Large format tile projects: complete selection guide 2026

By Jeroen Hoogveld · Specialist Architects & Projects at Tegelmonsters

Large-format tiles are suitable for projects where the substrate is flat, sightlines are long, and the design calls for a smooth surface with few joints. In other situations, a smaller format works better technically and visually.

The choice is therefore not a matter of taste, but derived from land use, subsurface quality, and logistics. The step-by-step plan below reduces this assessment to a few concrete checks.

Operation & technology

When do large-format tiles fit well in projects?

A large-format tile reduces the number of joints on the surface. A 50 m² floor in 120×120 cm has seven times fewer joints than the same floor in 30×60 cm. This changes the overall appearance: the surface looks calmer and more continuous, and the eye is guided towards the wall or furniture lines rather than the pattern on the floor.

For architects, that effect is useful. An open office floor with large format tiles appears more spacious without the furniture being rearranged. A hotel lobby with 120×280 slabs on the wall gains a visual continuity that a smaller format does not offer. In the projects handled by us, we see this effect increasingly often in public spaces and residential projects with large surfaces.

At the same time, the format is not universal. A small bathroom under a dormer, a stair transition, or a fragmented layout with many doorways quickly results in a lot of cutting. This eliminates the calm effect, leaving only the higher costs. The 100×100 introduction in our knowledge base describes the intermediate format that often forms a good middle ground.

Format spectrum

Which formats fall under large format?

The industry does not use a legal definition, but an agreed working limit. A tile with at least one side exceeding 40 cm counts as large format. Below that limit falls the standard range that has existed for decades, with classics in 30×30 and 30×60 cm. Above 40 cm, installation techniques and the transport route change.

A slab is the top end of the spectrum. Officially, a slab is a tile with a total surface area exceeding three square meters, but in practice, the market also uses the term for sizes starting from 100×100 cm. Slabs are supplied in thin-walled versions ranging from 6 mm for wall applications to 12 mm for heavily loaded floors.

Specific working methods apply to sawing and handling slabs. Our article on XXL saws outlines the steps installers follow in our projects, from suction cups to water sawing techniques.

Zone selection

For which zones does large format work best?

Specific considerations apply to each zone. A commercial lobby or restaurant area benefits from a smooth surface. A spacious living floor benefits from continuous sightlines. A shallow stair transition or a toilet under the stairs, however, does not, because the cutting breaks the tile structure there.

For a specific room choice, architects often filter our assortment by application. The common sizes and their stock levels are listed on the living room tiles and bathroom tiles pages . From there, the sample request for the project follows.

Consideration

When is it better to choose a smaller size?

Choosing a smaller format is not a quality choice, but a project choice. A renovation project involving an existing screed with deviations of up to 5 mm requires a flat subfloor if you want to lay large format tiles. Leveling takes time and money. For such a situation, 30×60 or 60×60 is a fairer starting point: the tile pattern is forgiving of the subfloor, and costs remain controllable.

For projects with a distinctive laying pattern, such as herringbone or random bond, a medium format sometimes provides more character than a large format. The overview of laying patterns describes the combinations that occur most frequently in project architecture.

Flatness

What requirements does the substrate impose on large format?

The Dutch standard NEN 2747 describes the flatness classes for finished floors. Class 1 requires a screed with deviations of no more than 3 mm measured from a 2-meter straightedge. For large-format tiles of 60×120 and larger, this serves as the working basis. A screed delivered to Class 2 requires a leveling layer before the tiler can begin work.

In addition to flatness, stability is also important. A screed that has not fully cured still exhibits shrinkage, resulting in micro-movement under the tile. A long slab absorbs this movement poorly and can start humming or break loose under load. The drying time for a cement screed is generally one week per centimeter of thickness up to 4 cm; beyond that, it is longer. For projects where the tiler needs to start work immediately after the screed, project teams sometimes opt for a fast-drying screed with an accelerator additive.

Expansion joints are required by the 2012 Building Decree and standard installation guidelines. Install an expansion joint every 25 m² of surface area, at all wall connections, and at transitions between different substrates. An expansion joint is at least 4 mm wide and is filled with an elastic jointing compound, not cement grout. For large-format rectified tiles, the standard tile joint is 3 to 4 mm. For details on joints for rectified tiles, see our selection guide for joint widths for rectified tiles.

Underfloor heating

How do you combine large format with underfloor heating and joints?

Underfloor heating is standard in projects. The substrate, the adhesive, and the grout must all be suitable for cyclic expansion. A C2 tile adhesive with a flex additive is common; in the standard, this falls under C2TE-S1 or C2TE-S2 for heavier loads. For the grout, choose a CG2 class according to EN 13888-1, with the designations W for low water absorption and A for wear resistance.

The combination with large format reinforces the requirement. On underfloor heating with a delta of 25 degrees, a 120×120 tile expands by approximately 0,2 mm per direction. A slab of 320 cm expands by well over 0,5 mm. This expansion can only be compensated for with a flexible grout and a joint width that allows for micro-movement. Our explanation regarding tiles and underfloor heating describes the installation sequence and waiting times for each phase of heating after tiling.

The same logic applies to grout color as with smaller formats: a tone-on-tone grout allows the surface to flow seamlessly, while a contrasting grout accentuates the pattern. For large formats, a tone-on-tone grout often works out better because the tile itself provides a sense of calm. Our article on grout color describes the color families most commonly found in commercial real estate.

Logistics

What does large format demand of transport and installation?

The logistics of large formats begin before site completion. A 120×280 slab can easily weigh 50 to 70 kilos each and does not fit through every door or staircase. Project teams therefore schedule delivery before floor completion or leave a temporary route open. For renovations with narrow stairwells, 60×120 slabs are sometimes chosen instead of a true slab, precisely to keep transport feasible.

The installation technique is called double buttering or buttering-floating. The tiler applies adhesive to the substrate with a notched trowel of approximately 12 mm and to the tile back with a notched trowel of 4 to 6 mm. This ensures optimal adhesive contact and prevents hollow spaces under the tile, which would otherwise lead to cracking or breakage under load. A leveling system with clamps holds the tiles at exactly the same level until the adhesive has cured.

For projects involving multiple zones simultaneously, the Monstermap tool from Tegelmonsters offers a central place to bundle wall, floor, and facade samples. This helps with hotel projects, offices, or residential projects where the different spaces need to match in terms of caliber, color, and joint width.

Sample package

How do you put together a sample pack for your large-format project?

On the tiles page , you can filter for free by zone, size, color, and finish. For a large-format project, set the size filter to 60×120 or larger to immediately see the rectified collections used in projects. For each zone, then select the application page that matches the design's focal point.

What project managers often tell us: the first filtering round takes place online, followed by a physical assessment in our showroom in Utrecht. The showroom is open to professionals by appointment only and offers large-format samples in actual size alongside additional sample surfaces. Every autumn, our manufacturers from Spain and Portugal showcase new slab dimensions at the Cersaie trade fair, which we add to our range shortly thereafter.

Frequently asked questions