Choosing floor tiles: slip ratings, sizes and finishes that work

Floor tiles carry furniture, foot traffic, spills, wet feet and dropped pans for decades. Choosing well is about more than colour. The material, the slip rating, the size and the surface finish all decide how the floor performs and how easy it is to live with. Here is a room by room guide.

Start with the material

For most floors, porcelain is the safest choice. It is dense, hard wearing and absorbs very little water, so it suits kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, living areas and, when rated for it, outdoor spaces. Glazed ceramic tiles can work on light traffic floors when they are rated for floor use, but they are more often used on walls. Natural stone and stone mosaics bring character, and need sealing and gentler care. Our guide to porcelain, ceramic and mosaic tiles goes deeper.

Slip ratings in plain English

In Australia, the slip resistance of tiles is tested to Australian Standard AS 4586, and you will see two common types of rating on specification sheets:

• P ratings, from P0 to P5, come from a wet pendulum test. The higher the number, the more slip resistant the surface in wet conditions.
• R ratings, from R9 to R13, come from an inclined ramp test with oil and shoes, and are often quoted for commercial and outdoor tiles.

Some tiles also carry a barefoot rating of A, B or C, which is useful for pool surrounds and showers.

Which rating where?

There is no single rule for every home, and your builder or designer should confirm what suits your project. As a general guide, indoor dry areas can use lower rated tiles, while bathroom floors, laundries and entries that get wet benefit from a higher P rating, and outdoor areas and pool surrounds usually call for the highest ratings. Always check the slip rating on the tile's specification, not just the description. See outdoor tiles and slip ratings for more.

Finish: matt, honed, textured or polished

• Matt gives a soft, natural look and good grip. It hides footprints and water marks, which makes it the most practical choice for bathrooms and family homes. See matt tiles.
• Textured or grip finishes add slip resistance for outdoor and wet areas.
• Honed has a gentle sheen and a stone feel.
• Polished reflects light and suits formal living spaces and walls. It can be slippery when wet, so it is not ideal for bathroom floors or entries. See polished tiles.

Size: bigger is not always better

Large format tiles such as 600x1200mm give a calm, seamless look with fewer grout lines, and can make an open plan space feel bigger. They need a very flat floor and a skilled tiler. In a bathroom, a large tile on a shower floor is harder to grade to the waste, which is why many designers use a linear drain or switch to mosaics inside the shower. 600x600mm tiles are a versatile middle ground. Read tile sizes explained for a full comparison.

Room by room

Bathrooms and ensuites

Matt porcelain with a suitable wet area slip rating for the main floor, and a mosaic or the same tile in the shower depending on the drainage. Mid tones hide water marks better than very dark or very white tiles.

Kitchens

Porcelain in a matt or honed finish handles spills and dropped utensils. Stone look and concrete look tiles suit modern kitchens, and terrazzo looks add interest. See stone look tiles and terrazzo tiles.

Living areas and hallways

Larger format porcelain gives a clean, continuous floor. Timber look tiles bring warmth without the scratching and moisture concerns of real timber.

Laundries and entries

These see wet feet, mud and grit, so choose a grippy matt finish and a forgiving mid tone, with a grout colour that hides dirt.

Outdoor areas

Use tiles rated for outdoor use with a high slip rating, often in a thicker format or as pavers. Indoor and outdoor ranges let you carry the same look from the living room to the alfresco. See outdoor tiles.

Colour and grout

Light floors make small rooms feel bigger but show dirt. Dark floors look dramatic but show dust and water marks. Mid greys, warm beiges and speckled terrazzo looks are the most forgiving. Choose a grout close to the tile colour for a seamless look. Our grout guide covers this in detail.

See floor tiles at full size

Floor tiles look very different on a small sample than across a whole room. Lay a few full size pieces on the floor at our Reservoir or Geelong showroom and look at them standing up. Browse all tiles, including mosaic and feature tiles, then book a free measure for accurate quantities.

Related: terrazzo tiles guide, large format tiles guide and all floor tiles.

Common questions

What is the best tile for a bathroom floor?

For most homes, a matt porcelain tile with a suitable wet area slip rating. Porcelain absorbs very little water and a matt finish gives better grip and hides marks.

What does P rating mean on a tile?

It is a slip resistance rating from a wet pendulum test under AS 4586, from P0 to P5. Higher numbers mean more grip in wet conditions.

Are large format tiles good for small rooms?

They can make a small room feel bigger because there are fewer grout lines, but they need a very flat floor and careful planning around shower falls.

Shopping from the inner north?

Customers from Preston, Thornbury and Northcote can reach our Reservoir showroom in minutes. Each local page covers drive times, product advice and a free measure. See all areas we serve.

Visit us or shop online

See the range in person at our showrooms: Geelong at 35A Ryrie St, Geelong VIC 3220, phone (03) 5223 2765, and Reservoir at 214 Broadway, Reservoir VIC 3073, phone (03) 9867 5051. Both are open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5:00pm, Saturday 9:30am to 3:00pm, and Sunday by appointment only.

Planning a renovation? Request a quote and a free measure, and ask us to include installation by our qualified trades if you would like it quoted. Prefer to shop from home? Order online with Australia-wide delivery, or pick up from either showroom, usually ready in 2 to 4 days.