Swimming pools need tiles with very low water absorption, good chemical resistance and, on walking areas, a barefoot slip rating. In practice that means porcelain (group BIa) or glass mosaic inside the basin, and textured porcelain around it.
A pool has several zones, and each needs something different. Treat the basin, the edges and the surround as separate products in your order.
Inside the basin
Tiles under water are soaked all the time and exposed to chlorine or salt treatment. They need very low water absorption and good resistance to pool chemicals. Small formats and mosaics are common, because they follow curves and spread movement over many joints.
Porcelain tiles with water absorption of 0.5% or less suit the basin. Ceramic wall tiles do not. Ask for chemical resistance to ISO 10545-13, which covers household chemicals and pool salts. Our guide on chemical and stain resistance explains the classes.
Edges, steps and surrounds
Around a pool, people walk barefoot on wet tiles. Germany uses DIN 51097 for barefoot areas, with three classes:
- Class A, for barefoot areas that are mostly dry, such as changing room walkways.
- Class B, for showers, pool surrounds and walkways that are often wet.
- Class C, for pool steps leading into the water, sloping edges and foot baths.
Other markets use other methods, such as the pendulum test in the UK, the Rd classes of the building code in Spain, or DCOF in the US. Our main guide on slip resistance and R ratings covers these. Ask your customer which method and value the project must meet.
Many pool ranges include special pieces: edge tiles, overflow grilles, step nosings and gutter pieces. Few Morbi plants make all of them. Check early whether the factory can supply the full set in a matching shade, or whether you need a second supplier.
Frost, movement and installation
Outdoor pools in cold climates need frost-resistant tiles to ISO 10545-12, both in the basin and on the deck. Pools also move as they fill, empty and heat up, so the design must include movement joints.
Most pool failures come from installation, not the tile. Adhesives and grouts must be rated for permanent immersion and pool chemicals. A good tile on the wrong adhesive will still come off. Give your customers the factory's guidance and point them to a qualified installer.
Checks before you order
- Water absorption to ISO 10545-3, ideally 0.5% or less.
- Chemical resistance to ISO 10545-13, including pool chemicals.
- A barefoot slip report, such as DIN 51097, for each surround and step design.
- Frost resistance to ISO 10545-12 for outdoor pools in cold climates.
- A list of special pieces, with sizes, and confirmation they come from the same batch.
Shade matters in a pool, because water magnifies colour differences. Order each design as one batch and one shade, and check at loading. Our guide on shade variation explains how shade is controlled.
Next step
We match pool projects to plants that can supply the tile and its special pieces, check reports and supervise loading. To discuss a pool or wellness range, book a free sourcing review.