How to choose tiles for a hotel

The floor, its quality, cleanliness and characteristics are the first things you notice when you enter a hotel establishment. The choice of tiles is therefore an important decision for hotel managers. In addition to having to meet aesthetic needs, the chosen tiles must also comply with European safety standards. But what are these standards? How to choose the best hotel tiles? This article should help you: together, let’s explore the criteria and standards to follow to choose your tiles!

Let’s start our guide to help you choose the flooring for your hotel. We will then cover the different points related to the aesthetics of a hotel floor. Because if this aspect is important, something else is even more important: European hotel floors must absolutely comply with certain standards. These standards imposed by law allow customers to be assured that the materials selected for the construction of the structure are of quality. Establishments are subject to different standards: those of the territory in which they are located, and those related to the European Union. At the European level, the EN 14411 standard governs the rules for ceramic tiles. The EN 12633 standard governs the standards for floor tiles: it allows you to define whether the floor is sufficiently resistant to slipping. In France, it is the Unified Technical Documents that establish the rules to be respected in terms of hotel layout. The DTU 52.1 and DTU 52.2 standards are the main ones for tiling. When choosing, make sure to select a product bearing the words “CE”, “ISO 9001” or “ISO 14 001” which guarantees the good conformity of the article with the laws. Depending on the location of your establishment, remember to find out about territorial, national, regional or even local standards!

There is a wide variety of different tiles. It can be difficult to make a choice or to know which material to turn to. Here is a quick overview of the different types of tiles available. First of all, you will find ceramic and porcelain tiles. These types of tiles are often used in hotels, both for walls and floors. Ceramic is ideal for bathroom walls for example, where porcelain, more resistant, will be perfect for an entrance floor. If you are looking for a more pronounced style as well as greater durability, natural stone tiles are exactly what you need: opt for marble, granite, or even slate which will withstand all the tests of time. You do not necessarily have a large budget to allocate to floors but you still want a clean result? Vinyl or even glass are materials that are perfectly suited to your needs! Economical, easy to maintain, and bright, they will adapt to the decoration of all your rooms. There are many other types of tiles, but these are the main ones, what we find most often in hotels.

To make your choice among the different types of tiles available to you, here are some criteria on which you should base your decision. First, know that your tiles will reflect the general atmosphere of your hotel. Also, your number 1 criterion should be related to aesthetics and design. The textures and colors chosen will have an impact on the atmosphere that will emerge from your establishment. For a quiet and luxurious space, opt for neutral colors, classic textures and simple patterns. Conversely, for a more relaxed and festive spirit, choose varied colors, shapes and textures! Second, you should pay attention to the level of resistance and durability of the tiles available. Hotels are places of passage: it is therefore essential that the tiles installed can last over time, without needing to be changed once a year to stay clean. Choose a level 4 or 5 tile on the PEI classification. Finally, be aware that it is extremely important that your floor is non-slip, this to guarantee optimal safety throughout your establishment. In humid spaces in particular, you should opt for tiles between the values ​​R10 and R13 of the slip resistance classification.

It is difficult to give you a precise budget for the installation of tiles for your hotel. However, be aware that different factors will impact the cost of installation: whether or not you use qualified labor, the type of tiles that will be installed, the size of the surface to be covered, or whether or not preparatory work is required. To give you an idea, you can expect between 20 and 100 euros per square meter to be covered. If you have a small budget, we recommend investing in ceramic. Practical and economical, it will adapt to all your spaces and will add a touch of elegance to your hotel despite its low cost. On the contrary, if you have a large budget to devote to floors, opt for natural stone, which will last over time while retaining its beauty. Finally, despite the prices you might find online, remember to always allow for a small margin in your calculations, in case there are ultimately some unforeseen events: no one is safe!

Before you start installing the new floor of your establishment, you will need to take care to properly prepare your floor. A properly prepared floor is a clean, dry and leveled floor. Adding a waterproofing membrane between the floor and the chosen material is an excellent idea before laying tiles in wet areas. This will prevent potential water infiltration later. There are also several installation methods: depending on the material used, be sure to use the right installation technique. Finally, after installation, maintaining your floor daily will allow you to make it last longer and will give it a new look for many years! It is entirely possible to lay the new floor of your hotel yourself, but you will save time and improve the quality of the work by entrusting this work to experts.
And there you have it! You now know everything there is to know about hotel tiles and floors. Do you still have a few questions? Do not hesitate to send us a message: our teams are here to answer you and help you with your choice! We are sure that you will find your ideal floor for your hotel on our novoceram online store.