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Thanks to advancing technology, large-format tile is quite literally becoming bigger than ever. Members of every corner of the industry-from manufacturers and retailers to designers and installers-are coming together to embrace this product's potential for continued success.
"From fabric replicas to wood-inspired designs to intricate mosaics, tile and stone products are taking on new forms and, as a result, unleashing a world of design possibilities for residential and commercial professionals," said Barbara Haaksma, Emser Tile vice president of marketing. "It's exciting to lead industry conversations surrounding the important role tile and stone play in creating on-trend, sustainable spaces.
Porcelain tile panels are one category of large-format porcelain that is on a fast growth trajectory, with introductions measuring nearly 3 x 10 feet and profiles as lean as 3 millimeters for walls and 5.6 millimeters for wall or floor installations. Known as "thin tile", industry installation standards use the term "gauged" to cover a range of precise thicknesses that can carry different loads and be used in different ways, taking a similar approach to standardized wire gauges and gauged sheet metal, according to the Tile Council of North America (TCNA).
In April, Daltile introduced Panoramic porcelain surfaces, a 10.5 x 5.3-foot panel that comes in 6 mm and 12 mm thicknesses. Stocked in eight locations around the country, the panels come in polished or honed finishes. "These slabs are ideal for floors, walls and countertops and are durable and low-maintenance," said Kim Albrecht, senior brand marketing manager, Daltile.
Lindsey Waldrep, vice president of marketing for Crossville, said the installation and cost advantages of these large panels are creating major advantages for the marketplace. The company continues to have success with its Laminam porcelain panel product. "As building materials shift, morph and change, our Laminam collections are truly enlightening products," Waldrep said. It allows designers to utilize porcelain tiles in new ways and with new thinking in so many applications."
"I love this product," said interior designer Patricia Gaylor, owner of Eco Interiors in Las Vegas, who spoke on a design panel at The International Surface Event (TISE). "I've seen it come around for a few years, and I honestly believe is the very beginning of the way we look at tile. I...