The power and allure of large format tiles

When it comes to the architecture and construction industries, size matters — and for many building materials, there’s a trend towards larger formats, for both aesthetic and functional reasons.

Tiles are perhaps the clearest indicator of this trend: in Aotearoa, demand for large format tiles has been increasing in the past decade, the average size gradually growing over that time.

Aesthetically, oversized tiles can minimise grouting lines, create bold statements, help to create more monolithic looks, and they're generally better at conforming to a larger design concept.

And while you may be forgiven for thinking that smaller tiles are more logistically feasible — easier to transport and install, for example — larger tiles can also be practical too, says Walter Li, the managing director of Newpearl Tiles.

Tile trends are going this way chiefly because of the increasing versatility of larger tiles — they can be applied to not just walls and floors, but also furniture too.

“One of the biggest benefits of larger tiles is that they can be used in ways other than just as a traditional building material,” says Walter. “You can use them as coffee table surfaces, as benchtops, and on the face of cabinets.”

By using tiles in this way, renovators for example can establish a motif that can run from the kitchen splashback to the dining table, all the way to bedroom side tables and cabinet doors throughout the home.

“This means they have much more versatility in the home compared to smaller format tiles — and this can offset the practicality that’s lost with the more difficult installation and transportation,” says Walter.

But when it comes to Newpearl Tiles’ products, there may be less difficulty in these respects than expected — because many of their larger tiles are relatively light. Their thickness ranges from 3.5 to 20mm, with much of the larger format tiles occupying the lower part of that range — meaning the average weight per square metre of tile is often lighter than smaller format tiles.

“With a weight of just 8 kg or 14.5 kg per forecourt metre for the 3.5 mm & 6 mm ranges respectively, our tiles are very light — making it easier to handle and install.”

The versatility doesn’t stop there: Newpearl offers a wide range of colours and designs. There are colour options that include grey, light beige, marble black, stone brown, dark grey, as well as many others. There are timber-look tiles and stone-look tiles, as well as authentic marble, mosaic, terrazzo and porcelain slab tiles — a veritable smorgasbord of choice when it comes to flooring, wall coverings, and many other applications.

And of course, these are available in a wide variety of size specifications to suit any type of project, Walter says — from small scale formats to large scale formats up to 1610 x 3210mm.

Newpearl Tiles has been supplying tiles in New Zealand since 2013, reaching an ever-growing number of distributors across the country and helping specifiers, designers and homeowners complete their projects for almost a decade.

“We have very strong professional relationships with retailers across the country,” says Walter, “and excited to keep growing even further!”

Learn more about Newpearl Tiles and its products.