Homeowners often ask what the best tiles are for bathrooms versus kitchens – and it’s an important question. Bathrooms and kitchens have different conditions and usage, so the ideal tile for one may not be the best for the other.
In wet bathroom areas, you’ll want tiles that can withstand water and prevent slips, while kitchen tiles need to endure heavy foot traffic, dropped pots, and easy clean-ups.
This guide breaks down the top tile options for bathrooms and for kitchens, highlighting key differences and helping you make an informed choice for each space.
Best Tiles to Use for Bathrooms
Bathroom tiles should be water-resistant, durable, and slip-resistant. Since bathroom surfaces get wet frequently, especially floors and shower areas, it’s important to choose tiles that can withstand constant moisture without damage while providing a safe grip underfoot. Among the most reliable options are porcelain, ceramic, mosaic, and natural stone - each bringing unique benefits in terms of strength, style, or safety.
Porcelain Tiles for Bathroom Floors
Porcelain tile is one of the best choices for bathrooms because it combines toughness, low water absorption, and long-lasting performance. Denser and less porous than ceramic, it resists cracks, scratches, and daily wear. Its near-zero water absorption makes it ideal for damp environments, standing up to puddles, humidity, and spills without warping or staining.
The hard glazed surface also resists chips, etching, and stains from bath products or cosmetics, making it perfect for busy family bathrooms. With countless designs available, porcelain can mimic natural stone or timber for a luxury look, and while both glossy and matte finishes exist, matte or textured options are safest for bathroom floors.
Though slightly more expensive upfront, porcelain’s durability and low maintenance make it a smart investment. For homeowners seeking a bathroom tile that is stylish, durable, and water-resistant, porcelain remains the top choice.
Ceramic Tiles for Bathroom Wall and Floors
Ceramic tiles are great for walls and low-impact floors. Standard ceramic tiles are similar in composition to porcelain but are typically less dense. This makes them slightly less hard-wearing and water-resistant, so they shine on bathroom walls or low-water areas. Many ceramic tiles are rated for both wall and floor use, allowing a seamless look from shower wall to floor if desired . However, for main flooring in a busy bathroom, ceramics may scratch or wear faster than porcelain.
Ceramic tiles tend to be more budget-friendly while still offering good durability when properly installed and sealed . This makes them popular for homeowners who want a beautiful bathroom on a budget. You can achieve a luxurious look for less by using ceramics, especially on walls where high strength isn’t as critical .
You’ll find ceramic bathroom tiles in a huge range of colours, shapes, and textures - from classic white subway tiles to patterned feature tiles. It’s easy to get creative with ceramic wall tiles to add personality to your bathroom. Austpek’s collection includes ceramics that coordinate with floor tiles for a cohesive design.
It is also low-maintenance. Just ensure they are sealed correctly, especially grout lines to maximise water resistance. Once sealed, ceramic tiles handle moisture well in shower surrounds and backsplash areas. Regular cleaning with mild bathroom cleaners will keep them mould-free and shining.
Mosaic Tiles for Shower Floors
Mosaic tiles are a smart solution for shower floors where safety and detail matter most. Their small format creates plenty of grout lines, adding natural grip that reduces the risk of slipping in soapy, wet conditions. It’s a practical feature many homeowners overlook until they realise how much safer mosaics feel underfoot.
Because of their size, mosaics also solve one of the biggest challenges in bathroom design: sloping a shower floor correctly. Large tiles often struggle to sit neatly on a gradient, but mosaics bend to the angle, allowing water to flow smoothly into the drain without uneven edges or pooling.
On top of their function, mosaics are a chance to get creative. From river-pebble textures that give a spa-like feel to geometric herringbone or marble blends, they can be the small detail that makes the bathroom feel designed, not just finished. At Austpek, you’ll find porcelain, glass, and stone mosaic sheets that bring both personality and practicality to your shower.
For peace of mind, stick with matte or textured mosaics rated for floor use. Shiny glass styles are stunning on walls, but underfoot it’s best to keep grip as a priority.
Natural Stone Tiles
Natural stone tiles like marble, slate, or travertine bring elegant, one-of-a-kind luxury to bathrooms with their unique veining and natural colour variations, offering classic sophistication or rustic charm depending on the material. However, most natural stones are porous and require meticulous sealing and periodic resealing to prevent water damage, staining, darkening, and mildew in moisture-rich bathroom environments.
Polished stone surfaces can be slippery and are better suited for walls or require textured finishes like tumbled or honed treatments for safer flooring, while small-format stone mosaics provide better grip in showers.
