Not too long ago the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook considered an 8” x 8” tile to be large format. Then, unofficially, the 12” x 12” tiles took over that designation. Now a tile with at least one edge 15” in length or longer is considered to be a large format tile (LFT).
But how large can a tile increase in size until that designation changes? For that answer, we need to consult the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A137.3 American National Standard for Gauged Porcelain Tiles and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs. Under section 3.0, Definition of Terms, it states: “Tile Panel/Slab: A ceramic tile of size greater than or equal to 1 m² (11 ft²). A product less than 1 m² (11 ft²) shall be regarded simply as a tile.” The actual size in English measurements for 1 m² would be 39-3/8” x 39-3/8”.