Everything You Need to Know About Slim Tiles

I don't have my own house yet, but I am at the age where I am researching the design of my new house etc. So, I came across this term "slim or thin tiles" recently and I thought some of you may like to know a little bit more as well. Apparently, they are very popular around the world except in Singapore! (Why like this!!!)

So what are slim tiles? True to their name, they are very slim LOL! They are typically 3 mm to 6 mm, a lot thinner than your usual 10 mm tile (1 cm). Because they are so thin, they can be installed directly over your existing tiles. So you don't have to hack your tiles every time you decide to revamp your home and change your floor tiles. This helps to cut down your renovation cost!

It is also able to come in beautiful large sizes such as 1.6 metres by 3.2 metres, with amazingly beautiful designs that are so realistic, you would not be able to tell the difference from it to natural marble, stone, or wood! In my opinion, I think it is really good for people who bought re-sale flats or you are just simply bored of your house tiles, and would like a quick, cheap change.

Since its introduction into the local market, there have been many complaints of it breaking. Reason being:-

1. Most tile installers do not have the required expertise or experience to handle this material. As it is very thin, it is extremely fragile and must be handled with the greatest amount of care before it is being installed. When installed properly, it leverages on the strength of the platform beneath it and is supposed to be extremely durable and sturdy.


2. Thin tiles need to be laid on an extremely flat substrate, and the back of the tile has to be completely covered with adhesives. This requires top notch workmanship. One pocket of air in between the tile and the substrate would mean that particular area is highly likely to be chipped should it be knocked in future. Our local installers would require more practice and great supervision for a perfect job to be done.

However, over the years, many home owners and designers developed a liking for this amazing technology. Therefore, even though it is a hassle to handle due to its fragility, this product is more widely kept by suppliers in inventory.

Today, thin tiles even replace natural stones and compressed quartz as an alternative for kitchen table tops and some even use them to replace the laminate or doors of their cupboards and other carpentry! I guess the main thing all home owners need to do when choosing such a material is to have a proficient contractor who is experienced in installing such tiles.

For any of you who are interested in reading more, you can visit Malford Ceramics, a supplier of tiles, mosaics, natural stones and compressed stones. If any of you readers have such tiles, please comment too as my other readers and I would also like to know if it was value for money! :D