Floor Tiles

Choose a pattern scale that complements your room's dimensions and visual flow: - Small to Medium Rooms: Use herringbone, diagonal, or large-format offset patterns with matching grout. These layouts often draw the eye outward toward the walls rather than stopping at a grid line, which can make your floor feel less broken up. - Large Rooms & Open-Plan Areas: Expansive floors can easily accommodate high-contrast, repeating designs like classic checkerboard, basketweave, or intricate Victorian geometric layouts without feeling too busy or over the top. - Narrow Hallways and Galleys: Lay wood-effect planks or brick-bond tiles parallel to the longest wall to elongate the space, or choose a 75/25 offset to guide movement naturally through the room. Take a look at our tile pattern inspiration for more ideas.

The best tiles for your kitchen or bathroom floor depend entirely on your household's needs. For busy homes, young families, and anywhere that sees a lot of wet feet, our slip resistant porcelain tiles are usually the safer bet. Because porcelain is ultra-dense with an extremely low water absorption rate (under 0.5%), you'll get a floor that's highly water resistant and won't warp, stain, or absorb humidity, though grouting and sealing are also important for keeping water out of the joints. For areas prone to wet feet or frequent spills, matt or anti-slip textured finishes (R10 or R11 rated) give you better traction and safety underfoot. If you're looking to create a statement space, we have marble-effect and terrazzo floor tiles that offer the ultimate touch of luxury with the same waterproof and easy maintenance benefits. Browse our broad range of colours and size of floor tiles or view them in person at your local store before buying.

Porcelain generally comes out on top here. Kiln-fired at high temperatures, it's denser, harder and less porous than standard ceramic, which is why it holds up well under regular wear. For heavy-traffic areas like busy hallways, kitchens or family spaces, through-body or unglazed porcelain offers extra durability, since the colour runs all the way through the tile, so minor scuffs or chips won't reveal a different material underneath. Look for a PEI rating of 3 or above for everyday domestic use, or PEI 4 if the area gets particularly busy. See our guide to PEI ratings for the full scale. High-grade natural stones like granite or slate also offer excellent strength, though they need a little more upkeep to stay stain resistant.

A PEI rating measures how well a tile's surface holds up to wear from foot traffic over time, tested independently on a scale of 0 to 5. It mainly applies to porcelain and glazed ceramic tiles rather than natural stone or wood effect ranges. For most domestic floors, PEI 3 is a good practical minimum, stepping up to PEI 4 for busier areas like hallways or homes with pets. See our porcelain floor tiles guide for the full breakdown of what each rating means.

Yes. Ceramic, porcelain and natural stone are all strong thermal conductors, so they heat up efficiently and tend to hold that warmth for a while after the system switches off. They work well with both electric and water-based systems, though compatibility still depends on the specific tile, the adhesive used, and the manufacturer's guidance for that system. See our guide on choosing an underfloor heating system for more detail on getting the right setup.

Often, yes, though it depends on the range. Floor tiles tend to be thicker and heavier than wall tiles, so they can usually handle being fixed to a wall, but larger or heavier formats may need a stronger adhesive or extra support, particularly on stud walls. It's worth checking the individual product specification to see if it's suitable for wall use before you buy. When a tile does work on both, it opens up a seamless look, carrying the same tile from floor to wall with no visual break, which works particularly well in bathrooms and wet rooms. It doesn't tend to work the other way round. Wall tiles are generally thinner and not built to withstand foot traffic, so they're not a suitable substitute for a floor.

Porcelain and ceramic floor tiles take very little effort to keep clean. A quick sweep followed by a mop using a pH-neutral cleaner (such as Fila Multi Surface Cleaner) is usually all they need. How often you mop comes down to daily footfall. Busy family kitchens and hallways might need a go-over every few days, whereas quieter rooms can easily go a couple of weeks between cleans. Natural stone takes a bit more care. Give the tiles a thorough clean and apply a suitable sealant as soon as they are laid to protect against everyday spills, then keep an eye on how the seal is holding up and top it up when needed, depending on how much wear the floor sees. Stick to a dedicated natural stone cleaner so you do not strip away the protective layer or dull the surface. For specific product recommendations and advice on keeping your grout lines fresh, take a look at our complete guide to cleaning tiles and grout.