Format Tiles: Bigger is Better

Large Format Tiles? Bigger Really is Better

There are always new trends occurring in the tile design space: more color, more handmade tiles, smaller grout joints and stacked patterns are a few of the more common today. But from my perspective, one of the most useful trends in tile design happening right now is the widescale adoption of large format tiles. So what are the benefits, and why should you be considering upsizing your tile for your install?

Fewer Grout joints

From an installer, grout is the single most problematic part of any tile installation. By reducing the number of grout joints, you can reduce the impact of dirty or cracking grout joints. From a design perspective, eliminating grout joints can also create a more monolithic character for your tile install, reducing the emphasis on distracting seams in the pattern and allowing for the character of the stone or porcelain tile to feel less interrupted. Some panels have become so large that a shower can be composed of three tiles, one for each wall, creating a nearly seamless effect.

Less Opportunity for Mold and Moisture Problems

This is somewhat related to the point on fewer joints, but one of the advantage of a large tile is that porcelain is nearly entirely water impervious. If your shower is installed with a 24” x 48” tile, the length of your grout joints are half that of of a similar shower tiled with 12”x 24” tile. Not only does this result in a shower with fewer grout joints to clean, but it also reduces the amount of water soaking into the grout and the mortar behind the tile, meaning less water that needs to evaporate from the installation, and less likelihood that water can become trapped behind the tile and grow mold and mildew. It does not eliminate the need for adequate waterproofing, but it can result in less humidity in your bathroom and fewer chances for mold and mildew to set in. If you choose to pair these large format tiles with an epoxy grout, your shower will become almost entirely waterproof.