UK Tiling Industry Trends
Tiling Market Demand Analysis — Oct 2025 Update
1. What is the current demand for tiling services in the UK?
Looking at the chart, we can see that since the pandemic, there has been a steady increase in the demand for tiling services. 2020–2021 was the “Home-Improvement Boom” homeowners redirected travel and leisure budgets into home upgrades. Surprisingly, this trend has continued to grow steadily, as reflected in Google search trends chart. Here’s why:
- Rising mortgage rates – homeowners now prefer to upgrade their existing homes rather than relocate
- Hybrid work lifestyle – extra time at home has made homeowners more aware of outdated interiors
- Social media aesthetic trends – Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok influence push people to keep up with changes
- UK Steady population growth – more new homes
- 78% of UK homes were built before 1980 – houses from 60’s – 80’s are now due for interior upgrades
2. Are there more tilers in the UK now?
We don’t have good news. The data isn’t fully up to date, but a Skills Training Group report indicates that the number of “floorers and wall tilers” in the UK fell from around 47,300 in 2004 to roughly 31,300 in 2020. They also project a further decline in the coming years.
However, there’s a potential to change that trend in the upcoming years. As AI continues to improve, many white collar office jobs will become redundant. Skilled manual work might become a new safe haven for newly unemployed people. We could eventually see a rebound in tiling workforce. Time will tell.
3. the New Trend - Large format tiles
Source: Google Trends (UK, 2010–Sep 2025) — normalized monthly search interest (0–100 index) for terms related to large-format tiles.
Big Tiles
Panels
4. What Tiles Are Trending?
The data below clearly shows that interest in porcelain tiles (specially vitrified variant), is on the rise, growing by more than 20% this year. This confirms the wider large-format tile trend, since most oversized tiles are made of porcelain due to their strength, heavy look, and durability. Earthy tones of terracotta are slightly increasing.
We can also see a small decrease in interest in ceramic and glass tiles.
The popularity of other tiles, such as marble, stone, and slate, has remained unchanged.
| Tile Type | Growth % (2025 vs 2024) |
|---|---|
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UK Tile Type Popularity — Average Growth Comparison (2024 vs 2025)
Google Trends UK. Each bar compares average search interest
between Oct 2023–Oct 2024 and Oct 2024–Sep 2025.
Happy Tiling!
Frequently Asked Questions — Tiling Trends
Do tilers like large format tiles?
The larger they are the the more difficult it becomes to fit them.
Very large tiles (like fitting 1 or 2 tiles per section on the wall) mean fewer pieces, but when you need to cut around edges or complex shapes — such as in bathrooms with limited space, windows, and pipes — the work becomes more awkward and stressful. You can’t afford any mistakes, and at the same time, you often have to deal with errors left behind by previous construction teams. Tools to cut them are 3x more expensive then the regular due to size.
With full-size wall tiles, one wrong cut can mean wasting more than 15% of the tiles designated for that space in an instant.
I’ve even seen tilers refuse full-size tile jobs for those very reasons.
They look nice though.
Is tiling becoming more expensive in the UK?
Tile prices have risen due to energy and import costs, and labour wages increased. That’s just due to general inflation.
What’s the future trend for tiles in the next few years?
The disappearance of the middle class is one of the most concerning trends in the UK economy, and it’s likely to affect the tiling industry the most. I believe we’re heading toward two distinct types of clients:
Those who can’t afford professional tiling and will turn to DIY or more budget-friendly options, such as wall panels.
Those who can afford tiling and will opt for high end tiling.
We can already see this divide growing with the growing popularity of luxury materials, such as large-format porcelain tiles.
Are British homeowners moving away from carpets and vinyl?
With the high number of pet owners, people are moving away from carpets because of the maintenance.
Do seasonal trends affect tiling demand?
Yes — enquiries typically rise in spring and early summer. There are multiple reasons for that. The biggest issue for me as a tiler is the whether and frost. Moisture can cause outside tiles to crack later on if done in winter or fall conditions.
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