Porcelain, ceramic and large-format tile
Porcelain and ceramic tile installation in Medellín
At Pisos Pro Medellín we have been laying porcelain and ceramic tile in apartments, houses and shops across the Aburrá Valley for more than 15 years. We are flooring specialists, not a general remodeling company, and tile work is one of the jobs we do most often.
Our clients include owners taking delivery of an unfinished apartment (obra gris), people redoing a kitchen or bathroom, and businesses that need a floor built for heavy foot traffic. We handle everything from budget 45x45 cm ceramic to rectified 120x120 cm porcelain.
Over 900 jobs have taught us that a hollow-sounding tile is rarely the tile's fault; it is almost always the thinset. That is why every install gets the mortar its format calls for, back-buttering where needed, and a 1-year labor warranty.
- Back-buttering on large formats
- Clip-and-wedge leveling
- Movement joints
- 1-year warranty
What porcelain and ceramic tile installation in Medellín includes
We quote the whole job, not just setting tiles. The written quote breaks out materials, labor, demolition, leveling, baseboards (zócalos) and trims so you can compare it line by line.
We tile kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, balconies, terraces and retail spaces. If your current tile is sound and you would rather skip the demolition, we will also tell you when SPC flooring laid over your existing tile makes more sense than retiling.
- Removal of the old floor, debris bagged and hauled to an authorized disposal site
- Flatness check with a 2-meter straightedge and leveling of the subfloor (contrapiso)
- C1 or C2 cement-based thinset chosen by tile format, absorption and use
- Installation with clip-and-wedge leveling clips and 2 to 3 mm grout joints
- Cement or epoxy grout, sealed perimeter joints and a final cleanup
- Baseboard cut from the same tile or a metal profile, with 45-degree mitered corners
Porcelain vs. ceramic tile: absorption, hardness and cost
The real difference is how much water the tile soaks up. Porcelain is fired at a higher temperature, comes out nearly vitrified and absorbs 0.5% or less, while ceramic floor tile usually absorbs between 3% and 10%.
On a terrace, porous ceramic takes on rainwater, stains, and its glaze eventually crazes under repeated sun and rain. For outdoor and wet areas we recommend porcelain from brands such as Corona, Alfagres or Eurocerámica, always with the technical data sheet in hand.
| Feature | Porcelain | Ceramic |
|---|---|---|
| Water absorption | 0.5% or less | Roughly 3% to 10% |
| Tile body | Dense; in through-body porcelain the color runs all the way through | Red or white clay body covered by a glaze |
| Impact and wear resistance | High, suitable for shops and heavy traffic | Medium; a hard knock exposes the clay body |
| Terraces and outdoor use | Yes, with a slip-resistant finish | Not recommended |
| Minimum thinset | C2, high-bond | C1 indoors |
| Material cost | Middle and upper end of the COP $40,000 to $180,000 per m² range | Lower end of the same range |
Large-format tile: 60x120, 120x120 and slabs
A 120x120 cm tile weighs about 30 kilos and leaves the factory with a slight bow. Set it like a 45x45 cm ceramic and you get voids underneath and lippage between tiles.
For these formats we use flexible C2 thinset (rated S1 on the data sheet), a 12 mm notched or half-moon trowel, and back-buttering: mortar combed on the floor plus a thin coat on the back of the tile. We aim for more than 95% coverage and confirm it by lifting test tiles.
Clip-and-wedge leveling systems keep tile edges flush while the thinset cures. On plank-style formats we limit the offset to one third of the tile, because a half offset lets the natural bow push each edge above its neighbor.
Slabs longer than 1.20 m are moved by two installers with suction cups and a carrying frame, then cut on a rail cutter. The mistakes we fix most often are C1 thinset under large tiles, 1 mm joints with no room for movement, and tiles hammered until they crack.
Movement joints and flexible thinset in an earthquake zone
Colombia's building code (NSR-10) places Medellín in an intermediate seismic hazard zone, and buildings move with every tremor, with the sun and as new construction settles. Rigid porcelain laid with no slack stores that stress until a row tents upward or starts to sound hollow.
We leave a 5 to 8 mm perimeter gap along walls and columns, hidden under the baseboard and left free of grout. In continuous areas we add polyurethane-sealed movement joints every 5 to 6 meters indoors, every 3 to 4 meters on sunny terraces, and always over the building's structural joints.
Deformable thinset absorbs part of that movement without letting go of the tile. To see how a tremor affects each type of floor, read our guide to earthquakes and floors in Medellín.
