Expert Tips: Where to Use Porcelain and Ceramic Tiles in Your Home
As the head of purchasing at Ross’s Discount Home Centre, I’m often asked: “Should I use porcelain tiles or ceramic tiles in my [insert space]?” It’s a fair question—both have their strengths, and the right choice depends on where you plan to use them.
To provide you with the best advice, I’ve turned to Fiona Burford, who holds the Business Development role at Lifestyle Decorations – one of the nations top tile suppliers. With years of experience in tile selection and design trends, Fiona knows exactly where porcelain and ceramic tiles work best in a home.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key areas where each tile type shines. Whether you’re choosing tile flooring for high-traffic areas, picking a splashback tile for your kitchen, or deciding on outdoor tiles, we’ll help you make an informed decision. Let’s break it down so you can choose the best tile for your space.
High-Traffic Areas: Hallways, Entryways & Living Rooms
High-traffic areas like hallways, entryways, and living rooms require durable floor tiles that can handle constant wear while maintaining aesthetic appeal. Choosing the right flooring tile ensures longevity, ease of maintenance, and a polished look that complements your home’s style.
Porcelain Tiles: Best for Floors in Busy Areas
Porcelain tiles are excellent for high-traffic areas like hallways, entryways, and living rooms. Their durability and scratch resistance make them ideal for homes with pets, kids, or frequent foot traffic. Unlike other materials, they can withstand daily wear without losing their appearance, making them one of the best tiles for living rooms and other heavily used spaces.
“Porcelain tiles are the go-to choice for high-traffic areas because they resist wear and hold up against daily foot traffic, pets, and spills,” Fiona explains.
Porcelain floor tiles offer easy maintenance and long-lasting performance for entryways with a lot of moisture and dirt from the outside. Their dense composition makes them highly resistant to stains, ensuring they stay looking fresh even in busy households.
Ceramic Tiles: Best for Decorative Walls
While ceramic tiles may not be as durable as porcelain for floors, I find that they best shine when used for feature walls in living rooms or fireplace surrounds. Their lighter weight makes them easier to install, and they come in a wide range of colours and textures to enhance a space. When comparing ceramic vs porcelain tiles, ceramic is often the better choice for decorative applications where durability isn’t the primary concern.
For those wanting a striking focal point, ceramic feature wall tiles can add depth and texture to living rooms without overwhelming the space. A textured or patterned ceramic tile can really bring personality to a fireplace surround, creating a cosy yet stylish ambience.
Knowing where to use ceramic and porcelain tiles in these high-traffic areas ensures your floors and walls remain stylish, practical, and built to last.
Kitchens: Splashbacks, Floors & Benchtops
The kitchen is one of the busiest spaces in any home, requiring tiles that can handle spills, heat, and heavy foot traffic while still looking stylish. Whether designing a modern chef’s kitchen or a warm, inviting space for family gatherings, choosing the right tile for kitchen floors, kitchen benchtops, and kitchen splashbacks—is key to creating a functional and beautiful kitchen.
Porcelain Tiles: Best for Floors & Benchtops
Porcelain tiles are one of the best tiles for kitchen floors and benchtops due to their exceptional durability and resistance to stains, water, and heat. Kitchens experience daily spills, high foot traffic, and exposure to moisture, making porcelain tiles a practical and stylish option. Homeowners who want the luxurious look of stone without the upkeep often choose porcelain benchtops that mimic marble, granite, or concrete.
“Porcelain tiles handle kitchen spills and heavy use better than most materials, making them a great option for both floors and countertops,” Fiona advises.
In addition to being highly functional, heat-resistant tiles like porcelain are ideal for areas around stoves and ovens where surfaces are exposed to high temperatures. Their low porosity means they won’t absorb spills, making them easy to clean and maintain—a must-have in a busy kitchen.
Ceramic Tiles: Best for Kitchen Splashbacks
For homeowners looking to add personality to their kitchen, ceramic tiles are the perfect choice for a kitchen splashback. They come in an endless variety of colours, patterns, and textures, allowing for creative and customised designs. Whether it’s a Mediterranean-style ceramic patterned splashback or a sleek, neutral subway tile, ceramic makes creating a kitchen that reflects your style easy. Our articles on the top patterned tile trends of 2025 and patterned tile ideas are excellent sources of inspiration for those seeking to add a unique touch to their kitchen.
Unlike kitchen benchtops and floors, splashbacks don’t require heavy-duty durability, which is why ceramic is a great option. It’s lightweight, easy to install, and simple to maintain. Fiona notes that easy-to-clean kitchen tiles are a priority for most homeowners: “Ceramic tiles not only bring colour and texture to a kitchen, but their glazed surface makes cleaning up splashes and stains effortless.”
For the best tiles for kitchen walls, ceramic provides both aesthetic appeal and practicality, giving homeowners a stylish and low-maintenance solution.
With the right mix of porcelain for durability and ceramic for decorative appeal, you can create a stunning and functional kitchen, ensuring every surface is built to last.
Bathrooms: Floors, Walls & Showers
Bathrooms demand tiles that can handle moisture, resist stains, and enhance the overall design. Whether for shower walls, vanity splashbacks, or flooring, knowing where to use porcelain and ceramic tiles ensures durability and style.
Porcelain Tiles: Best for Wet Areas
Porcelain tiles are best for wet areas like showers and bathroom floors. Their low water absorption makes them highly resistant to moisture, preventing issues like mould and mildew. In terms of the best tiles for showers, large-format porcelain tiles create a sleek, seamless look while minimising grout lines, making cleaning effortless. Their durability also makes them ideal for high-traffic bathrooms that require long-lasting, waterproof tiles.
