How to choose the right surfaces for porcelain stoneware flooring and coverings

by Sara Costi

Thanks to its excellent technical performance, porcelain stoneware is now one of the most widely used materials for tiling floors and walls, both indoor and outdoor, in a variety of project areas that range from residential settings to commercial environments and public buildings.

Porcelain stoneware is resistant, inalterable over time and in all weathers, frost-resistant, non-absorbent, inert and fireproof. Made exclusively from natural raw materials and free from plastic and harmful substances, it is completely recyclable and eco-sustainable, resistant to chemicals, stains, wear and tear, abrasion and all kinds of external stress. In addition, thanks to Bios Ceramics technology, porcelain stoneware is also antibacterial, self-cleaning and able to reduce pollutants.

So there are many variables to consider when choosing to lay such a versatile material. First of all, it’s important to understand whether the tiles are to be laid indoors or outdoors, on floors or walls, and the mood we’re seeking to bring to the project. Not all products with the same performance are equally suitable, and a number of considerations are necessary to ensure the architectural intervention is in keeping with the style we’re seeking to give a setting.

The natural, glossy or polished, lapped or satin-finish and anti-slip surfaces for outdoors thus join the large variety of textures with a marble, stone, wood, concrete or metal effect, to design spaces with a rustic, country, classic, modern or minimalist flavour, or in Scandinavian, cosy, shabby chic, japandi, wabi-sabi, vintage, retro or Provençal style.

Suitable for spacious settings, such as the classic New York loft apartments or modern, open-plan living areas, metropolitan style is the one that brings a distinctive, strongly industrial allure. The recurring features in this mood are the large windows, uneven colour effects and perimeter walls left deliberately unfinished, with pale plaster, high ceilings, open beams and visible tubes and piping. Typical of industrial style are floors with a natural or lapped surface, laid with minimal joints for maximum continuity throughout the setting, with a concrete or metal effect.

If it’s a minimalist style you’re looking for, with a rigorous, contemporary, Japanese air, featuring few objects and deliberately neutral tones, the best choice you can make for both floorings and coverings is a natural, lapped or satin-finish surface, with a metal or stone effect.

When we think of Scandinavian style, with its clean-cut, sustainable look, we imagine relaxing living spaces and natural surfaces with a wood or concrete effect. With its simple lines, warm, light pastel colours and large, bright windows, the hallmark of Nordic style is the unfailing pursuit of inviting, comfortable settings.

Finally, raised floors can also be created, using polypropylene supports, available in fixed or adjustable heights. Easy to remove for inspection, raised floors for outdoors make it possible to install electrical and plumbing systems in the gap below.