Why are there tiles of different thicknesses?

Although the trend is to make tiles as thin as possible, some projects require special thicknesses

One of the most common questions asked by people who are not very familiar with ceramic tiles is about their thickness: why do we find really thick tiles while others are only a few millimetres thick? The truth is that the answer to this question is quite complex, because the thickness of the tiles depends on numerous factors and no thickness is better than another, instead, each type of tile is more suitable for a different use and purpose.

To begin with, it should be taken into account that achieving thinner tiles will always mean savings: they cost less to produce, store, transport and lay, which is why the ceramics industry is improving its production processes day by day to achieve thinner tiles without losing durability and strength. This is especially important with the large format tiles that have been the star of most ceramic collections for some years now: it would be impossible to manufacture and lay huge tiles if these had not become thinner and thinner because their weight would be too much for even the most experienced professionals.

Therefore, we know that tiles will tend to be as thin as possible. Thinner tiles are those that are less than 1 cm thick and are usually wall tiles, as walls have completely different characteristics to floors: they are not going to be walked on continuously and, therefore, they can afford those millimeters less in their manufacture.

When we are going to lay a tile on the floor, i.e. a pavement, we already have to consider somewhat greater thicknesses, around 10 mm. This will give the material the necessary resistance to withstand foot traffic, whether it is made of gres or porcelain. We could say that this is the standard thickness for most tiles that can be used as floor tiles, as it provides great resistance without the need to generate materials that are too heavy.

But there are also other places that, due to their characteristics or use, will require much thicker tiles than normal. This is the case of our SOLID20 tiles up to 20 mm thick, recommended for use in outdoor with very abrupt temperature changes between day and night or places with very extreme weather conditions. In addition, the thicker pieces can also be recommended for those outdoors where no solid base is available (sand, for example) and we are going to need a lot of resistance due to the constant passage of people. It should not be forgotten that this type of tile also requires a different laying process, with special materials and more experience on the part of professionals.

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