Porcelain slabs have become the default for bathrooms that are meant to feel calm rather than busy. A single slab can cover a shower wall end to end, which removes the grid of grout lines that makes a small room look smaller, and the same material can run across the floor and over a vanity so the whole room reads as one surface.
Clay International is the sole UK distributor of Infinity Surfaces Italian porcelain. Full slabs are held in our London and Manchester warehouses, and you are welcome to view them before anything is specified.
Why porcelain suits a bathroom
Porcelain has very low porosity, so it does not absorb water the way natural stone can, and it does not need sealing. That is the practical difference in a room that is wet every day. It is also stain and scratch resistant, and it will not discolour from shampoo, limescale cleaners or sunlight through a window.
The other reason is size. At up to 3200 x 1600mm, one slab covers most shower walls without a joint. Fewer joints means less grout, less cleaning, and a quieter looking room.
Shower walls and wet areas
This is the most common use. A 6mm slab is the usual choice for walls because it is lighter to handle and to fix, and the reduced thickness matters when it is going onto an existing substrate. Slabs are cut to the opening so a shower enclosure can be lined with one piece per wall, with the veining continuing across the corner if the slabs are sequenced.
For a steam room or a fully tanked wet room, the same material works throughout. Our Amberth steam room project shows porcelain used in a sealed environment.
Bathroom floors
Matte is the sensible finish underfoot because it offers more slip resistance than a polished surface. The slab can be cut down into large format tiles for a floor, which keeps the number of joints low while staying practical to lay and to handle on site.
Running the same material up the wall and across the floor is what produces the seamless look people are usually after, and because it comes from one slab the colour and veining genuinely match rather than approximately matching.
Vanity tops and basins
A vanity top is a worktop in a wet room, so the same rules apply as in a kitchen. 12mm is the usual thickness, and a mitred edge will make the top read as a solid block rather than a sheet. Undermount basins work well because a cut edge looks like the rest of the slab, there is no laminate core to hide.
If you are specifying worktops elsewhere in the same project, our porcelain worktops guide covers thicknesses and edge details in more depth.
Sizes and thicknesses
- 6mm at 3200 x 1600mm, rectified. Walls, shower linings and ceilings
- 12mm at 3240 x 1620mm, working area 3200 x 1600mm. Vanity tops, floors and shelving
- 20mm at 3240 x 1590mm, working area roughly 3200 x 1570mm. Heavier vanity tops and benches
Finishes vary by range and thickness. Polished lifts veining on a feature wall, satin and matte are the sensible choices for floors and anywhere underfoot. The finishes and edges guide sets out how each one behaves.
Choosing a slab for a bathroom
Marble effects are the most specified, because a bathroom is usually where people want the look of stone without the maintenance. Lighter ranges open up a small room, and a strongly veined slab works best where there is a single wall to make a feature of rather than four.
Browse the full range of porcelain slabs, or come and view full sheets at one of our warehouses. Photographs do not show how a 3.2 metre slab actually reads, which is why we hold stock rather than working from samples.
Visit us
Full slabs are held in London SW17 and Manchester OL7. Trade professionals and their clients are welcome, and visits are by appointment so the slabs can be laid out for you. Book a warehouse visit or call 020 8971 7948.
Frequently asked questions
Can porcelain slabs be used in a shower?
Yes. Porcelain has very low porosity and does not need sealing, so it suits showers, wet rooms and steam rooms. A 6mm slab is normally used for walls, cut to the opening so each wall can be lined in one piece.
Do porcelain bathroom slabs need sealing?
No. Unlike natural marble or limestone, porcelain does not absorb water and never needs sealing. Normal cleaning is enough, and limescale removers will not damage the surface.
What size are the slabs?
Up to 3200 x 1600mm in 6mm, which covers most shower walls without a joint. 12mm and 20mm are slightly larger overall at 3240mm, with a working area of 3200 x 1600mm and roughly 3200 x 1570mm respectively.
Can I use the same slab on the floor and the walls?
Yes, and it is the usual way to get a seamless look. Use a matte or satin finish on the floor for slip resistance, and because the material comes from the same slab the colour and veining match properly.
Can I see the slabs before specifying?
Yes. Full slabs are held in our London and Manchester warehouses and you are welcome to view them by appointment. A 3.2 metre slab reads very differently in person to a photograph.