Home tiling guide

Identifying the right splashback for your kitchen will involve a bit of thought about your budget, and of course about the style of kitchen you're building.

Splashbacks are one part of your kitchen where you'll have a fair amount of freedom in terms of design choices - and budget permitting, there are a wide range of options for splashbacks.

Engineered stone tiles are a tough, low maintenance type of tile that can be made to look like most types of natural stone.

As the name suggests, natural stone tiles are tiles that are cut from stone (of the ‘natural’ variety). The word ‘natural’ is used to qualify this, because there actually is such a thing as ‘engineered stone’ too.

Rectified tiles cost a little more, but they offer a completely different look and style to non-rectified tiles. Find out more about the differences and what's most likely to suit your needs.

If you're shopping for ceramic tiles, it's likely you'll run across the Italian terms 'monocottura' and 'bicottura'. These refer to the firing process for the tiles, which can make a significant difference to the tile's properties.

Ceramic tiles are a classic choice, and offer excellent variety to suit just about any budget - but they also have their own small quirks and characteristics. Find out more about ceramic tiles.

Find out more about how waterproofing and tiling are done to ensure that they meet the relevant Australian Standards.

Tiles feature in almost every home, and are particularly common in bathrooms and kitchens. Tiles are a strong design feature.

Tiles are available in all manner of sizes, shapes and patterns, and are ideal for use in areas that require waterproofing.

There are many different ways to decorate a bathroom floor, but above all else it the floor must be waterproof, and slip-resistant.

Tile splashbacks are very popular and offer a tremendous amount of freedom in terms of colour and design, for just about any budget. Tiles do require extra effort to install and maintain though.

There are certain restrictions that apply to splashbacks, most significantly determining where they should be installed and how big they need to be. Read more about splashback regulations.

Most splashbacks can be cleaned with a damp cloth and a bit of household cleaner, but different types of materials will require different levels of care.