The Pros & Cons of Polished vs. Matt Tiles for Your Home

If you’re looking to redesign your property, choosing new coverings for your walls and floors can be a great way to easily change its style in one simple move. Tiles are often great for this purpose, offering a versatile solution that is available in various styles, designs, colours and finishes. One of the biggest decisions you will need to make is the tile finish you opt for, as this aspect can have a significant impact on the overall result. 

As experts in porcelain, Tiles Universe is here to help you determine which porcelain tile might suit your home or other property best. This article will explore both polished porcelain tiles and matt porcelain tiles, guiding you through your options and helping you to decide on which will best suit your home. 

What are Polished and Matt Tiles?

Both wall and floor tiles are available in different finishes, allowing a property owner to choose an option that will suit their home and personal style effortlessly. This section will cover the two types of finishes discussed in this article, helping to get more acquainted with the products available for you to choose from.

Polished Porcelain Tiles

These tiles have a shiny appearance, which can be great for reflecting light and generally brightening up an area. Polished porcelain tiles will generally be polished using specialist tools, which allow the manufacturer to produce a high shine. The most popular polished porcelain tiles are typically in natural shades, from white to beige, however, they do come in a wide range of colours for you to choose from.

Matt Porcelain Tiles

Matt tiles will generally have a natural texture surface, with a non-reflective finish. Matte-finish tiles are often more subtle than polished porcelain tiles, allowing the other statement features in your home to truly stand out. These tiles often well suit rustic and industrial interiors, making them perfect for a vast range of homes across the globe. 

The Benefits of Polished Tiles

Reflective and stylish, polished tiles are more than just aesthetically pleasing. By installing these tiles in your home, you can reap several of their key benefits. Read on to discover the advantages of choosing polished porcelain tiles for your home, whether used on your walls or floors. 

Durability

Polished tiles, when supplied by trusted providers, are generally very strong. They can be highly resistant to general wear and tear, including chipping and scratching. Their stylish appearance can therefore be retained easily for years to come, making them a worthwhile investment for many property owners. The durability of polished tiles makes them a fantastic option if you’re looking for a long-lasting solution for your flooring and walls.

Easy Maintenance

Looking after polished tiles in the home need not be a challenge. These tiles offer a non-porous surface, which makes them harder to stain and easier to wipe up dirt and spills. As a result, polished tiles are great for places where messes often happen, such as kitchens and bathrooms. 

Aesthetic Appeal

The reflective finish of polished porcelain offers an elegant feel, helping to create a spacious feel in any room. Polished porcelain tiles are known for being sleek and stylish, helping homeowners achieve a high-end look without an extensive budget. These tiles are also available in a wide range of designs, including various colours and patterns.

The Benefits of Matt Tiles

Stark and bare, matt tiles are a fantastic alternative to polished tiles that you might like to consider when deciding what best suits your home. Below, you can discover the advantages of matt tiles, and why they are such popular choices for modern homeowners.

Natural Aesthetic

These tiles are fantastic for mimicking natural stone flooring, making them particularly great options if you’re looking to obtain a more rustic feel in your property. Porcelain tiles are typically more cost-effective than genuine stone tiles too, making them a more budget-friendly way to achieve natural floors. 

Anti-Slip

Accidental spills and wet floors are common, particularly in large houses where many people reside. Luckily, matt floor tiles can prevent the risk of further accidents happening as a result of a spill. In contrast to the shiny slipperiness of polished porcelain tiles, matt tiles are not slippery when wet. This makes them great for especially wet areas, including shower and bathroom floors.

Low-Maintenance

Matt tiles are an excellent choice for households where ease of maintenance and durability are priorities. Their textured surface naturally helps to conceal dirt, dust, and water spots, meaning they require far less frequent cleaning compared to their polished counterparts. This makes them ideal for busy households where time for detailed cleaning might be limited or where cleaning schedules are not always consistent.

Best Uses for Polished vs. Matt Tiles

Thanks to their different set of advantages, polished porcelain tiles and matt tiles are often suited to different applications. Read on to discover some of the best ways to use polished tiles and matt tiles, including the best areas of a residential property to install them.

Polished Tile Uses

Polished tiles are particularly good for both floors and walls in bathrooms, as they can add a luxurious spa-like aesthetic that is perfect for relaxation. With its reflective appearance, polished tile flooring can also make a space seem larger, making it great for hallways and small living rooms. It’s best to avoid using polished tiles outside or in areas where the floors are designed to get wet, as polished porcelain tiles can be incredibly slippery and therefore pose a fall risk. 

Matt Tile Uses

Thanks to their non-slip properties, matt porcelain tiles are generally well-suited as bathroom tiles and floor tiles for wet rooms. They can also look great as backsplashes and other small features, however, they aren’t often used for feature walls due to the lack of shine and luxury appeal. Matt patterned or coloured tiles, on the other hand, can be timeless options that look great as home features, so it’s always worth considering them as an option for the home.

Deciding Which Is Right for You

While both matt tiles and polished tiles are great options, often one solution might be more suited to your needs and requirements than the other. This section should guide you through some key considerations, helping you decide whether to use matt or polished porcelain tiles.

Considering Lifestyle

If you have pets or small children, for example, certain tiles might not be right for your home. As matt tiles can be more prone to scratching than polished porcelain alternatives, they might not be best suited to use as flooring on your property. Instead, you may want to consider using these tiles for your walls. 

Matching Tiles to Your Home’s Interior Style

When choosing between polished tiles and matt tiles, it’s worth considering the overall aesthetic of your home. The choice of tile can significantly impact the atmosphere and style of a room, so understanding the effect you want to create is key. Marble-effect polished tiles are particularly great for modern-style homes, while patterned matt porcelain tiles are great for a more rustic style.

Our Products at Tiles Universe

Whether you’re looking for porcelain matt tiles, polished tiles, or a combination of both, our team at Tiles Universe can provide you with high-quality solutions, perfect for your floors and walls. Our porcelain floor tiles are designed to enhance the overall elegance and appearance of your home, while our porcelain wall tiles can make for great features. We even offer extra large tiles, as well as a range of essentials needed to install the tiles.

To shop our products, please visit our online store on our website today. Here, you can find a wide range of porcelain tiles in various finishes, including both polished and matt options, making it easy for you to find the solution that suits your home best. Alternatively, for further information and support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team now.