Subway Tiles for Kitchen Splashbacks & Walls | Multifors

Why choose Multifors for subway tiles?

Formats

Classic and slim shapes

Choose 300 x 75mm and 300 x 100mm classics or slim formats such as Ceramica Rondine Nolita at 447 x 45mm.

Materials

Ceramic, porcelain or stone

Glazed ceramic from Cifre Cerámica, porcelain from Dune, Ceramica Rondine and Equipe Cerámicas, and Elementa natural stone.

Finish

Gloss, satin and matt

Gloss reflects light around a splashback, while satin and matt finishes give a softer look.

Patterns

Lay it your way

The long shape suits brick bond, stacked and herringbone layouts in kitchens, bathrooms and laundries.

About Subway Tiles

Subway tiles are narrow rectangular tiles, usually laid in brick bond, stacked or herringbone patterns on kitchen splashbacks, shower walls and laundries. Every tile in this range is listed for walls, and some are also listed for floors.

Sizes run from classic 300 x 75mm and 300 x 100mm formats to slimmer shapes such as Dune Granadella at 64 x 223mm and Equipe Cerámicas Verticale at 400 x 50mm. Ceramica Rondine Nolita is slimmer again, at 447 x 45mm. Gloss is the most common finish, in the Cifre Cerámica Opal and Vienna ranges, Hackney, Cloudy and most Dune Agadir colours. Pequeno has a satin finish, while Star Matt, Nolita and Colonial Wood are matt.

Materials differ as well. Cifre Cerámica Mussa, Opal and Vienna, Hackney and Striatura are ceramic. Dune Granadella, Nolita, Verticale, Star Matt and most Dune Agadir colours are porcelain, and Elementa is natural stone in travertine, Calacatta, Verde Alpi and other stones. Dune Agadir, Nolita, Star Matt and Elementa are listed for floors as well as walls. Check the material and location on each product before you order, and plan the adhesive, grout and trims at the same time.

Compare subway tiles

Style	Ranges and brands	Sizes in range	Finishes	Listed for	Typical rooms
Slim gloss ceramic	Cifre Cerámica Opal, Vienna and Mussa; Carrara Slim; White Gloss Slimline; Ivory, Grey and Taupe Ripple Slimline	300 x 75mm	Gloss, ripple gloss	Walls	Kitchen splashbacks, bathroom and laundry walls
Classic ceramic	Gloss in white, black, red, alabaster, mid grey and greige; White Matt; Nero Satin; Striatura Finger; Cifre Cerámica Bulevar Jade	300 x 100mm, 305 x 100mm (Bulevar)	Gloss, matt, satin	Walls	Splashbacks, wet area walls and feature walls
Short and handmade-look ceramic	Hackney; Cloudy; Metro Red; Gelato Mint; Pequeno; Colonial Wood Matt	196 x 96mm, 200 x 50mm, 240 x 69mm, 265 x 65mm, 300 x 75mm	Gloss, satin, matt	Walls	Feature splashbacks, powder rooms and laundries
Glazed porcelain with a textured face	Dune Agadir (subway and square)	280 x 70 x 9mm subway, 147 x 147 x 9mm square	Gloss; Cotto Oscuro in matt	Walls and floors (most colours)	Splashbacks, shower walls and bathrooms
Glazed porcelain, slim brick shape	Dune Granadella	223 x 64 x 9mm	Gloss	Indoor and outdoor walls, pools	Splashbacks, shower walls, outdoor feature walls and pools
Extra slim porcelain	Ceramica Rondine Nolita; Equipe Cerámicas Verticale	447 x 45 x 9.5mm (Nolita), 400 x 50 x 9.5mm (Verticale)	Matt (Nolita), gloss (Verticale)	Nolita: walls and floors; Verticale: walls	Feature walls, splashbacks and vanity walls
Matt porcelain	Star Matt	300 x 75 x 9mm	Matt	Walls and floors	Bathrooms, splashbacks and floors
Natural stone	Elementa (marble and travertine)	300 x 75 x 10mm	Matt	Walls and floors	Bathrooms, splashbacks and feature walls
Recycled glass	Calacatta, Beige Travertine and Pietra Recycled Glass	145 x 70mm	Matt	Walls	Splashbacks and feature walls

Which one do I need?

For a kitchen splashback or a laundry, a gloss ceramic in 300 x 75mm or 300 x 100mm is the classic choice. Gloss reflects light and wipes clean easily. If you want more character, Dune Agadir and Granadella have a textured glaze that varies from tile to tile, and the extra slim Nolita and Verticale give a modern, linear look.

If the same tile has to run onto the floor, choose one listed for floors, such as Nolita, Star Matt, Elementa or most Dune Agadir colours, and check the slip rating for wet areas. For outdoor walls or pools, Dune Granadella is the one listed for those spots. Ceramic ranges such as Opal, Vienna and Mussa are for walls only.

Common Questions

Subway Tiles FAQ

How many subway tiles do I need?

Measure the width and height of each wall in metres and multiply them to get square metres, then add an allowance for cuts and breakages. Herringbone and other angled patterns create more offcuts than brick bond or stacked layouts, so allow extra for those. Divide the total by the coverage per box, round up to whole boxes, and keep a few spare tiles for future repairs.

Can subway tiles go on the floor?

Some can. Every tile here suits walls, but only some are listed for floors, including most Dune Agadir colours, Ceramica Rondine Nolita, Star Matt and Elementa natural stone. Glazed ceramics such as Cifre Cerámica Opal, Vienna and Mussa are listed for walls only. Check the location on each product page, and ask us about slip resistance before using any tile on a wet floor.

What is the difference between porcelain and ceramic subway tiles?

Porcelain is denser. Under the AS ISO 13006 classification, porcelain absorbs less than 0.5% water, which suits wet and outdoor areas. Ceramic tiles are more porous and are widely used on indoor walls. In this range, Dune Granadella, Nolita, Verticale and Star Matt are porcelain, while Cifre Cerámica Opal, Vienna and Mussa, Hackney and Striatura are ceramic.

What else will I need with subway tiles?

You’ll need a tile adhesive, a grout and edge trims. Tile Adhesives includes ready-mixed wall adhesives such as Ardex D2 Wall Tile Adhesive and flexible cement based adhesives for porcelain. Grouts includes fine wall grouts such as Davco Superfine White Grout and coloured grouts such as Ardex FG 8. Trims and Edging gives exposed edges and outside corners a neat, protected finish.

Should grout match or contrast with subway tiles?

A contrasting grout, such as grey with white gloss tiles, outlines each tile and highlights brick bond or herringbone patterns, while a matching grout keeps the wall calm and seamless. Fine joints keep the look crisp: Davco Superfine White Grout suits 1 to 3mm wall joints, and Ardex FG 8 covers 1 to 8mm joints in a wide colour range.

Planning a subway tile splashback?

Our team can help you choose tiles, adhesive, grout and trims for your splashback, shower or feature wall. Get in touch for expert advice.

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