How thick should a tile be?
The material and its future use determine the thickness of the tiles
When we are going to choose tiles for an architectural or interior design project, we must take into account many fundamental factors and the most important one, is the use we are going to give them, because a wall tiling for a kitchen is not the same as floor tiling for a high traffic floor in a shopping centre or a tile that we are going to lay in a place that is a little more complicated, such as a garden.
Therefore, the first thing we must always be clear about when we are going to choose tiles is how and what they are going to be used for.
This use will determine, among other things, the thickness of the tiles to be laid. It seems obvious that the tiles will be thicker the more resistance our project requires, but other characteristics come into play here, such as the material of the tiles.
In general, the thickness of a tile is around 1 centimetre, but we can find different exceptions depending on the material used and what it is going to be used for.
Here are some examples:
- Wall tiles: A tile that is going to be laid on the wall does not require as much resistance and can therefore be somewhat thinner. In addition, wall tiles are not as large as floor tiles and this means that they can also be made thinner.
We can find wall tiles with a thickness of around 5mm, which has many advantages, as they weigh less and are therefore easier to lay and transport. In addition, as they require less raw material and take up less space (more logistical advantages), they are more sustainable and can also be more economical. - Floor tiles: Here we find standard thicknesses of around 10 mm, whether they are gres or porcelain tiles. In general, we are looking for maximum resistance for both indoors and outdoors.
It is important to take into account the format, as in the case of very large formats, it will be necessary to have a little more thickness so that the pieces do not have an excess of curvature. - Outdoor floor tiles: Many interior design and architectural projects require pieces with double thickness (over 20 mm), especially when they are intended for spaces where there will be a lot of transit of people.
These pieces are also recommended for exteriors with extreme weather conditions, which can suffer both very high and very low temperatures and sudden changes in a matter of a few hours. However, the thicker pieces require special materials and more experience when laying them.
One should not forget that the thickness of tiles is closely related to technological advances: as raw materials and production processes improve, tiles can become thinner and more resistant, something that has a direct influence on the final price of the tiles and the effects it has on the environment.
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