Sauna tiles: complete selection guide for 6 zones

By Osman Orman · Tile and technical specialist at Tegelmonsters

Sauna tiles are selected based on three technical properties simultaneously: heat resistance according to ISO 10545-9, low water absorption, and a barefoot anti-slip rating. This combination determines whether the tile will withstand a wellness project for years without problems.

The choice starts with the zone and the sauna types, not the color. A tile that can withstand the heat cycle is technically in place before the architect fills in the design.

Starting point

Why do sauna tiles require a specific technical assessment?

Most tile choices revolve around one or two properties. A living room floor requires wear resistance, a terrace requires frost resistance. A sauna area accumulates loads. The surface heats up and cools down, humidity fluctuates from dry to saturated, and people walk on it barefoot. Each of these three aspects requires a specific technical response in the tile selection.

Heat is the least known factor in this regard. Ceramics naturally tolerate high temperatures well, because the material itself is fired at over a thousand degrees Celsius. Consequently, attention shifts to the cycle: the repeated heating and cooling of the surface. This alternating load tests the standard for thermal shock, which we elaborate on in the next section.

For those who wish to broaden the absorption axis, our selection guide for water absorption of ceramic tiles offers the complete classification from BIa to BIII. In a sauna, the emphasis lies on the upper segment of that scale, because a dense body tolerates both heat and condensation better than a porous tile.

Heat resistance

What demands does the heat in a sauna place on ceramics?

Thermal shock is the stress that arises when a surface heats up or cools down rapidly. The outside changes temperature faster than the core, and that difference puts stress on the material. ISO 10545-9 makes this property testable. Test tiles undergo a series of cycles between low and high temperatures, after which they are checked for cracks, crazing, and other visible damage. A tile that withstands the cycles without defect is considered resistant to thermal shock.

The thermal expansion coefficient is part of the same story. This value, defined by ISO 10545-8, indicates how much a tile expands per degree Celsius increase in temperature. Ceramics have a low coefficient, which means that a tile hardly changes size when heated. This is beneficial in a sauna, where the tile heats up and cools down several times a day. The lower this expansion, the less stress is placed on the adhesive layer and the grout.

The practical translation is clear. A tile with low water absorption, tested resistance to thermal shock, and a low coefficient of expansion is compatible with the sauna environment. These specifications are listed on the manufacturer's datasheet. The standard designations themselves are internationally established and can be consulted via NEN for the NEN-EN ISO 10545 series , so that the design team can include the requirement directly in the specifications.

Sauna types

Which tiles suit which type of sauna?

The three cabin types differ in temperature and humidity, and this dictates the choice of tiles. A Finnish sauna reaches 80 to 100 degrees Celsius in low humidity. A steam cabin or hammam remains around 40 to 50 degrees, but the humidity approaches 100 percent. An infrared cabin heats the body primarily through radiation and keeps the room itself around 45 to 60 degrees without high humidity levels.

These differences determine where the emphasis lies. In the Finnish sauna, the heat cycle on the surface and the grip under bare feet on the floor are important. In the steam cabin, the emphasis shifts to condensation and hygiene: saturated moisture condenses on the walls and floor, so a dense tile body and easily cleanable grout are more important. The infrared cabin experiences the least stress and therefore allows for the widest choice, provided the tile has been tested for heat resistance.

The transition zone between the sauna and the shower deserves special attention. There, wet feet, a temperature difference, and sometimes a slope combine to create the slipperiest situation in the entire room. For this strip, project teams choose the highest barefoot grip. The next section explains how this classification works.

Non-slip barefoot

What anti-slip rating is required on a wet sauna floor?

The R-value indicates how slippery a surface is under footwear with an oil film, on a scale from R9 to R13. For a sauna, this is not the relevant test, as one walks barefoot on a wet floor there. A separate standard exists for that situation. The barefoot classification A, B, or C according to DIN 51097 uses soapy water as the test basis and a test subject walking barefoot on an inclined plane.

