The introduction of thin panel porcelain tile or thin tile porcelain panels – or which for now seems to be the most popular name, thin porcelain tile (TPT) – is quickly revolutionizing the tile market. It is so new to the U.S. market that the official name has yet to be determined or standardized. This new player in the field is one meter wide by three meters long (approximately 40” by just less than 10’) and covers about 33 square feet. Some manufacturers are even producing tiles that are one and one-half meters by three meters ... or nearly 50 square feet each!
Currently these products do not have any ANSI product or installation standards, which can make their installation somewhat risky if the installer is not properly trained. For the installer who has no experience with these products, the best route is to seek information from the source. Some of these manufacturers have done in-depth studies on how the product performs and have produced proprietary installation procedures.