While natural stone sits at the premium end of the price spectrum, Austpek Bathrooms offers both select natural stone options and stone-look porcelain alternatives that deliver the timeless aesthetic of marble or slate without the ongoing maintenance demands of sealing or concerns about product etching, making porcelain an increasingly popular choice for homeowners seeking style with practicality.
Bathroom Tile Tip: Focus on Slip Resistance. No matter which tile material you choose for a bathroom floor, always check its slip rating or surface texture. A tile that looks gorgeous isn’t ideal if it becomes an ice rink when wet.
Best Floor Tiles for Kitchens
In kitchens, durability and ease of cleaning take priority. Kitchen floors see heavy foot traffic, occasional spills, and maybe even dropped cookware. Backsplashes get splattered with food and grease. The best kitchen tiles will resist wear, cracks, and stains, and be simple to wipe clean. Below we outline the top tile options for kitchen floors and walls, and why they’re well-suited for the heart of your home.
Porcelain Tiles for Kitchen Floors
Porcelain tiles are the top choice for kitchen floors, offering unmatched resilience for high-traffic areas. Their superior density and strength make them ideal for withstanding the daily demands of a busy kitchen, from constant foot traffic to the occasional dropped pan or dragged chair. Unlike other materials, porcelain tiles are designed with a hard glaze and often rated for high-traffic commercial use, meaning they resist scratches from chair legs or grit and are highly stain-resistant.
Their low water absorption and ability to tolerate heat also make them exceptionally durable, ensuring they won’t be damaged by kitchen spills, steam, or even hot liquids, and since porcelain is non-combustible, it’s safe to use near ovens or stoves.
While kitchens don’t get as wet as bathrooms, choosing a tile with a matte or lightly textured finish provides added slip resistance, especially useful in open-plan layouts where outdoor moisture might be tracked in.
Porcelain tiles also offer design versatility with styles ranging from large-format concrete looks to wood-look planks and patterned finishes. In Australia, large-format porcelain is especially popular for creating seamless, spacious designs with fewer grout lines, and Austpek’s porcelain slabs are perfect for achieving this sleek, easy-to-clean finish.
FAQ: Is ceramic or porcelain tile better for the kitchen floor?
Porcelain is generally recommended for kitchen floors because it’s stronger and more durable, whereas ceramic tiles can crack under heavy foot traffic.Ceramic tiles are best used on walls, not floors… Porcelain floor tiles are best for kitchen flooring, as they are stronger and more durable than ceramic.
Glass & Mosaic Tiles for Kitchen Accents
If you want to add personality and visual interest to your kitchen, glass tiles or mosaic blends are excellent for backsplashes or accents.
Glass is non-porous, naturally stain-resistant, and easy to clean: splashes of tomato sauce, curry, or wine simply wipe away with glass cleaner or soapy water, keeping surfaces gleaming with minimal effort.
Mosaics, which can be made from glass, porcelain, stone, or a mix of materials, offer endless design versatility, often combining colours and textures to tie together countertops, cabinets, and flooring.
Their small size makes them perfect for detailed areas or curved surfaces where larger tiles don’t fit, while also adding depth and texture to your kitchen design. Since mosaics have more grout lines, they may require slightly more maintenance, though modern sealed and stain-resistant grout helps.
Many homeowners use mosaics as feature panels above the cooktop or sink, paired with larger tiles elsewhere for balance. Glass also reflects light, making kitchens feel brighter and more open, especially when paired with under-cabinet lighting.
Austpek Bathrooms offers a wide range of mosaic options, from classic herringbone marble to bold geometric glass patterns, ideal for creating a striking, custom look.
Large-Format Tiles for Kitchen Floors
Large-format tiles are a growing trend for kitchen floors, especially in open-plan homes, because their size (often 600x600mm or larger) reduces seams and creates a clean, modern aesthetic. With fewer grout lines breaking up the space, kitchens feel bigger and brighter, making this an excellent choice even for smaller layouts.
Large tiles are also practical - less grout means fewer spots for dirt or spills to settle, making sweeping, mopping, and overall upkeep quicker and easier. Many homeowners also love how large tiles can mimic poured concrete or natural stone slabs, offering a seamless, contemporary look that can even extend from floor to ceiling or across an island for dramatic effect.
Current Australian trends include timber-look porcelain that flows from kitchen to living areas, patterned encaustic-look or geometric tiles used as decorative “rugs,” and mixes of textures for character. As with any kitchen floor, it’s essential to choose tiles rated for floor use and heavy traffic, and Austpek can help guide you toward the right large-format style for both durability and design.
FAQ: Can you use the same tiles in the kitchen and bathroom?
