Tile Sizes in Dubai: Standard Sizes, 60x60 Tiles and How to Choose by Room

Reading a tile size: nominal, actual and calibre

The size of tiles printed on a box is a label, not a measurement. Three terms explain the gap.

Nominal size

Nominal size is the size a tile is sold under: 60×60, 30×60, 80×80. It is a round number for the catalogue.

Actual (work) size

Actual size, also called work size, is the measured size of the fired tile. Tiles shrink as they are fired and cooled, so the measured size is rarely exactly the nominal one. For example, a tile sold as 60×60 cm may have a work size of 598×598 mm. A difference of a millimetre or two is normal, and it matters because it changes the joint widths and how the pattern lines up.

Calibre

Calibre, sometimes written caliber, groups tiles by their measured size. After firing, a batch is sorted, and tiles with matching actual sizes get the same calibre code. A box carries its calibre, and tiles of one calibre fit together evenly. Tiles of two different calibres in the same room can show uneven joints. This is why you should buy all the tiles for a job from one batch.

Rectified tiles

A rectified tile has been cut to an exact size after firing, so its edges are straight and its size is very consistent. This allows a narrow, even joint. A non-rectified tile keeps its fired edges, which are slightly rounded or uneven, and it is laid with a wider joint that absorbs the variation. Our porcelain vs ceramic guide explains the terms.

60×60 cm is not 2×2 feet

Many shops and many people in Dubai talk about "2×2" tiles, meaning two feet by two feet. Two feet is 60.96 cm, so a 2×2 foot tile is about 61 cm square. A 60×60 cm tile is 60 cm square. The difference is about 1 cm per side. It looks small, and it matters in three ways.

• Quantity. A 2×2 foot tile covers about 0.372 m², where a 60×60 cm tile covers 0.36 m². A box of the same number of tiles covers slightly more area in 2×2 feet.
• Fit. The two sizes do not mix in one room. The joints will not line up.
• Quotes. A quote that says "60×60" and a shop list that says "2×2" can describe different tiles. Ask for the size in centimetres or millimetres, and for the actual size.

Tell us which tile you are buying, and we check the data sheet.

How to check a size

The "tiles sizes" in a quote should be written in centimetres or millimetres, with the actual size stated if the data sheet gives it. Measure the edge of a few tiles from the box with a tape or ruler, at several points. If two tiles from the same box differ by more than a millimetre or so, ask the shop about the calibre.

60x60 tiles: the default size

If a home has tiled floors, there is a good chance they are 60x60 tiles. It is the size the market has settled on, and it has good reasons.

Why 60x60 is the default

• It suits most rooms. It is large enough to look modern and small enough to lay on a floor that is not perfectly flat.
• It is easy to handle. A 60×60 cm porcelain tile is heavy enough to feel solid and light enough for one installer to carry.
• It is widely available, in nearly every finish and colour, so choice is wide.
• It cuts economically. Offcuts are usable in many layouts, and a tile can be cut in half for a brick-bond pattern.
• It is forgiving. A slight unevenness in the base shows less than with a larger tile.

What 60x60 tiles do not do

• They have more joints than a large format. About 3.3 metres of joint per square metre of floor, against 2.5 for a 60×120 tile. That is more grout to keep clean.
• They can look busy in a large open space. A big living area with 60×60 joints in every direction looks more gridded than the same area in 80×80 or 60×120.
• They are less dramatic. If you want a continuous, luxurious floor, a larger tile gives it.

Where 60x60 tiles work best

Living rooms up to a medium size, bedrooms, kitchens, corridors, entrances and most apartments. In small bathrooms, a 60×60 floor tile can be too large to follow the falls to the drain, so smaller tiles are used in the shower floor. See our bathroom tiles design guide.

Layouts for 60×60 tiles

A diagonal layout needs more tile, and the allowance is higher than for a straight layout.

Reading "60 x 60 tiles" in a listing

Listings and searches write the size as 60x60, tiles 60x60, 60 x 60 tiles or 600×600 mm. They all mean the same nominal size. Check the thickness, the finish, the rectification and the rating for the room, as explained in our floor tiles design guide.

Small formats: 10×10 to 45×45 cm

Small tiles are the oldest format, and they still have a place.

Why small tiles follow slopes

A floor that falls to a drain, such as a shower floor or a balcony, is not flat. A small tile follows the slope in small steps. A large tile has to be cut along the slope, or it lifts at one end. This is why shower floors use small tiles or mosaic, and why we do not lay a large tile where the floor falls steeply. See the bathroom and kitchen tiles guide for falls.

