Ceramic tiles: glazed, lighter and made for walls
Ceramic is the wall tile of the store. Nearly every listing in this collection is written for walls, from 65 x 265mm mini subways to 300 x 600mm rectified gloss tiles, in white, grey, green, blue, beige, pink and terracotta. The product pages say so in plain terms, with wear ratings of 0, not recommended for floors, on most of them.
The sections below explain what ceramic is, how it differs from porcelain, what the glaze does, and what each range prints. For neighbouring decisions, see the porcelain tiles collection, the wall tiles collection and the subway tiles collection. The tiles collection sits above them all.
What ceramic tile is
A Queensland tile retailer says ceramic tiles are made from natural clay fired at moderate temperatures, which gives a durable but more lightweight tile, easier to install, with a wide range of surface finishes. A Melbourne tile supplier describes the same process: ceramic and porcelain share their raw materials and are baked in a kiln to harden and remove moisture. Ceramic is baked for a shorter period at a lower temperature, which results in a softer, more lightweight tile.
That is the whole difference in one sentence. Ceramic is the lighter, softer cousin, and its strengths follow from that: it cuts easily, it carries almost any glaze, and it suits walls.
Ceramic and porcelain
The Melbourne supplier says ceramic tiles are most often restricted to vertical applications, while porcelain can often be used as a floor or a wall tile. It says this quality allows more creative designs and finishes in ceramic collections, because there is no need to consider slip resistance, grip or tripping hazards as there would be for floor tiles. That is why 3D tiles, fish scale shapes, hyper-glossy glazes and handmade textures turn up so often in ceramic.
The Queensland retailer agrees that ceramic is lighter and more porous than porcelain, which makes it easier to cut and install, and says ceramic is often used for walls and low-traffic floors, while porcelain is usually chosen for heavy-duty or outdoor areas. A national retailer says most ceramic tiles are designed for walls, though many are suitable for floors in low to medium traffic areas. The porcelain tiles collection covers the harder material in full.
What the glaze does
The Melbourne supplier explains that most ceramic tiles are glazed, with a hardened, glass-like finish baked onto the surface. The glaze gives a water-resistant barrier that protects the body of the tile and removes the need for sealing. Glazed ceramic usually needs nothing more than a wipe with warm, soapy water. Unglazed ceramic has no protective layer, so it needs sealing, ideally before installation to prevent adhesives or wet grout from discolouring it, and again every few years.
The Queensland retailer says the same from a practical angle: ceramic tiles do not usually need sealing, although the grout around them may benefit from it depending on the room. The listings agree. Most print easy to clean in their Maintenance line, with no sealing note.
Can ceramic crack?
Both suppliers answer the common worry. The Melbourne supplier says ceramic is durable and strong but can crack or chip when it takes a knock or hard impact, and that cracks can also come from improper installation or sudden temperature changes. The Queensland retailer says ceramic performs well on a stable surface, and that cracking is usually caused by movement in the surface beneath rather than by the tile.
The practical reading is that ceramic suits places that do not take knocks. A wall is the natural home, and a floor is a place for a ceramic tile only when the listing says so.
Walls first, floors only when listed
The Queensland retailer says ceramic wall tiles are not rated for floors unless marked as suitable, and that ceramic floor tiles usually carry a slip rating to match the room. It adds that many people use ceramic on walls and porcelain on floors for the added durability.
The listings here follow that rule closely. Evelyn, Ella, Leon, Terrarosa, Wategos, Gemma and the gloss Burleigh print a wear rating of 0, and several of those say plainly that the tile is intended for wall applications only. Whitehaven reads walls only, not suitable for flooring. Luca, Dianna and Bella carry P2 and an application line of walls. Ceramic is a wall decision, and the page for each tile confirms it.
Why ceramic suits walls
The Queensland retailer says many people choose ceramic for feature walls, splashbacks and bathroom walls because it is lightweight and easy for tilers to install, and that it cleans well with simple products. A Sydney retailer says ceramic's lighter composition makes it particularly suitable for wall applications while still offering reliable performance in selected floor installations. Both put the same idea in different words: the lightness that limits ceramic on a floor is the same lightness that makes it practical on a wall.
A tile that does not have to carry foot traffic can also be thinner and more expressive. That is why the collection includes 6 to 12mm tiles in wavy, satin, handmade and gloss glazes that would be impractical on a floor.
