Difference Between Wall Tiles and Floor Tiles

When it comes to decorating your home and making it as functional as it can be, there’s no other material and element to turn to than tiles. Tiles at home are one of the best decisions you can make for your household. However, if you are looking to add floor and wall tiles for your home, one vital thing that you should know is that these tiles are not fitting for every surface. You may think that you can just place any kind of tiles wherever you want them to, but this is not the case. 

While some floor tiles can be used on walls, walls cannot be used on floors. This is why it is important to do your research. There are a bunch of surprising differentiating factors — material, durability, size, and how it can be placed. Being knowledgeable about these things and applying them to your home will give you a more durable and functional space. That said, here are the difference between wall tiles and floor tiles. 

Difference Between Wall Tiles and Floor Tiles

1. Material and Appearance

The tile market is huge nowadays. Even so, two seem to be a favorite material among homeowners — porcelain and ceramic tiles. But which one best suits each surface? Although porcelain and ceramic are typically manufactured the same way, porcelain tiles, are best to be placed as floor tiles because of their impressive durability longevity, water, and stain resistance. Ceramic tiles have these features too! However, due to the high traffic and water that goes into floors, porcelain may just be the better choice for floors. Ceramic is also much lighter and softer — which makes it a better candidate for wall tiles. 

2. Maintenance

When it comes to maintenance, there is no difference between wall and floor tiles. These tiles can be cleaned with the use of soap and water and their grout should be scrubbed with a small brush every so often or may need to be replaced after a couple of years or when there are evident damage and discoloration. 

3. Durability

However, if you will look at it in terms of its durability, floor tiles are fairly more durable than wall wiles as they are thicker and stronger. Which is one of the main reasons why some floor tiles can be used on walls. 

4. Water and Heat Resistance

Water and heat resistance are some of the top considerations in choosing floor and wall tiles. Of course, you’d want your surfaces to stand these naturally occurring elements in your home. So which is better? Wall and floor tiles have the same good resistance to water. However, when it is placed in countertops, the wall tiles may be slightly less resistant to the heat of hot skillets and pans because they are slightly thinner. This is why floor tiles hold a better edge over wall tiles when it comes to heat resistance. 

5. Size and Thickness

There are just so many shapes and sizes of tiles to choose from. It’s almost impossible to pick the perfect one! However, it is important to note that there are certain format tiles, particularly smaller formatted ones, that are exclusive to wall use only. 

When it comes to thickness, floor tiles are much thicker and heavier. This is why some of them can be used as wall tiles. But wall tiles cannot be used as a flooring solution because it will not withstand the traffic and the weight of the interiors that are placed on top of it as it is thinner. 

6. Installation

Installation wise, these are both installed in the same way. With a cement backer board being placed against the wall or floor suds and adhered using adhesives and grout. 

7. Cost

The cost of wall and floor tiles are generally the same — depending on the tile supplier you’ll be purchasing the tiles from. Typically, you will be purchasing these on a per-square-foot basis. 

8. Key Takeaway

Opting to place tiles at home is one of the best decisions you can make as a homeowner. You are giving your home great value and function. But, if you really want to take things up a notch, it is important to know the difference between wall tiles and floor tiles — something that most fail to overlook. There are a bunch of differentiating factors that set them apart from one another. Considering this before installing tiles in your home will result in a more functional and quality space.