Small tiles and grip

More joints mean more grip underfoot. Small tiles and mosaics are a good choice for wet floors. The trade-off is more grout to clean, and an epoxy grout reduces the staining.

Small tiles in modern homes

A small tile can still look right: a mosaic in a niche, a hexagon in a powder room, a patterned 20×20 as a kitchen splashback. The size becomes a design choice and not a default.

Larger formats: 60×120, 80×80, 120×120, planks and slabs

Large formats give calm floors and walls with very few joints, and they ask more from the base and the installer.

What a larger tile gives you

• Fewer joints. A 120×120 tile has about 1.7 m of joint per square metre, half that of a 60×60 tile.
• A calmer floor. The eye sees fewer lines.
• A premium look, especially in marble-effect and stone-look porcelain.
• Easier cleaning, with less grout.

What a larger tile asks for

• A flat base. A large tile bridges dips and shows lippage, the step between neighbouring tiles. The floor must be levelled first.
• More care in fixing. The adhesive bed must be full, with no hollows, because a large tile cracks if it is not supported across its whole back. We use a levelling system as the tiles are laid.
• More weight. A large tile is heavy, and moving it up a tower takes planning.
• More waste, especially in a small or irregular room.
• A trained installer. Large tiles are harder to cut and set.

Large tiles in small rooms

A very large tile in a small room can look awkward at the edges, where it is cut to a thin strip. A good layout plans the cuts so that the edge pieces are at least half a tile wide. In a small bathroom, a large tile on the wall works well, with a smaller tile on the floor where it falls to the drain.

Planks

Wood-look planks are long and narrow, and they show their pattern. Plan the laying so that the same plank pattern does not repeat next to itself, and lay the planks along the longest view of the room. A plank tile also needs a flat floor, because its length shows any dip.

Slabs

A slab is a very large porcelain panel, sometimes 120×240 cm or more. It is used on walls, floors and surfaces. It needs specialist handling and cutting, and a perfectly flat base. If one breaks, replacing it is a bigger job than replacing a small tile.

Floor tile sizes by room

The right floor tile size follows the size and use of the room, as well as taste.

Room size rule of thumb

A larger room can carry a larger tile. In a small room, a very large tile means thin cuts at the edges and a floor that feels tight. Measure the room, plan the layout, and ask us to dry-lay a row so you can see it.

Floor tile sizes and the floor

A larger tile needs a flatter floor. If your floor is not flat, either level it, which costs money, or choose a smaller tile that follows it. We measure flatness at the inspection.

Matching sizes across rooms

In an open plan, keep one size for the whole area. Changing the tile size between rooms is best done at a doorway. A smaller tile in a bathroom is normal.

Wall tile sizes by room

Wall tiles are chosen differently from floor tiles, since they do not carry weight and can be larger or smaller.

Why large tiles suit walls

A wall is vertical and does not need to follow falls. A large tile gives a calm wall with few joints, provided the wall is flat and strong enough. See our wall tiles design guide.

Tile height and size

Choose a tile whose size divides well into the wall height, so the cuts at the top and the bottom are not thin. Your installer will lay the tiles out before fixing.

Size and grout: joint length per square metre

Grout is the part of a tiled surface that gets dirty first. The smaller the tile, the more grout there is to keep clean. The amount depends on the tile size and the joint width, so here is how to work it out.

The method

For a plain grid of tiles with width a and length b, measured in metres, the length of joint in each square metre of floor is about 1 ÷ a + 1 ÷ b metres. This ignores the width of the joint itself and the edges of the room, so it is an approximation. It is my own calculation, shown so you can check it.

A 60×60 floor has about twice the joint length of a 120×120 floor, and a 30×30 floor has about twice that of a 60×60.

What this means

• Moving from 30×30 to 60×60 halves the grout to clean.
• Moving from 60×60 to 80×80 or 60×120 cuts it by about a quarter.
• The joint is also where dirt, mould and stains start, so fewer joints mean less upkeep.

Joint width

A rectified tile can be laid with a narrow joint, such as 2 to 3 mm. A non-rectified tile needs a wider one, which absorbs the size variation. A very narrow joint on a tile that is not rectified will look uneven. Your installer sets the joint width to the tile maker's guidance and the tile's actual size.

