Small Square Tiles: An Australian Buying Guide

Small square tiles are square tiles with short sides, usually somewhere between about 70 mm and 150 mm. They suit walls, splashbacks and floors where you want more grout lines and a finer pattern than a large-format tile gives. This guide covers the sizes to look at, how to read slip ratings, which finishes work where, and a few real examples you can order or sample from Tile Touch.

The short answer

For a wall or splashback, a glossy small square in the 70 to 130 mm range reads clean and reflects light. For a floor, choose a matt finish and check the slip rating first. If you are tiling a shower base or a wet area, more grout lines from smaller tiles actually help with grip and drainage. Order a sample before you commit, because colour and finish always look different in your own light.

What size counts as small?

There is no official cut-off, but in practice "small square" covers anything from a mosaic sheet up to around 150 mm. A few points on the size scale we stock:

• 72 x 72 mm is a genuinely small square. The Hatsu Square White, a gloss porcelain tile made in Japan, sits in this size and works well on splashbacks and feature walls where you want tight, even grout lines.
• 100 x 100 mm is the classic small square. The Ligato Lava Red Gloss is porcelain in this size, and the Natural Stone Botticino Tumbled Square is a stone tile at 100 x 100 mm with a natural, tumbled surface.
• 123 x 123 mm and 132 x 132 mm are the upper end of small. Laia Blue Matt and Laia Sand Matt are matt porcelain at 123 x 123 mm, while the Collie Artisanal Square White Gloss is a Spanish ceramic in a zellige look at 132 x 132 mm.

Mosaic sheets, like the Vasta Plain White Gloss Square Mosaic, are the smallest option. The individual squares come pre-mounted on a sheet, so you lay a whole section at once rather than tile by tile.

Slip ratings: read these before you buy for a floor

In Australia, floor tiles carry a P rating for slip resistance, from P0 up to P5. Higher numbers mean more grip. It is the single most important spec for any tile going underfoot, especially in wet areas.

• P2 tiles, such as Hatsu Square White and the two Laia Matt colours, suit walls, splashbacks and dry interior areas.
• P3 tiles, like Vellor Greige Matt and the Milano Taupe Terrazzo Look, give more grip and are commonly used on interior floors and some wet areas.
• P4 tiles, such as Cityscape Kiwi, have stronger slip resistance again, useful where a floor gets wet more often.

If a small square tile does not list a floor slip rating, treat it as a wall or splashback tile. That is the safest approach for stone and gloss finishes in particular.

Gloss or matt?

Gloss finishes bounce light and make a small space feel brighter, which is why they are popular on kitchen splashbacks and bathroom walls. Hatsu Square White, Ligato Lava Red Gloss, the Collie zellige-look tile and the Vasta mosaic are all gloss. The trade-off is that gloss shows water marks and needs a wipe more often.

Matt finishes hide marks better and give a softer, flatter look. Laia Blue Matt, Laia Sand Matt, Vellor Greige Matt and the Milano Taupe tile are all matt. For floors, matt is usually the sensible choice because it tends to pair with better slip resistance.

Material matters

Most of the small squares here are porcelain, which is dense, hard-wearing and low-maintenance. Porcelain suits floors, walls and wet areas equally.

Ceramic, like the Collie zellige-look tile, is a good wall and splashback option with a handmade look. Stone, like the Botticino Tumbled Square, is a natural material with its own variation from piece to piece, so allow for that when you order and expect to seal it.

Where small squares work best

Splashbacks and feature walls

This is the natural home for small squares. A 72 x 72 mm or 100 x 100 mm gloss tile gives a crisp grid behind a kitchen bench or basin. The Collie zellige-look tile adds gentle surface movement if you want something less uniform.

Bathroom floors and shower bases

Smaller tiles mean more grout lines, which helps grip and lets water run to the drain. Match a matt tile with a P3 or P4 rating, such as Vellor Greige Matt or Cityscape Kiwi, and confirm it suits your specific wet-area use.

Kitchens and living floors

If you like a small square underfoot in a living area, a P3 matt porcelain like Milano Taupe or Vellor Greige is a practical pick. Larger-format squares such as the 600 x 600 mm Terrapor Terracotta Look are there too if you decide a small tile is more grout than you want to clean.

How much to order

Work out your area in square metres, then add roughly 10 per cent for cuts and breakages. Small squares and mosaics can generate more offcuts around edges, so err on the higher side. Buy all your tiles in one go where you can, since batches can vary slightly in shade.

Samples and seeing them in person

Tile Touch ships Australia-wide and has a showroom in Waterloo, Sydney, where you can see these ranges in person. Samples are available, and we recommend ordering one for any tile you are serious about so you can check the colour and finish in your own room before committing to a full order.

FAQ

Are small square tiles harder to lay?

They take longer than large-format tiles because there are more pieces and more grout lines to keep straight. Mosaic sheets like the Vasta Plain White Gloss speed this up, since the small squares come mounted together. For a big floor, factor the extra labour into your budget.

Can I use small square tiles on a shower floor?

Yes, and the extra grout lines actually help with grip and drainage. Choose a tile rated for floor use with good slip resistance, such as a P3 or P4, and confirm it suits wet areas before you buy. A P2 tile is better kept to the walls.

Do small square tiles make a room look smaller?

Not necessarily. A gloss small square reflects light and can make a compact bathroom or splashback feel brighter. The finer grid can read as detailed rather than busy, especially with a grout colour close to the tile.

What grout colour should I use?

Matching the grout to the tile plays down the grid and gives a calmer look. A contrasting grout, darker or lighter, highlights the square pattern. Darker grout is also more forgiving on floors where lighter grout can mark over time.

Do I need to seal small square tiles?

Porcelain and glazed ceramic tiles do not need sealing, though the grout often benefits from it. Natural stone, like the Botticino Tumbled Square, does need sealing to resist stains. Check the material before you assume.

Related guides

• Small Mosaic Tiles: An Australian Buying Guide
• Green Square Tiles: An Australian Buying Guide
• Square Tiles: An Australian Buying Guide