Granite floor tiles

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ramble

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I have bought 50sqm of grey granite tiles from a well known tile retailer. They were purchased as a flooring material, I gave floor dimensions when buying and they worked out amount required. We have a major renovation project going on. I had a kitchen guy in to price wardrobes and he looked at the tiles. He also sells granite, worktops, floors etc. He told me that they were wall tiles and not suitable for the floor. He was interested to know if the well known retailer was selling them for floors because he usually sells 25mm thick tiles for the floor, these are 10mm thick. He thought that they would shatter if a bottle were dropped on them and at my request duly demonstrated, nearly empty sherry bottle smashed the tile, bottle did not break. Does anybody know anything about how thick granite floor tiles are supposed to be before I get onto the tile retailer? Obviously if what I have been sold are not suitable they will have to take them back (they were on the floor in the showroom). Any other info greatly appreciated.
 
Putting down floors at the moment and porcelain tiles I've bought are around 10mm thick so would expect them to be the same strength. Any tile on its own loose on the floor will be weak. Once its fitted and grouted should be fine. Had to drill them to fit a toilet and it was a tough job to get through them. I didn't come across any 1 inch tiles while out shopping. Sounds to me like he wants to sell them to you himself
 
My floor tiles were 10mm thick, and so far they've survived me dropping a washing machine on them (don't ask) with little more than a light scuffing.
 
Thanks for that, I think most tiles are 10mm but it seems that granite is quite brittle and breaks easily if it is thin. I don't think the guy was trying to sell me something, he orders the granite on request and there is a 6 week wait. We have to be in the house in 3 weeks so I couldn't buy off him if I wanted to, but at the same time I am a little wary. My builder is checking with the tiler and I am waiting for the order number on my tiles to get on to the shop. I think that if they are well bedded and grouted there shouldn't be a problem but at the same time I need to be sure, its a lot of floor to rip up if they break. Has anybody laid granite tiles ?
 
Normal porcelain and ceramic tiles are 10mm thick and are baked to harden them in the manufacturing process.

Granite, or any natural stone tile is normally 20mm thick. It is hewn from a quarry, and any thinner would be prone to break along the seams of the face of the tile.

However, you can now get tiles that have a 5mm face of granite, on a 5mm porcelain back, which are fine for floors, and have all the strength of porcelain, but are the same as granite.

If the tiles you have are only granite, with no backing, then I would question thier suitablility as floor tiles. They would be fine for walls (in fact 20mm granite tiles would probably be to heavy for walls).

(But I'm no expert also, this is just personal experience).
 
10 mm is fine. Do same test with bottle after tile is fixed to floor with adhesive and you'll find bottle will break. Just be sure that there are no hollows when fixing tiles. Aim for at least 90% coverage and you'll be sound
 
Has anybody used granite tiles as a surface for a kitchen island unit? Can they be got in large sizes, i.e 600mm square? or 750mm square?

Is it easy to cut them?
 
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