Grout choice

Cement grout is common and needs sealing in wet areas. Epoxy grout resists stains and is used in showers and kitchens. A grout colour close to the tile hides the joints, and a contrasting grout draws a grid. See our bathroom and kitchen tiles guide.

Size and installation: flatness, weight, lippage, cuts and lifts

The bigger the tile, the more the installation matters.

Flatness

A large tile needs a floor that is flat across its length. A dip or a hump under a large tile leaves a hollow, or one edge higher than its neighbour. Flatness is checked with a straight edge across the floor. If the floor is out, it is levelled with a screed or a levelling compound before tiling.

Lippage

Lippage is the difference in height between the edges of two neighbouring tiles. It is a common fault with large tiles and is felt underfoot and seen in raking light. A levelling system, a flat base and a full adhesive bed reduce it.

Weight

A large porcelain tile is heavy. A 120×120 tile weighs several times what a 60×60 does, and a box can be hard to lift. Weight matters in a tower, where every box goes up in a lift that has weight limits and booked slots. Ask the shop for the weight per box.

Cuts and waste

Large tiles waste more in small or irregular rooms, because cuts produce big offcuts that cannot be used elsewhere. A diagonal layout wastes more.

Hollow sounds

A tile that sounds hollow when tapped has no adhesive behind part of it and may crack. This is more likely with large tiles. We tap-test as we go, as described in why tiles fail.

Balconies and outdoor floors

An outdoor floor falls to a drain, and large tiles struggle on a steep fall. Smaller tiles or a floor cut to follow the falls work better. Outdoor tiles must be rated for outdoor use.

Lifts and access

In a tower, deliveries have to be booked with the building. A very large tile may not fit in a lift or turn a corner. Check the lift size against the tile size before you order, and tell us the access.

Thickness, in brief

Tiles also come in different thicknesses, and thickness affects strength, weight and the height of the finished floor. The thickness a floor needs depends on the tile type, the use and the maker's rating, so the sensible approach is to read the data sheet and choose a tile the maker rates for the use. Do not choose a very thin tile for a floor unless the maker says it suits one, and expect large thin panels to need specialist fixing.

The finished floor height matters at doors and where the floor meets another floor. A thicker tile and its adhesive raise the level. We agree the finished level with you at the inspection.

How much to order by size

Quantities depend on the area, the tile size and the layout.

Method

1. Measure the area in square metres.
2. Add an allowance for cuts, breakage and spares.
3. Divide by the area of a tile, or by the coverage of a box.
4. Round up to whole boxes.

Pieces per square metre

Use the table at the top. A 60×60 tile gives about 2.8 pieces per m², and a 60×120 about 1.4. A 2×2 foot tile gives about 2.7.

Allowance

The allowance for waste depends on the layout and the room. It is lowest for a straight layout in a simple room and highest for diagonals, small rooms and large formats. We state the allowance in the quote. Our how much tile to buy guide shows how to add wastage.

Spares

Keep a few tiles from the same batch for repairs. Colour and size can differ between batches.

Box coverage

The box states how many tiles it holds and the area it covers. Use the box figure, not the tile count, for the final order.

Size and cost

Larger tiles are not always more expensive per square metre, but they raise the cost in other ways. They need a flatter floor, more careful fixing, more waste and more handling. Smaller tiles need more cutting and more fixing time per square metre. We do not publish tile prices on this page, since the price depends on the exact tile and the shop.

Where size changes the quote

• Levelling, which a larger tile needs more.
• Labour, which rises for large and small formats.
• Waste, which rises in small and irregular rooms.
• Handling, which rises with weight and lift access.
• Grout and cleaning, which rise as the tile gets smaller.

How we quote and what moves the price are in the tile fixing guide.

Mistakes and how to avoid them

How we plan around the tile size

We employ our own installers and do not subcontract the tiling.

1. Message us on WhatsApp at +971 55 209 9785 with photos of the floor, the room sizes and the tile you have in mind.
2. Site inspection, which costs AED 100. We measure the room, check flatness and plan the layout and tile size.
3. Written quote, listing the area, the tile size, preparation, levelling and labour, with 5% VAT on its own line.
4. Delivery and checking. Check the batch and calibre, and confirm the lift booking.
5. Fixing, grouting and cleaning, with a levelling system for large tiles.
6. Handover.

Our one-year workmanship warranty covers the work we carry out. We work across Dubai and handle building permits and lift bookings as part of the booking. For related choices, see our guides to skirting tiles and wall tiles.