In the past year large format porcelain has gained popularity. Now thanks to modern manufacturing techniques, slab porcelain is now available for kitchen and bathroom countertops. Modern, sleek and natural looking, they are a perfect product for updating without busting the budget. Large format tiles are great for making small spaces (like Manhattan bathrooms!) look larger and more spacious. Below are pros and cons when choosing slab porcelain.
PROS
Porcelain slabs are installed with minimal grout so seams are basically unnoticeable
They are designed for fast installs over existing surfaces - great up updates in both kitchen and bath that aren't full renovations.
They're ideal for kitchen backsplash and shower surrounds, as they are lighter weight for wall mounting.
Porcelain slabs produce less waste, and are less expensive than stone slabs.
Porcelain is non-porous and etch, stain, and heat resistant, so it requires minimal maintenance
It’s a great material for fireplace surrounds, as porcelain is heat resistant and easy to install.
It is UV resistant and suitable for outdoors
CONS:
Because of its large size, slabs can be more brittle than other materials like quartz or stone and more prone to chipping
Unlike stone and other materials, porcelain pattern does not have designs entirely through the materials. Patterns are basically printed onto the top or glazed onto the material so when chipped the imperfection is highly noticeable and difficult to touch up or repair.
They are a challenge to fabricate. In nature porcelain is thin (6mm or 12mm) so when working with a counter-top all exposed edges need to be mitered and that ends up being costly
Ceramic knives can scratch the surface. Unlike stone you cannot buff out scratches, so using this material for countertops is not recommended.
Unlike natural stone, porcelain slabs are identical and can appear fake if over-used in a design
Porcelain slabs are a great product but keep it to the floors and walls. Worktops are too
vulnerable for scratching and chipping. Mitering edges to give the thickness that the material needs for workspaces is costly and may not be worth it. For a seamless backsplash or shower tile, my favorite places to source porcelain slab are MSI Surfaces, Porcelenosa, and Daltile. For large format tiles we love TileBar.
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