Selecting Floor Tile
Of all the options you have for floor coverings, tile is one you can be confident choosing. Its longevity and durability alone make floor tiles the best choice. But it also provides phenomenal style and is the healthiest choice for families and the environment.
Selecting the right tiles for flooring can be overwhelming, but we're here to help. As the leader in the tile industry for 75 years, we have gained a lot of knowledge and love sharing it.
Ceramic or Porcelain?
Ceramic is a broad category of clay-based tile. Porcelain is a type of ceramic that produces a denser tile, which makes it more water-resistant and can have greater breaking strength.
Ceramic floor tile is the best choice for cost-effectiveness and to use in areas that won't regularly be exposed to liquids. Porcelain floor tile is the best choice for areas that may see more moisture such as the bathroom. Ceramic is easier to cut for DIYers, while porcelain requires heavier cutting equipment.
Daltile has revolutionized porcelain click-together tile with RevoTile™. Even novice DIYers can have perfect grout lines with no lippage because it clicks together for perfect alignment. RevoTile uses an underlayment instead of mortar so can be grouted the same day it's laid, giving profession installers and DIYers alike a huge time-saving advantage.
Slip Resistance
Slip resistance is one of the most important considerations when selecting floor tile in wet areas. All tile flooring is tested for slip resistance. The result of that testing is a value called the dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF). The DCOF value is noted on the sales sheet of each product.
The minimum DCOF value for wet & level interior floors is .42 and the minimum value for outdoor floors is .60. Refer to our DCOF page for other values and more detailed information.
The minimum DCOF value for wet & level interior floors is .42 and the minimum value for outdoor floors is .60. Refer to our DCOF page for other values and more detailed information.
Daltile developed StepWise™, a technology infused into the tile that increases slip resistance by 50% (compared to tile meeting ANSI standards). With a DCOF of at least .60, StepWise far exceeds the interior requirements and is suitable for exterior applications.
Indoor to Outdoor
Recreate the comforts of the indoors in your outdoor spaces with tile. Ceramic, porcelain, and stone can all go outside, however, a successful outdoor floor tile must meet certain specifications.
Look for a product that is UV resistant, fade resistant, can withstand freeze-thaw cycles, and has excellent slip-resistance (DCOF of at least .60).
We've made it easy for you to find Daltile products that fit all this criteria. Check out Xteriors™, our collection of products designed to meet (and often exceed) outdoor specifications.
Outdoor Pavers
Pavers are a go-to outdoor floor tile product. Why not take the next step and add the benefits of porcelain to the traditional paver? The result is 2 centimeter pavers that are resistant to frost, staining, scratching, and fading. They are impervious to water and have a class IV hail impact rating. They can also be lighter than other paver options.
Porcelain pavers are the perfect answer to the need for paver strength and thickness with sophisticated visuals.
Our high-style TREAD™ Porcelain Pavers provide new outdoor options in stunning wood or stone looks. Ensure that style blends onto the patio, pool deck, walkways, even the driveway and garage with TREAD™ Porcelain Pavers.
Porcelain pavers are the perfect answer to the need for paver strength and thickness with sophisticated visuals.
Our high-style TREAD™ Porcelain Pavers provide new outdoor options in stunning wood or stone looks. Ensure that style blends onto the patio, pool deck, walkways, even the driveway and garage with TREAD™ Porcelain Pavers.
Shower Floor Tile
The shower floor requires exceptional slip resistance and proper slope for good drainage. Tile smaller than 4 inches (mosaic floor tile) means more grout joints, which create better grip on your shower floor and increases slip resistance. Mosaic floor tile also makes it easier to achieve the perfect amount of slope without the risk of uneven edges.
Innovative technology, StepWise™, produces tile with the right slip resistance for shower floors allowing you more design flexibility for the shower.
Redefine your design with classic looks applied in unique ways.
Popular Floor Tile
Wood look
Tile
Why wood look tile? To begin with, it takes on high-traffic, moisture-prone spaces, even the patio. Get the beauty of wood with the durability of tile.
Concrete look
Tile
Sleek concrete floors are on-trend, especially aged concrete looks. Why not add the style and durability of porcelain tile to the mix?
Fabric Look Tile
Introduce a softer feel with fabric textures on your floor tile. Our award-winning collection brings touchable depth to your design.
Stone Look Tile
The natural grandeur of stone tile or stone look tile for the floor is the very infrastructure of luxurious design. Available in travertine, limestone and more.