“In wet areas like bathrooms, porcelain is the safest option—it won’t absorb water and reduces the risk of mould,” says Fiona.
For those looking to create a spa-like retreat, large-format porcelain tiles in a walk-in shower can deliver a seamless, modern look with minimal grout lines. This reduces maintenance while enhancing the feeling of space.
Ceramic Tiles: Best for Dry Areas & Vanity Walls
For areas exposed to less moisture, such as feature walls and vanity splashbacks, ceramic wall tiles offer a cost-effective and decorative alternative. When it comes to the best wall tiles for bathrooms, ceramic tiles come in various colours, patterns, and finishes that allow homeowners to introduce texture and personality without compromising practicality.
For example, textured ceramic tiles behind a vanity can add depth and contrast while remaining easy to maintain. Since ceramic is more porous than porcelain, it is best suited to areas with limited direct water exposure. Fiona notes, “Ceramic tiles are perfect for adding character to a bathroom without the higher cost of porcelain. Whether it’s a feature wall or a soft-textured design behind a vanity, they offer plenty of creative possibilities.”
By choosing the right tiles for different zones within the bathroom, you can achieve a balance of functionality and design. Porcelain ensures durability and water resistance where needed, while ceramic tiles introduce character and charm to drier spaces.
Outdoor Spaces: Patios, Pools & Walkways
Outdoor areas require tiles that can handle exposure to the elements while providing style and practicality. Choosing the right material ensures your patio, pool area, or walkway remains safe, durable, and visually appealing year-round.
Porcelain Tiles: Best for Outdoor Durability
When it comes to the best outdoor tiles, porcelain is the top choice. Its dense, non-porous nature makes it resistant to moisture, frost, and temperature fluctuations, ensuring it withstands harsh weather conditions. Slip-resistant tiles are particularly important in outdoor areas, especially around pools and walkways where surfaces can become wet. At Ross’s, I find many homeowners choose stone-look outdoor porcelain tiles because they combine the natural beauty of stone with the durability of porcelain. “Porcelain is built to withstand weather changes, making it the best choice for patios, pools, and outdoor kitchens,” Fiona adds.
Ceramic Tiles: Not Recommended for Outdoors
We don’t generally recommend ceramic tiles for outdoor use due to their higher porosity, which makes them susceptible to cracking in extreme heat or cold. While customers commonly use ceramic tiles for patios, covered alfresco areas, or decorative outdoor wall cladding, I’d avoid using them as flooring in exposed spaces. If you’re considering outdoor tile materials, choosing a product designed specifically for external conditions is crucial to ensure longevity and safety.
Knowing where to use ceramic and porcelain tiles in outdoor spaces can achieve durability and style. Outdoor porcelain tiles provide a weather-resistant solution for patios and pool areas, while ceramic tiles are best used for covered walls and decorative accents.
Walls & Feature Areas: Statement Walls & Fireplaces
Tiles aren’t just for floors and splashbacks—they can be a stunning design element on walls and feature areas. Whether creating a dramatic statement wall, a cosy fireplace surround, or an elegant backdrop, choosing the right tile material ensures durability and style.
Ceramic Tiles: Best for Walls & Decorative Areas
If you’re looking to use ceramic tiles on walls, their lightweight nature and endless design possibilities make them a perfect choice. Decorative wall tiles, such as encaustic-look ceramic tiles, add character to spaces, from Moroccan-inspired feature walls to classic subway tile splashbacks.
Fiona highlights their creative potential: “Ceramic tiles let homeowners get creative with feature walls, adding colour, texture, and personality to a space.”
Whether framing a fireplace or enhancing a living room accent wall, ceramic tiles offer a stylish and cost-effective solution.
Porcelain Tiles: Best for Luxury Walls
While typically heavier, porcelain tiles bring a high-end finish to statement walls. The best tiles for luxury homes often include large-format polished porcelain, which creates a seamless, sophisticated look. I find that high-end tile finishes like marble-look porcelain are particularly popular for modern living spaces and bathrooms, adding depth and elegance. If you’re exploring porcelain feature wall ideas, consider a sleek, floor-to-ceiling installation in an entryway or a dramatic TV wall for a refined aesthetic.
Selecting the right tile material for your walls will elevate any space—whether it’s with the intricate detail of ceramic tiles or the sleek sophistication of porcelain.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Tile for Your Space
Knowing where to use porcelain and ceramic tiles in a home is about more than just aesthetics—it’s about ensuring durability, functionality, and long-term value. As Fiona explains, “Selecting the right tile isn’t just about looks—it’s about functionality. Understanding where porcelain and ceramic tiles perform best will help homeowners make confident, lasting decisions.”
Porcelain tiles are the best choice for high-traffic areas, wet zones, and outdoor applications due to their durability, moisture resistance, and low maintenance. Whether you’re looking for slip-resistant outdoor tiles or seamless large-format tiles for a luxurious bathroom, porcelain provides a long-lasting solution.
Ceramic tiles, on the other hand, are best used for decorative applications, such as feature walls, kitchen splashbacks, and fireplace surrounds. Their lightweight nature and vast range of colours, textures, and patterns make them popular for adding personality and warmth to a space.
At Ross’s Discount Home Centre, we offer an extensive selection of high-quality porcelain and ceramic tiles to suit every style and budget. Whether you’re renovating a kitchen, bathroom, or outdoor area, our expert team is here to help you choose the best option for your home. Visit our showroom at 57 James Street in Guildford or browse our online collection of quality tiles to find the perfect design for your next project.