Feature walls, 3D and glazes
The Melbourne supplier describes what ceramic does best: a vast range of decorative options such as 3D tiles, detailed tile shapes and etchings, and sleek glazes that reflect light around a space. It lists ceramic as a sophisticated bathroom wall tile, a laundry or kitchen splashback tile, or a feature wall tile for an area such as an entryway. It mentions fish scale and 3D tiles as examples of the shapes that feature walls make possible.
The wavy Whitehaven tiles and the handmade-look Evelyn and Dianna tiles are the collection's version of that. They are tiles that earn their place by surface, and a plain wall beside them is the right setting. The feature tiles collection sets out how to use one.
Ceramic on the wall, porcelain on the floor
The Queensland retailer's advice is the one most people end up following: many use ceramic on walls and porcelain on floors for added durability. Some ceramic tiles are suitable for bathroom floors if they have an appropriate slip rating, it says, but the floor is where the harder material earns its place.
Some ranges in this store come in both materials, which makes the pairing easy. Burleigh, for example, is a stone-look range with a matt porcelain for floors and a gloss ceramic for walls, in the same colour family. The floor tiles collection covers the floor side of the decision.
The downsides of ceramic
The question appears in search, and the sources give a short, consistent list. Ceramic is softer and lighter than porcelain, so it is usually restricted to walls and low-traffic floors. It can chip or crack under a knock or hard impact, and cracks can also come from movement in the surface beneath or sudden temperature changes. It is more porous than porcelain, and unglazed ceramic needs sealing. Most ceramic is designed for indoors, and only specific tiles are rated for outdoors.
None of these is a reason to avoid ceramic on a wall. They are reasons to read the Application line and to match the material to the job, which is the point of the listing lines.
Handmade-look ceramic
Handmade-look ceramics are where the material shows off. Dianna is a Spanish-made 75 x 150mm hand made look subway and a 100 x 100mm zellige-inspired square, with a wavy structured finish in a rich gloss glaze. Ella is a 100 x 100mm Italian zellige-inspired square, 10mm thick. Evelyn is a handmade zellige and bejmat, made using artisanal techniques, hand moulded and shaped, with the colour glaze applied by a skilled craftsman. Luca is a hand made gloss series in 100 x 100mm and 75 x 150mm, 8mm thick.
These tiles carry their variation in the glaze and the surface, which is exactly what the Melbourne supplier means by creative designs. The zellige tiles collection covers the handmade look across the store.
Subway ceramics
Subway is the largest group. Bella is a 65 x 265mm mini subway, 7mm thick, in gloss and textured matte, with P2 and a rectified edge. Leon is a 69 x 240mm Spanish subway in gloss, Whitehaven is a 68 x 280mm wavy satin subway with a cushioned edge, and Terrarosa is a 62 x 186mm subway tile, 9mm thick. Sunset is a 50 x 200mm satin ceramic with a dune surface, and Wategos is a 100 x 300mm gloss tile with a non-rectified edge.
The Queensland retailer says ceramic wall tiles are commonly used for splashbacks because they wipe clean easily and come in plenty of colours and shapes. The kitchen tiles collection sorts the full splashback range, and the subway tiles collection covers the shape in porcelain as well.
Larger ceramic tiles
Not all ceramic is small. Gemma is a 300 x 600mm ceramic tile, 9mm thick, in matt and gloss with a rectified edge, listed for walls. Paradise is a marble-look ceramic range in 300 x 300mm matt stone and 300 x 600mm gloss and satin, in stone, Calacatta and grey. Kings Marble Carrara is a white ceramic with a cushioned edge in gloss and satin, Thredbo is a satin white 300 x 450mm tile with a cushioned edge, and Hartz is a gloss white 150 x 150mm tile. Burleigh is a stone-look range that includes a gloss ceramic in 300 x 600mm.
The Queensland retailer notes that ceramic tiles are generally lighter and thinner than porcelain, which makes them easier to cut, and that this is why they are used so often on walls. The marble look tiles collection shows more marble-look options across both materials.
Edges
The Queensland retailer says some ceramic tiles come with rectified edges for a sharper, more uniform look, while pressed edges are more common in ceramic and create a softer, rounded outline that suits many wall layouts. The listings print which one you get. Bella, Luca, Dianna, Leon and Gemma are rectified, and Evelyn, Ella, Whitehaven, Terrarosa and Wategos are non-rectified, with Kings Marble, Thredbo and Burleigh listed with a cushioned edge.