The three classes are linked to a minimum safe angle of inclination. Class A corresponds to an angle of inclination of 12 degrees or more and is suitable for dry, barefoot areas such as a changing room. Class B starts at 18 degrees and covers wet floors, shower rooms, and swimming pool edges. Class C starts at 24 degrees and is intended for ramps, steps in water, and the wettest transitions. For a sauna floor, B is the standard lower limit; for the transition to the shower, the choice shifts to C.

The shoe-wearing areas surrounding the cabin require the well-known R-value. A changing room or relaxation zone with slippers or flip-flops typically receives R10. A wet shower zone goes to R10 or R11, depending on the slope. The explanation of the R-scale and the test setup can be found in our explanation of anti-slip value in bathrooms and shower rooms , and the broader link between R-value and wear resistance can be found in the selection guide for PEI value per room.

Maintenance

How do you keep sauna tiles hygienic and low-maintenance?

Hygiene in a sauna revolves around quick drying and easy cleaning. A tile with low water absorption absorbs virtually no moisture into the body. This makes the surface resistant to stains and prevents moisture from settling into the material. Porcelain in class BIa is therefore the standard choice in wellness areas with intensive use and frequent cleaning. The background of this absorption scale is explained in detail in our guide on the water absorption of ceramic tiles.

The grout deserves just as much attention as the tile. Grout absorbs moisture and dirt more easily than a solid ceramic body, so the color and type dictate maintenance. Warm gray or sand-colored grout conceals limescale and skin oils better than white grout, which becomes visible sooner in a damp area and causes maintenance. Good quality cement-grade grout and proper hydrophobization keep the area looking neat for years.

The finish requires a trade-off between grip and cleanability. A rough, highly textured surface provides excellent barefoot grip but also collects fine dirt that is harder to scrub away. A smooth tile cleans quickly but offers less grip on a wet floor. The right balance lies in a lightly textured surface that meets the barefoot class without becoming unnecessarily rough. General material advantages of ceramics in this regard are listed in the overview of the benefits of ceramic tiles.

Cutlery

What should be included in the specifications for sauna tiles?

Specifications for a sauna zone begin with the function of each sub-area. The floor in the cabin is assigned a barefoot class, the wall near a steam source a dense absorption class, and the transition to the shower the highest grip. Next follows the requirement for thermal shock, as this applies wherever the surface heats up. Finally, size, finish, and caliber are included in the specification, as these help determine the measured anti-slip.

Installation products deserve their own line. Due to cyclic expansion, you should choose a flexible cementitious adhesive in class C2 according to NEN-EN 12004-1 and a cement-based grout in class CG2 according to NEN-EN 13888-1. An expansion joint is a deliberately left-open movement joint that accommodates expansion without the tile or joint cracking. On larger surfaces and with underfloor heating, these movement joints should be placed in logical locations. Rectification, the precise grinding of the tile edges, allows for a narrow joint and is noted separately in the specifications. The performance requirement for the skid resistance of wet floors in public buildings is described on Bouwbesluit Online.

Manufacturers in the range align with this when selecting materials. Pamesa Ceramica from Spain, known for its hydrogen-powered production line, supplies BIa porcelain in a rectified version with thermal shock test data on the datasheet, suitable for heat-stressed floor and wall areas. Ceragni from Portugal offers an extensive Basic color range in small wall formats, in gloss and matte finishes, which is ideal for use in a steam cabin or as a mosaic accent on the wall. We match these collections to your zone requirements, ensuring the datasheet fits directly into the specification block.

Sample package

How do you put together a sample package for a sauna project?

The page with the full range is the starting point. There, you can filter for free by zone, size, finish, and classification. For a sauna floor, set the filter to porcelain with barefoot grip; for a steam wall, to solid wall tiles or mosaic; and for the transition, to the highest grip class. This way, the collections used in wellness projects are immediately visible, and you can bundle the package per project via the Sample Map.

What project managers often tell us: the first filtering round takes place online, followed by a physical assessment in our showroom in Utrecht. This showroom is accessible to professionals by appointment only and offers full-size samples alongside additional sample surfaces. For smaller wall accents in a steam cabin, mosaic tiles are a practical option, and for the wellness area in a larger hotel project, our guide to hospitality tiles aligns with the same zone approach. Our manufacturers from Spain and Portugal provide technical datasheets with the exact classifications per collection.

Frequently asked questions