Large Format Tile is the new the big thing in the flooring industry. All modern factories across Europe are in the effort of carrying their best designs onto Large Format and, to come up with the new ones in Large Formats.
Today, factories can make slab style porcelains at a gigantic size of 60″ x 120″.
All for one reason: Seamless Floors
The logic behind the large tile is to cover the floor with the least amount of tiles. Less tile will make less seem and will have less grout.
Plus, the floors with larger tiles will feel more open and spacious.
Can We Install Large Tiles With Thin-set?
We believe regardless of size, tile installation requires well-leveled surfaces to prevent lippage.
However, taking off the existant floor and leveling it before installing new floors may add almost $2.50 /sqft to the budget.
This is an extra cost that many people don’t have in their budget. So the answer is Yes. You can get away with thin-set if you are installing 30″ x 30″ tiles.
Sizes larger than 30″ x 30″ requires mud-set installation.
Does Large Format Tile Installation cost more money?
Not necessarily. Sizes like 30″ x 30″ and 24″ x 48″ are not new. They ‘ve been around for 3-4 years already, and they are becoming standard sizes in flooring by replacing 24′ x 24’ tiles. All the installers are pretty familiar with those sizes. When installing on a mud-bed, the price is the same or almost the same.
Is 16″ x 32″ a Large Format
No. 16″ x 32″ is a tricky size but not a large format tile. 32 inches sound big. That’s true. However, a 16″ x32″ tile covers less area than a 24″ x 24″ tile. If the goal is to cover the floor with the least amount of tiles, 16″ x 32″ is not a large format.
