Terminology

• Porcelain: dense, low-absorption tile body; through-body or glazed
• Ceramic (non-porcelain): higher absorption; mainly walls and light-duty floors
• Quarry tile: extruded unglazed tile for kitchens and industrial floors
• Large-format tile (LFT): tile with any side 15 in. or longer; needs flatter substrates and larger-notch trowels
• Gauged porcelain tile / panels (GPT): thin, large porcelain panels
• Thinset: cement mortar; modified thinset contains latex polymers
• Uncoupling membrane: sheet that separates tile from substrate movement
• Crack isolation membrane: liquid or sheet bridging small substrate cracks
• Movement joint: soft, sealant-filled joint through tile and setting bed (TCNA EJ171)
• DCOF: dynamic coefficient of friction; slip resistance metric in ANSI A326.3
• Lippage: height difference between adjacent tile edges

Standards

Ratings

• Slip resistance: ANSI A326.3 sets wet DCOF of 0.42 or more for level interior floors walked on wet; products below 0.42 only where kept dry; 0.55 often cited for interior wet areas
• Movement joints (TCNA EJ171): interior about every 20 ft to 25 ft each way; exterior and sun-exposed interior every 8 ft to 12 ft; designer shows locations on drawings
• Water absorption: porcelain is the low-absorption class for exterior and freeze-thaw use

Test standards

• ANSI A137.1: ceramic tile specifications (includes A326.3 slip resistance)
• ANSI A137.3: gauged porcelain tile and panels
• ANSI A108 series: installation of ceramic tile
• ANSI A118 series: setting materials and grouts
• TCNA Handbook: installation methods and movement joint guidance (EJ171)

Materials

• Porcelain tile: floors, exterior, and high traffic
• Glazed ceramic: walls and light-duty floors
• Quarry tile: commercial kitchens with epoxy grout
• Setting materials: modified thinset, large-and-heavy-tile mortars, epoxy
• Grouts: cementitious, high-performance, or epoxy for chemical and stain resistance
• Membranes: waterproofing, crack isolation, and uncoupling

Detailing

• Specify substrate flatness, especially for large-format tile
• Show movement joints at perimeters, changes of plane, over structural joints, and at EJ171 spacing
• Waterproof wet areas and slope to drains
• Select tile by DCOF and use category for entries, wet areas, and ramps
• Set tile depressions in slabs for thick-bed installations
• Detail transitions to adjacent floors without trip edges

Uses

Specific uses

• Restrooms, showers, and locker rooms
• Lobbies and corridors
• Commercial kitchens (quarry tile with epoxy grout)
• Healthcare and lab support spaces
• Exterior plazas and pool decks (porcelain rated for exterior)

Pros and cons

Pros

• Very durable and water resistant
• Wide range of sizes, colors, and textures
• Low maintenance; resists stains and chemicals with proper grout
• Fire resistant and inert

Cons

• Hard, cold, and noisy underfoot
• Cracks if substrate moves or movement joints are missing
• Grout joints stain without proper grout and sealing
• Labor-intensive installation; large-format tile needs skilled setters

Manufacturing and cost

Construction

• Clay bodies pressed or extruded, glazed or unglazed, and kiln fired
• Set over prepared substrates with thinset or mortar bed; grouted and sealed

Main manufacturers and suppliers

• Daltile
• Crossville
• Florim
• LATICRETE (setting materials)
• MAPEI (setting materials)
• Custom Building Products (setting materials)

Trade association: Tile Council of North America.

Typical costs

• Porcelain tile, installed: $8 to $30 per sq ft depending on size, format, substrate prep, and pattern
• Labor alone: about $4 to $22 per sq ft

Sources

• Crossville: measuring for slip prevention (DCOF), https://CrossvilleInc.com/Resources/Tile-101/DCOF
• Creative Materials: ANSI A326.3 product classification standard, https://www.creativematerialscorp.com/tile-talk/tile-talk-february-2022-new-ansi-a326-3-product-classification-standard/
• TileLetter: going deeper into TCNA EJ171, https://www.tileletter.com/?p=36958
• LATICRETE: a quick look at movement joints, https://cdn.laticrete.com/blog/2017/september/a-quick-look
• Rubi: average cost to install tile floors, https://www.rubi.com/us/blog/average-cost-to-install-tile-floors/
• Inch Calculator: tile floor cost, 2026, https://www.inchcalculator.com/how-much-does-a-tile-floor-cost
• Wikimedia Commons: Floor tile installation in the back of house area of the LIRR passenger concourse. 08-29-2019 (48647691101).jpg, by MTA Capital Construction Mega Projects (CC BY 2.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Floor_tile_installation_in_the_back_of_house_area_of_the_LIRR_passenger_concourse._08-29-2019_(48647691101).jpg