Floor Mosaics
Mosaics are for more than a backsplash or shower. Gather some out of the box ideas or create your own custom mosaic design.
Marble tile
Whether you choose natural marble or a porcelain marble look tile, nothing adds elegance to your floor as beautifully as classic marble.
Encaustic Tile
Reminiscent of old world charm, encaustic tile is bold yet romantic, bringing movement and stunning style to any space.
Metallic look Tile
Craving some glitz? A dramatic metallic floor tile is foundational yet heavenly. Elevate your space with a sheen of fascination.
Floor Tile Installation
Tile flooring installation can be tricky, which is why we recommend hiring a professional.
If you are the do-it-yourself type, see our installation guides for step-by-step instructions. We also suggest you consider RevoTile™ click tile. RevoTile is a floating floor system, made of real porcelain tile, and features ClicFit technology. This tile does not require spacers yet produces perfect grout lines and no lippage. RevoTile uses RapidPrep underlayment, eliminating the necessity of mortar. With RevoTile, you can lay tile and grout the same day!
Floor Tile FAQs
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WHAT IS THE BEST FLOOR TILE?Porcelain makes the best floor tile. Ceramic is a close runner up. Both offer nearly unlimited styles and unmatched durability. A porcelain or ceramic tile floor can last more than a lifetime and continues to look great even in high traffic zones.
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WHAT ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TILE FLOORING?Tile flooring includes porcelain and ceramic and comes in styles ranging from wood look and stone look to patterned encaustic and terrazzo. Ceramic and porcelain floor tile comes as small as one-inch mosaic up to 48-inches in various shapes and colors. Porcelain slab, 10 x 5 foot size, can be used on the floor in some circumstances as well.
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WHAT DOES IT COST TO TILE A FLOOR? WHAT IS THE MOST ECONOMICAL TILE FLOORING?Cost depends on two things: style of tile and the size of the room. The larger the room, the more floor tile you will need, the more it will cost. High-style floor tile trends or tile manufactured with specialized technology can cost more compared to basic styles. The most economical tile flooring is a simple ceramic 12 x 12 tile.
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WHICH IS BETTER: PORCELAIN OR CERAMIC TILE?Porcelain is considered the premier floor tile because of its superior water-resistance compared to ceramic. However, in all other respects, ceramic and porcelain perform similarly. We give the same care to both our ceramic and porcelain tile products.
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WHICH FLOOR TILE IS THE MOST DURABLE?Porcelain and ceramic floor tile are both durable. Porcelain floor tile is more dense than ceramic tile, which means it's a bit more resistant to liquid absorption.
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WHICH IS BETTER: GLOSSY OR MATTE FLOOR TILES?Without getting too technical, matte tile flooring generally offers the safest option for the floor, especially in areas that may become wet. Glossy or polished finishes tend to be less slip-resistant. If you’re interested in the technicalities or you want to find a polished tile that is safe for the floor, learn more about DCOF (dynamic coefficient of friction).
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HOW DO I PICK THE SIZE OF FLOOR TILE?Size is a matter of personal taste, but large-format tile (larger than 15 inches) looks better in larger spaces and smaller tile looks better in smaller spaces. However, professional designers manage to successfully break the rules all the time to create gorgeous spaces. We suggest you stop by one of our Design Studios to meet a certified designer for more options.
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CAN YOU USE FLOOR TILE ON WALLS OR IN THE SHOWER?Yes! There are rules about not using wall tiles on the floor, but floor tile can easily go on walls or shower walls. Be sure your shower floor tile is three inches or smaller to increase slip-resistance and facilitate proper slope for drainage. Our Shower Floor section offers more information, along with our favorites.
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HOW DO YOU CLEAN FLOOR TILE?All-purpose neutral cleaners or simple warm water and mild soap are sufficient to clean tile flooring. Harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners can damage tile so steer clear of those. Get all the details about cleaning tile in our Care & Maintenance Guide.
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IS THERE FLOOR TILE WITHOUT GROUTNo. As a natural product, floor tile must have room “to breathe." That’s why it must have grout joints. There are several different types of grout to consider and some may suit your needs better than others. Check out RevoTile™, a click together tile that installs two-times faster than traditional tile. It does need grout, but it doesn’t need mortar.
Additional Resources
Tile jargon decoded
Here are the details you need to know to find the perfect tile for your space.
How to install
tile
Experience how easy tile installation can be with step-by-step tips from our experts.
Chip's Tips
HGTV star, expert craftsman and designer Chip Wade offers tips & tricks of the trade.
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