The edge shapes the grout line. A rectified tile sits tight, and a cushioned or handmade edge needs a wider line, so read the Edge line and the recommended gap before choosing grout.
Gloss, satin and matte
A national retailer lists the finishes ceramic comes in: gloss for walls that reflect light, matt for a contemporary look, and grip for slip resistance on floors or outdoors. The Queensland retailer adds that gloss and satin finishes work on walls because they reflect light and wipe clean quickly.
This collection leans gloss and satin, with polished and gloss glazes the most common finishes, followed by satin, matte and lappato. The Whitehaven wavy tiles are satin, Bella comes in gloss and matte, and Gemma comes in both.
Where ceramic belongs
The Queensland retailer lists the uses. Kitchens take ceramic wall tiles on splashbacks, and sometimes ceramic on floors in areas that do not need heavy-duty strength. Bathrooms take ceramic on walls and around showers, and laundries suit the lighter weight on walls and splash zones. Feature areas such as niches, stripes or full-height splashbacks are the fourth use. A Sydney retailer says ceramic is commonly used for bathroom walls, kitchen splashbacks, laundries and feature areas where moisture resistance and simple cleaning are essential.
The bathroom tiles collection and the feature tiles collection sort the range by room and by role.
Living areas and laundries
The Queensland retailer says ceramic floor tiles can be used in living rooms if the tile is rated for floor use, and that they offer a softer, more relaxed appearance than some porcelain finishes. For laundries, it says the lighter weight suits walls and splash zones, that ceramic handles moisture well, and that it is easy to clean.
In this collection that translates into a simple rule. A laundry splashback is an easy ceramic job, and a living room floor is a porcelain job unless a ceramic listing says otherwise. The kitchen tiles collection covers the splashback side of the same decision.
Ceramic outdoors
The Queensland retailer says most ceramic tiles are designed for indoor areas, and only specific ceramic tiles are suitable for outdoor use, which must carry the correct rating. The national retailer says some ceramic tiles are rated for outdoor use, such as covered alfresco areas.
None of the listings in this collection are written for outdoor floors. For outdoors, choose from the outdoor tiles collection, where the slip ratings and area lines are written for it.
Colour
The collection runs across white, grey, green, blue, beige, pink, terracotta and black, with white the largest group. Ceramic is where the strongest colours live, because the glaze can carry them. The white tiles collection, green tiles collection, blue tiles collection and pink tiles collection sort the range by colour.
A white or grey glaze is the calm choice, and a green, blue or pink glaze is a feature. The glaze depth, particularly on the handmade ranges, changes with the light.
Cleaning ceramic
The Queensland retailer says ceramic tiles clean well with simple products, which makes them practical in rooms that deal with regular splashes or steam, and that ceramic tiles manage everyday moisture and heat well. The Melbourne supplier recommends warm soapy water for glazed ceramic. The Maintenance line on most listings reads easy to clean.
For grout, the Queensland retailer says it may benefit from sealing depending on the room. Handmade and cushioned-edge tiles have wider grout lines, so the grout is a larger share of the wall, and the grout care matters more.
Reading the listing lines
Every product page prints the same lines, and for ceramic the first one that matters is the Application line. Walls only means walls only. The Wear Rating line reads 0 for most, which is the clearest signal that a tile is not for floors, and the Slip Rating line reads P2 or not rated. The Edge line says rectified, cushioned or non-rectified, and the Appearance line gives the V rating, from V1 for uniform to V4 for substantial variation.
Handmade tiles carry V3 or V4 and should be sampled. Plain glazed subways carry V1 and are predictable. Read the lines in that order.
Choosing ceramic tiles
Ceramic rewards a short brief: say whether the tile is for a wall, and the choice narrows at once to shape, glaze and edge.
Start with the surface. For a wall, splashback or shower surround, ceramic is the natural material, and the choice is mostly shape, glaze and colour. For a floor, check the Application and Wear Rating lines and consider porcelain instead.
Then choose the character. A plain glazed subway is calm, a handmade-look zellige is textured, and a satin or matte tile is understated. Match the edge to the grout line you want. The tiles collection sits above this one for the whole range.
