Porcelain Slabs

Big panels, clean lines, real porcelain

Thin porcelain slabs are very large, thin sheets of porcelain. You may also hear them called large format porcelain panels, porcelain slab tile or gauged porcelain tile panels. It is the same hard, dense material as porcelain tile, just made much bigger, so a shower wall, a fireplace or a whole feature wall can be covered with only a few pieces instead of dozens of tiles.

Slabs come in many looks: marble with dramatic veining, soft stone, concrete, wood grain and solid colours, in polished, honed and matte finishes. Many slabs are around 5 by 10 feet, and wall panels are often only about 6 mm thick. Thicker slabs, such as 12 mm, are used where more strength or a thicker edge is wanted.

Because they are so big and so thin, slabs are handled and installed differently from regular tile. The surface behind them has to be flat and solid, every cut is planned ahead, and the panels are moved and set carefully so they stay in one piece and sit perfectly flush.

Marble-look porcelain slab shower wall with a lit niche and bench

Why Choose Porcelain Slabs?

  • Few grout lines. Fewer joints means a cleaner, more open look and less grout to clean.
  • Continuous veining. On marble-look slabs the pattern can flow across a whole wall, and often across joints and corners.
  • Easy care. Porcelain is dense and non-porous, so the slab surface does not need sealing and wipes clean with a mild cleaner.
  • Hard-wearing. Porcelain resists stains, scratches and moisture, which suits showers, floors and busy rooms.
  • The marble look without the upkeep. You get the look of stone without the sealing and etching worries of natural marble.

Where Porcelain Slabs Go

Slab Showers

Floor-to-ceiling slab shower walls and tub surrounds over a properly waterproofed backing, with niches, benches and curbless entries planned into the layout.

Curbless showers
Fireplace Surrounds

Clean, modern fireplace walls and surrounds with very few joints, built around the clearances set by your fireplace's manufacturer.

Fireplaces
Feature Walls

Statement walls in living rooms, entryways and bathrooms, including book-matched slabs where the veining mirrors from one panel to the next.

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Floors

Large format porcelain floors for bathrooms, kitchens and main floors, set flat and flush on a properly prepared subfloor.

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Bathroom & Vanity Walls

Full bathroom walls, vanity walls and backsplashes in one continuous look, with mitred edges and corners where the slab allows it.

Bathrooms
Kitchen Backsplashes

A single slab behind the stove or across the whole backsplash: no grout lines to scrub, and outlets cut out cleanly.

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How We Install Slabs

Slabs reward planning. Most of the work happens before a panel is ever lifted.

  1. Measure and look at the spaceWe measure the walls and floors, check how flat and solid they are, and look at the route in. A 10-foot panel has to make it through doors, halls and stairs.
  2. Plan the layoutWe decide where every joint, cut and outlet goes before anything is cut, so the joints land in sensible places and, on marble-look slabs, the veining flows the way you want.
  3. Prepare the surfaceLarge thin panels need a very flat, solid, clean surface (industry guidance is no more than about 1/8 inch out over 10 feet). We flatten walls and floors, and in showers we install the waterproofing first.
  4. Handle, cut and setPanels are carried flat on supports with suction-cup handles, cut with the right tools, and set with full adhesive coverage on both the wall and the back of the panel, using levelling clips so the edges sit flush.
  5. Finish and clean upJoints and corners are grouted or siliconed as the slab maker recommends, edges are finished, and we leave the room clean and ready to use.

We install the slab you choose and follow its maker's installation instructions.

Marble-look porcelain panels in a curbless shower with a linear drain

Porcelain Slab FAQ

What is a thin porcelain slab?

A thin porcelain slab is a very large, thin sheet of porcelain. You will also see it called a large format porcelain panel, a porcelain slab tile or gauged porcelain tile (GPT). It is the same material as porcelain tile, just made much bigger and thinner, so a wall or floor can be covered with only a few pieces.

How big and how thick are porcelain slabs?

Sizes vary by maker. Many slabs are around 5 feet by 10 feet (about 152 by 305 cm), and smaller panel sizes are common too. Wall panels are often about 6 mm thick. Thicker slabs, such as 12 mm, are typically used where extra strength or a thicker edge is wanted, such as countertops. We go over the exact product you picked before anything is cut.

Can porcelain slabs be used in a shower?

Yes. Porcelain absorbs very little water and has fewer joints than regular tile, so it is popular for shower walls. The slab is not the waterproofing, though. The walls and floor behind it still need a proper waterproofing system, and the joints and corners are finished as the slab maker recommends.

Will there still be grout lines?

Far fewer. There will still be a joint wherever two panels meet and at inside corners, because a room usually needs more than one piece. Careful layout puts those joints where they look best, and on marble-look slabs the veining can often be lined up across the joint.

Can a porcelain slab go around a fireplace?

Yes, slabs make clean, modern fireplace surrounds and feature walls. The fireplace manufacturer sets the clearances and the materials allowed near the unit, so we work from the fireplace model and its manual.

Can porcelain slabs go over my existing tile?

Sometimes, but not always. Large thin panels need a flat, solid, well-bonded surface underneath. We look at the existing surface first and tell you honestly whether it can stay or should come off.

How do I clean and care for porcelain slabs?

Porcelain is dense and non-porous, so the slab surface itself does not need sealing. Wipe it with warm water and a mild, non-abrasive cleaner. Any grout or silicone joints are cared for the same way as in a regular tiled room.

How much does porcelain slab installation cost?

Every slab job is different. The price depends on the size and number of panels, the surfaces being covered, how much preparation the walls or floor need, access into the room, and the number of cut-outs and finished edges. Ask for a quote and we will look at your project.

Planning a slab shower, wall or fireplace?

Tell us about your space and the slab you have in mind. Ask for a quote.

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Ask for a Slab Quote

Tell us a little about your project and how to reach you. A rough size, a few details or the slab you have in mind is plenty to start.

Phone or email: one is enough.

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Prefer to talk? Call 289-337-1578 or email mikebourdages@gmail.com.

Contact

289-337-1578

2101 Meadowbrook Dr, Unit H, Burlington ON L7P 2A5

mikebourdages@gmail.com

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