Wall Tiles Vs Floor Tiles - A Distinguishing Guide

Tiles are tough and long-lasting, with only minor grout maintenance required before requiring replacement. The tile industry is vast, diverse, and frequently perplexing. One common source of misunderstanding is the difference, if any, between floor tile and wall tile. Are some tiles designated solely as floor tiles and others as wall tiles? Is there only one type of tile that is used in both areas? It is clear that there are many similarities between the two but there are a few differences as well between wall and floor tiles.

Meaning

Floor Tiles:

Water, sand, and clay are commonly used to make floor tiles. However, the gaps between the tiles are filled with a separate mixture of water, sand, and "cement"-like material. In some cases, rather than cement, tile grout is made of epoxy. Floor tiles are thin, square, or rectangular coverings made of a long-lasting material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are usually arranged in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or other objects such as tabletops.

Wall Tiles:

Wall Tile, which is made from a clay mixture and fired at high temperatures, is used for wall coverings, floors, showers, countertops, bath surrounds, and other applications. Glazed tiles are commonly used on walls and counters. Grout, a type of mortar, is applied between tiles to secure them and fill the gaps between them.

Difference Between the Wall And Floor Tiles

1. Design:

There is no discernible difference in the appearance of ceramic and porcelain wall tile versus floor tiles, but stylistically, wall tiles are typically smaller in size than floor tiles. Because of its visibility and the difficulty of installing wall tile on a vertical surface, wall tile is typically smaller and lighter. Large sizes are common due to the popularity of super-large format tiles. There is no clear category winner with hundreds of options for both wall tile and floor tile. Floor and wall tiles have a similar appearance, though thinner wall tiles may come in a wider range of colors and designs.

Design:

Wall Tiles	Tie!
Floor Tiles

 

2. Durability:

Wall tiles are thinner in style than floor tiles. This means that they are more prone to cracking under pressure than floor tiles, which are typically stronger and thicker. However, despite being less dense and lighter than floor tiles, wall tiles can last for decades if properly cared for. In other words, both types of walls are perfectly suitable for wall installation. However, if you are looking for new flooring, floor tiles are recommended.

Durablity:

Wall Tiles	Less Durable
Floor Tiles	More Durable

 

3. Resistance:

Ceramic and porcelain wall tiles are almost equally resistant to heat and moisture. This is because your walls do not come into contact with water or hot objects as frequently as your floors do. Floor tiles are more heat resistant than their counterparts because they are thicker.

Heat Resistance:

Wall Tiles	Less
Floor Tiles	More

 

Water Resistance:

Wall Tiles	Tie
Floor Tiles

 

4. Feel:

The slipperiness of each tile is determined by its Coefficient of Friction or COF rating. Higher COF tiles have higher levels of friction, making them much easier and safer to walk on without slipping. As a result, floor tiles typically have a higher COF rating. Meanwhile, tiles with a lower COF are more slippery. Because friction is not an issue with different wall tiles, glass, and other slick materials are frequently used as wall coverings.

COF Ratings:

Wall Tiles	Lower Ratings
Floor Tiles	Higher Ratings

 

5. Strength:

The acronym "PEI" stands for Porcelain Enamel Institute. A tile product's PEI rating is determined by the hardness of its glaze. A standardized test is used by the manufacturer to determine the hardness. This test's results will determine how a product should be used.

It is important to note that the PEI Rating is based solely on glaze wear testing, not slip resistance. A tile is assigned a PEI hardness rating on a 5-point scale in addition to a 0 or NR category. The number of revolutions of the testing machine required before noticeable abrasions is observed determines the PEI class.

The strength of a tile is directly connected with its durability, quality, and longevity, the PEI ratings display its strength to handle pressure.

PEI Ratings/Strength:

Wall Tiles	Lower
Floor Tiles	Higher (Comparatively Strong)

 

6. Longevity:

A good-quality tile can last for up to 50 years or more if properly maintained. In practice, the lifespan of both wall and floor tiles are comparable. However, because wall tiles are thinner, they are more likely to break when installed on floors. If something extremely heavy falls on thick floor tiles, they may also crack.

Longevity:

Wall Tiles	Easier (Relatively Thinner)
Floor Tiles	Harder

 

7. Setup:

Both floor tiles and wall tiles are installed in the same manner. First, a cement backer board underlayment is installed against the subfloor or wall studs. Thin-set adhesives applied with a notched trowel are used to adhere the tiles to the backer board. When the joints between the tiles are dry, they are filled with a paste-like, mortar-based grout that is sealed once it dries and hardens. Because wall tiles are thinner, they are easier to cut with simple score-and-snap cutters. 

Floor tiles are slightly more difficult to cut than wall tiles because they are thicker. With these heavier tiles, a power wet-saw is a good idea.

Setup:

Wall Tiles	Easier
Floor Tiles	More difficult

 

8. Price Point:

Tile prices are heavily influenced by their material, quality, size, shape, and design. If you're in the market for new floor or wall tiles, you've probably noticed that porcelain floor and wall tiles are nearly the same prices. Ceramic and other types of tiles are also available in India. Naturally, glazed, large, or intricately designed tiles cost more than small, plain-colored tiles.

Price:

Wall Tiles	Rs 100/square foot to Rs 500/square foot
Floor Tiles	Rs 35/square foot to Rs 325/square foot

 

Can the Floor Tiles and Wall Tiles be the Same?

Yes, there are no rules when it comes to personal taste and design, so the same tiles can be used as floor and wall tiles. Above all, floor and wall tiles should be aesthetically pleasing by combining monochromatic colors, coordinating patterns with colors, or combining complementary solid colors.

To achieve a unified look with your floor tiles and wall tiles, you can use a variety of design combinations. Continue reading to learn how to achieve the desired look in your bathroom by matching the floor and bathroom tiles using the techniques described above.

 

Conclusion:

We think the old way of viewing tiles as either 'wall' or 'floor' is a little archaic. With all of the advances in design and technology, it's a really exciting time in the tile world, and the lines between bathroom, kitchen, wall, and floor tiles are becoming increasingly blurred. Of course, wall-only tiles will always have a place, and their small size means they're naturally full of character. 

However, the next time you're out looking for wall tiles, we'd recommend taking a look at the Tileswale app - you'll be blown away by the stunning designs and styles on offer that are constantly added to the marketplace by more than 40,000+ sellers.

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Article Updated - June 13, 2022

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