Polished tiles.

Amplifying light. Polished tile bounces natural light around the room. In a small south-facing bathroom or a windowless ensuite, this is genuinely transformative — a polished marble-look wall can double the perceived brightness without adding a single light fitting.

Polished vs lapped vs satin. Full polish is mirror-like and fully reflective. Lapped (or lappato) is semi-polished — the surface carries a softer satin sheen with markedly less maintenance burden. Satin sits in between — a consistent, low-level sheen that reads warmer than matte but quieter than polished.

Where polished genuinely wins. Bathroom feature walls where the reflective surface adds depth. Splashbacks where a single polished slab reads architectural. Low-traffic living room floors in marble-look porcelain. Vanity tops in porcelain slab for stone-look continuity at a fraction of natural marble's cost.

The maintenance reality. Every footprint, every water spot, every grain of dust shows on a polished floor. This isn't a defect — it's the nature of a reflective surface. If you have kids, pets, or a busy household, polished floors are not the right call. The tile itself is durable; the maintenance burden is what you're signing up for.

Walls vs floors. On walls, polished is magnificent and almost maintenance-free — nothing to walk on, very little dust settles, and the reflection works for you. If you love polished but have a busy home, do polished walls and a matte floor in the same colour family.

Slip risk. Polished tiles rarely achieve R10 wet-area ratings — they must not be used on bathroom floors, laundry floors, or any wet area without checking the certificate first. Ask us →