The finish is the texture and shine of a tile's surface. Glossy tiles reflect light like a mirror, matt tiles have a flat, low-reflection surface, satin sits between the two, and carving finishes add a raised texture that follows the printed design.
The same design can often be made in several finishes. Your choice affects how the floor looks, how slippery it is when wet, how wear shows and how easy it is to clean.
The four main finishes
- Glossy: a smooth, reflective surface. On floors it is usually made by polishing after firing (PGVT). It deepens colours and suits marble designs in dry living spaces.
- Matt: a low-reflection surface straight from the kiln. It hides scratches and footprints well and usually gives better grip when wet.
- Satin: also called soft matt or lappato in some catalogues. It has a gentle sheen and suits buyers who want some shine without a high gloss.
- Carving: a textured surface where the glaze or the mould creates raised and lowered areas that follow the veins or grain of the print. It looks more natural and often grips better.
Factories use many other trade names, such as "sugar", "rustic", "high-gloss", "silk" or "punch". Ask what each name means physically, and get a sample of each.
How finish affects slip
Shine and slip are linked. A glossy polished surface is usually the most slippery when wet. Matt and textured finishes usually perform better, but not always. The only reliable answer is a test.
Ask for a slip test that your market recognises, such as DIN 51130 R ratings, a pendulum test or a DCOF result. Our guide to floor tile slip resistance explains each method.
How finish affects wear and cleaning
Glossy floors show fine scratches, dull walking paths and footprints sooner. They are easy to mop because there is no texture to hold dirt.
Matt floors hide wear well, but their fine texture can hold grime and need a scrub now and then. Carving finishes need a soft brush in the textured areas.
For glazed tiles, ask for the PEI class, which rates how a glaze resists surface wear. See what PEI rating you need.
Choosing by room
- Living rooms, bedrooms and hotel lobbies: glossy or satin, if the floor stays dry.
- Kitchens and corridors: matt or satin, for grip and hidden wear.
- Bathrooms, entrances and wet areas: matt or textured, with a slip test report.
- Outdoor areas: textured finishes made for outdoor use, with slip and frost tests where relevant.
- Feature floors and stone looks: carving finishes, which give depth to marble and slate designs.
Checking finish on samples
Finish is hard to judge from photos. Ask for physical samples from production, not showroom pieces, and compare them under daylight and indoor lighting. Hold them at a low angle to see gloss and texture. Keep a sealed reference sample of the approved finish, so the shipment can be checked against it. Our guide to getting tile samples from Morbi explains how.
Next step
Picking the right finish for each room keeps complaints down. We collect samples in each finish, compare them with your brief and check the shipped tiles against the approved sample. Book a free sourcing review to begin.