Yes, many tile materials (especially porcelain and ceramic) are versatile enough for both kitchens and bathrooms. In fact, using the same style of tile can create a nice design continuity in your home. Just make sure the tile is rated for the appropriate use (floor-rated tiles in any floor area, and sufficient slip-resistance in bathroom wet zones).
Bathroom Tiles vs Kitchen Tiles: Key Differences
Both bathrooms and kitchens can use similar types of tiles (there’s no strict separation that “bathroom tiles” can only go in bathrooms, or vice versa). However, there are key differences in requirements and practical considerations between the two spaces:
Moisture Exposure
Bathrooms have constant moisture – steamy showers, splashes from the sink, and wet floors are everyday occurrences. Tiles here must have low water absorption and preferably a textured surface for safety.
Kitchens get some spills and occasional humidity, but far less water on the floor overall. This means waterproofing and slip-resistance are more critical in bathroom tiles (especially floor) than in most kitchen scenarios.
Slip Safety
In bathrooms, especially on the floor and in showers, slip-resistant tiles (matte, textured, or mosaic) are highly recommended to prevent accidents on wet surfaces . In kitchens, it’s still wise to have a matte or lightly textured floor tile for grip (think of a possible oil spill near the stove), but you don’t necessarily need the high slip rating of a shower tile for the whole kitchen.
Polished tiles are more acceptable in kitchens (many people love glossy polished concrete-look floors in a kitchen), whereas in a bathroom polished can be dangerous if water is not managed. Always weigh aesthetics vs safety for each room.
Foot Traffic & Loads
Kitchens typically endure heavier foot traffic and more impact (imagine cans dropping from a pantry, or the weight of a refrigerator on the tiles) compared to bathrooms. Therefore, hardness and strength of floor tiles is a bigger concern in kitchens.
Porcelain’s density is a big plus here. Bathrooms, on the other hand, see lighter foot traffic; even a ceramic tile can last on a bathroom floor because the stress on it is lower (provided it’s rated for floor use).
Tile Size & Layout
In bathrooms, you often use smaller tiles (mosaics, 300x300mm, etc.) at least in certain areas, to allow for slopes and to reduce slip risk. In kitchens, larger format tiles are common since we usually want fewer grout lines for easy cleaning and a spacious look.
Also, the layout might differ: bathrooms may have more complex layouts (niches, shower recesses, built-in bathtubs to tile around) requiring small cuts or mosaics, whereas kitchen floors are usually a simple rectangular area to tile and backsplashes are flat wall expanses – allowing use of larger tiles or creative patterns across a continuous area.
Design and Aesthetics
Both rooms allow creativity, but the design focus can differ. In bathrooms, many homeowners prioritise a serene, spa-like feel or a cohesive extension of their bedroom style. Neutral tones, natural stone looks, and calming patterns are popular.
In kitchens, the backsplash is often where bold design happens – it can be a place for colour, pattern, and personality while the floor might be kept neutral to connect with adjacent areas.
Also, hygiene and a sense of cleanliness often guide kitchen tile choices light, glossy tiles that show cleanliness, for instance), whereas in bathrooms, ease of cleaning is important but people might be willing to include more texture like stone for a spa ambiance.
Tile Thickness & Ratings
As a rule of thumb, floor tiles (for either kitchen or bath) are made thicker and stronger than wall tiles.
You can usually put a floor-rated tile on a wall, but not the opposite – wall tiles on a floor may crack. So, one difference is that bathroom walls might use very thin, decorative tiles that you would never use on a floor. Kitchen backsplashes similarly often use lighter wall-specific tiles (which makes installation easier on vertical surfaces).
Always check the tile’s specification: if it’s labeled “wall tile” only, plan to use it only on walls. If it’s “floor tile” (or both), it can go on floors and anywhere else.
Porcelain Tiles Emerge As a Champion For Both Areas
With high durability and water-resistance that make them universally applicable. The difference lies in where you apply them and the finish you choose. Matte, non-slip porcelain on bathroom floors; any porcelain or ceramic style you like on bathroom walls. In kitchens, porcelain on the floor (for strength), and ceramic/porcelain/glass on backsplashes depending on your design preference. By understanding these nuances, you can confidently shop for tiles that meet the specific needs of your bathroom and kitchen.
Porcelain for strength, mosaics for character, and large formats for a clean, open feel - each choice changes the way your kitchen or bathroom comes together. At Austpek Bathrooms, we’ve curated a tile collection that’s as practical as it is beautiful, with styles that suit everyday life as well as statement designs.
Check our bathroom and kitchen tiles range at Austpek Bathrooms to explore the options, or order samples online to see how they look in your own space. And if you’re weighing up a few choices, our team is always ready to give honest, helpful advice. The right tiles make all the difference, let’s help you find yours.
