Originating in Europe and finally jumping across the pond to American homes, porcelain slabs are like porcelain tiles, but much, much bigger. They are often available in sizes of up to 10-by-5 feet and can be custom-ordered in even larger sizes. Because they are only 6 to 12 mm thick, they are easy to work with and lightweight. Peter Pental of Pental Surfaces notes, “Most tile on the market today is good quality, so it’s really the format that sets one tile apart from another. Large-format thin tiles can be used as either slab or tile and are ideal for flooring since it allows for the look without the thickness issues that came with using stone slab on the floor.”
These slabs are s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g! They really make a statement and can be used in ways that marble and other natural stones cannot. They are not made by artisans, but in very impressive, high-tech facilities where much of the process is automated and handled by machines and robots.