Bathrooms, kitchens and terraces: slip resistance and slope
In wet areas we specify porcelain with a slip-resistance rating: R10 for bathrooms and indoor kitchens, R11 for showers, pool edges and uncovered terraces. A glossy finish inside a shower is a fall waiting to happen.
A shower floor needs a 1% to 2% slope toward the drain, and that slope is built into the mortar bed, not into extra-thick thinset. With a linear drain the floor only has to tilt in one plane, so you can use large tiles without diagonal cuts.
In showers we use epoxy grout, which does not absorb water or grow black mold in the joints. We also suggest it in kitchens in front of the countertop, where grease and sauces land.
Porcelain tile installation cost per m²
These are reference ranges for Medellín in 2026, quoted in Colombian pesos. The final price depends on tile format, subfloor condition and the number of cuts, and we put it in writing after the free site visit.
To compare with other materials, see our flooring price guide for Medellín.
| Item | Reference price |
|---|---|
| Porcelain or ceramic tile (material) | COP $40,000 to $180,000 per m² |
| Labor, formats up to 60x60 | COP $35,000 to $60,000 per m² |
| Labor, large format from 60x120 | COP $60,000 to $90,000 per m² |
| Total installed | COP $80,000 to $260,000 per m² |
| Removal of existing ceramic tile | COP $12,000 to $25,000 per m² |
| Leveling with self-leveling compound | COP $35,000 to $75,000 per m² |
| Installed baseboard | COP $12,000 to $30,000 per linear meter |
| 45-degree mitered cuts on corners and steps | Per linear meter, priced at the visit |
How we install porcelain tile
- 1
Demolition and assessment
We pull up the old floor and sound the subfloor with a mallet to find loose spots. We measure moisture and flatness before choosing the thinset.
- 2
Leveling
We correct the base with mortar or self-leveler until there is no more than 3 mm of deviation under a 2-meter straightedge. A wavy subfloor is the main cause of lippage on large-format tile.
- 3
Layout
We dry-lay the tiles starting from the main door or the room's visual center. That way thin cuts end up under furniture instead of at the entrance.
- 4
Setting with back-buttering
We comb the thinset in one direction, butter the back of each tile and bed it with a rubber mallet. Clips and wedges go in at every edge where tiles meet.
- 5
Curing
The thinset cures for 24 hours with no foot traffic. Then we knock off the clips with a mallet tap along the joint line, never straight on.
- 6
Grout and sealant
We grout with a rubber float, wipe down with a damp sponge and seal the movement joints with polyurethane. The perimeter gap stays open under the baseboard.
- 7
Cleaning and handover
We remove the grout haze with a porcelain-safe cleaner and tap-test every tile. You receive a signed handover record and care instructions.
Porcelain and ceramic tile FAQs
Why do some tiles sound hollow?
A tile sounds hollow when air is trapped between it and the thinset: a trowel notch that is too small, mortar that skinned over before the tile went down, or no back-buttering on large formats. It also happens when the subfloor was loose or when a tremor broke the bond on a floor without movement joints.
One isolated hollow tile can last for years, but a growing patch signals that the floor is about to lift. We diagnose it by tapping and, if the failure comes from our installation, it is covered by our 1-year labor warranty.
Can porcelain tile go over old tile?
Yes, if the existing tile is solid, flat and free of hollow spots. We tap-test the entire floor, replace loose tiles, degrease the surface and apply a bonding primer before setting with C2 thinset.
The floor rises 1 to 1.5 cm, so doors, transitions to other rooms and the clearance under the fridge need checking. If the subfloor has deeper problems, it should first get a proper floor and subfloor repair.
Which is better for a bathroom, porcelain or ceramic?
For bathroom floors we recommend porcelain, because it absorbs very little water and comes in R10 or R11 slip-resistant finishes. Ceramic works well on walls and in lightly used bathrooms, always matte and never glossy in the shower area.
How long before I can walk on new porcelain tile?
With standard thinset you can walk carefully after 24 hours and grout that day or the next. Furniture and normal traffic can return after 72 hours, and wet mopping after 7 days.
Rapid-setting thinsets allow foot traffic in 3 to 4 hours, which helps shops that cannot close. A 60 to 80 m² apartment in porcelain takes 5 to 8 days from start to finish.
Get a quote for your porcelain tile installation
Book a free site visit: we measure, check your subfloor with a mallet and straightedge, and send you an itemized written quote within 24 to 48 hours.
Your porcelain or ceramic floor is covered by a 1-year labor warranty against hollow tiles, lifting and uneven spots caused by the installation.
Pisos Pro Medellín
Tv. 6 #45-115, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Monday to Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.