Floor tiling and large format porcelain
Porcelain up to 1000x1000, open-plan ground floors and herringbone, on floors that have been levelled first. Floor tilers across West Sussex and Hampshire.
A big tile needs a flat floor and a plan before it needs anything else.
Every large format floor we do starts with the same two questions: how flat is it, and where do the cuts land? Then it is a matter of getting the prep right. Our Walberton floor needed the old flooring taking out, the timber areas boarding and the screed levelling before any of the Quorn Stone went down.
We have put 1000x1000 porcelain through an 80m² open-plan kitchen over anti-fracture matting and a heat mat, and laid 600x900 limestone in a random bond through a main floor.
Where would your cuts land?
Put in your room and a tile, and we will draw where the cuts land. It is the same sum we do on site before the first tile goes down.
Whole tileCut tileCentre lines
- Floor area
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- Tiles in the layout
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- Smallest cut
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- To order, covering every piece
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Sizes and what they need
Numbers from Tile Association guidance. We go wider where your manufacturer says so.
| Format | Size | Minimum joint |
|---|---|---|
| Tile | Up to 3,600cm², up to 600mm edge | Walls 2mm or more, floors 3mm or more |
| Large format | Over 3,600cm², up to 1,200mm edge | Walls 3mm, floors 3mm or more |
| Panel | Over 1m², edge above 1,200mm | Walls 5mm for a 3m panel |
Movement joints stay where the building has them. They are not something a tile can bridge.
For our new home we decided we would have underfloor heating throughout with porcelain tiles to the ground floor. The job he did for us throughout the house is totally outstanding.New home customer, West Wittering
Floor questions
What counts as large format?
Tile Association guidance treats anything over 3,600cm², up to 1,200mm on an edge, as large format. So 1200x600 and 1000x1000 are large format. Over 1m² with an edge above 1,200mm it is a panel, like the 1.2x2.6m Porcelanosa sheets we put on a fireplace back in 2018.
How flat does the floor need to be?
The bigger the tile, the less it forgives. A common target is SR1, which is no more than 3mm under a 2m straightedge. We check it and level where it needs it, because a dip shows up straight away as a raised edge.
Why do you use so much adhesive?
On floors the tile should be fully supported, with no voids. A hollow spot under a big porcelain tile is where it cracks when someone drops a saucepan. Dot and dab is not an option.
Should long tiles be offset by half?
We usually offset long tiles by a third. A half bond shows up any natural bow in the tile as a step at each joint.
What is the best tile for underfloor heating?
Porcelain is the usual choice. Stone and ceramic work too, as long as the adhesive and grout are flexible and the heating has been commissioned correctly. Tile floor temperature should stay at or under 29°C in occupied areas.
How long does a large floor take?
About 40m² of large format is usually 1 to 1.5 weeks, prep included. For scale, we have laid 900x900 in 4.5 days with one tiler. Herringbone takes longer: more cuts, more set-out.
Got a floor to tile?
Send us the room sizes, what is under it now, and the tile if you have chosen one.