Top Hallway Flooring Options

When considering the best flooring for hallways, durability, design and maintenance are all crucial aspects. Materials like carpet, wood or LVT can be used, however tiles remain the best flooring for halls due to their design variation, durability and low maintenance.

Tiles – Durable and Stylish Choice

Tiles are a popular choice for hallway flooring due to their design variation and durability. Porcelain tiles are designed for high traffic areas, like your hallways.

Worrying about options for floor tiles in your hall? No need, we offer classic checkerboard and Victorian designs to modern large format, entrance hall tiles are endlessly versatile for design concepts. A tiled entrance way doesn’t just offer beauty, but functionality, they are resistant to stains, moisture and everyday wear, whilst also being easy to clean.

Porcelain tiles are designed to be durable, resistant to scratches and stains and water absorption, ideal for family homes.

Design & Practical Considerations

Best Flooring for High-Traffic Hallways

The best flooring for high-traffic hallways must be able to resist the wear and tear of heavy footfall, be resistant to stains from outdoor mud and dirt and resistant to water coming in on wet British days. Porcelain tiles offer durability and low porosity, whilst being low maintenance and easy to clean.

Flooring for Small Hallways

When designing small hallways, you may have the minimal, light and airy aesthetic to make the space feel bigger or you may opt for a dark, moody and rich space. Theres endless floor tiles for small hallways for you to choose from. Consider some of these design options:

Light Colours

Light colours create a fresh and airy entrance to your home, making the space feel larger than it is. Consider colours of white, ivory, cream, light grey and even pastel shades. 

Large Format Tiles

Large format tiles have minimal grout lines and therefore offer a more expansive and seamless feel, ideal for smaller spaces.

Simple layouts

Keeping tones and patterns simple can keep you floor feel less cluttered and therefore make the hallway feel more spacious.

Dark and moody

Consider creating a dark and cosy space, with dark floor tiles and paint.

Flooring for Narrow Hallways

When thinking of narrow hallway tile patterns and flooring ideas, intricate designs and layout can create dramatic difference to the feel of the space.

Diagonal tiles

Checkerboard tiles and Victorian styles tiles laid diagonally are ideal choices for narrow hallways, they visually elongate and widen the space.

Plank Direction

For narrow hallways, running plank tiles, like wood effect, parallel elongate the space, making it feel more spacious.

1/3 Tile Rule

The 1/3 tile rule means that any brick layout, rectangle or large-format tile should have no cuts smaller than 33% of their overall size. This ensures a balanced finish and no small pieces.

Style Tips & Design Inspiration

Stone Effect Tiles

Stone effect florr tiles are perfect for creating a classic, timeless country style entrance hall. The provide a natural, soft finish to your space whilst maintaining the durability and low maintenance desired for high-traffic hallways. Stone offers a neutral base for any aesthetic, from country heritage to modern minimalism. Explore our Limestone tiles and Travertine tiles.

Victorian & Black and White Tiles

Black and white hallway floor tiles designs are ideal for those looking to create a classic and timeless aesthetic. Checkerboard layouts add elegance and visual depth to your hallway. Victorian floor tiles offer intricacy, character and heritage charm to both classic and modern homes.

Wood Effect Tiles

Wood effect floor tiles add the rustic warmth to your home without the maintenance of natural timber. Wood tiles are durable and low maintenance making them ideal for flooring for hallways, due to their resistance to wear and water. Wood effect offers timeless, versatile designs that work perfectly with all tastes and styles.

Patterned & Feature Tile Designs

Using hallway floor tile patterns injects personality and statement into your entrance hall. It can set the tone for the rest of the home, or it can be a fun alternative if you wish to have a more calming feel throughout the rest of your living spaces. Patterned floor tiles are also a great way of hiding the mess and muck that appears by your front door.

Key Material Trends for Hallway Flooring

Current trends for hallway flooring are all about:

• Large format porcelain tiles: large format is the latest contemporary trend. They offer minimal grout lines and make a space feel more expansive. A perfect option for those with open plan homes or if you are looking to create a seamless downstairs, with the same tile throughout.
• Matte finishes: Matte hallway tiles are a preferred choice due to their natural look and ability to hide dirt and marks, ideal for busy entrances. Matte offers a more subtle finish then high gloss flooring meaning they create a softer base.
• Slip-Resistant: For high-traffic entrance ways, slip-resistance may be a consideration. Many ranges of porcelain tiles are PTV36+, meaning they have low slip potential. However, standard porcelain has suitable slip resistance for domestic hallways.
• Natural textures: Natural inspired materials dominate interior trends. Effects like, wood, limestone, marble and travertine all provide a timeless, authentic look with the additional benefit of durable, low maintenance porcelain. Natural textures add depth and warmth to a hallway, helping to create a relaxing and inviting entrance.
• Neutral tones: Neutral shades are all the rage and have become a key trend for hallway flooring. Tones of grey, beige, cream, warm white, and taupe add a soft and calming aesthetic to the entry of your home. These lighter tones are also ideal for creating light and airy spaces, ideal for hallways that may have little natural light. A neutral palette can make a hallway feel open and more expansive.

Maintenance & Cleaning Tips

Tiles are one of the easiest flooring for hallways options to clean and keep clean.

Porcelain and ceramic tiles are both:

• Easy to clean
• Stain and moisture resistant
• Durable in high-traffic areas – resistant to wear

Compared to natural flooring counterparts, tiles require less maintenance. They only require weekly vacuuming/sweeping and mopping with a neutral cleaner and warm water.

FAQ- Hallway Flooring

Q: Are tiles in a hallway a good idea?

A: Yes, tiles in a hallway are an extremely good choice, due to their durability, water and stain resistance and easy maintenance. Tiles are available in an abundance of styles, including wood, marble, and stone effects. They can mimic the beauty and textures of natural materials with the additional benefit of modern porcelain durability.

Q: What is the best type of tile for a hallway?

A: Porcelain tiles are the best type of tile for flooring for hallways. Porcelain is extremely durable, stain and moisture resistant, ideal for high traffic areas like a hallway.

Q: What is the 1/3 rule for tiles?

A: The 1/3 rule for tiles refers to a layout method for plank style or large format tiles. It means it is recommended that tiles be staggered by no more than one third of their length. It creates a smoother finish.

Q: Should tiles be lighter or darker than walls?

A: Tiles being lighter or darker than walls all come down to preference. Lighter tiles can make a hallway feel more open and spacious, particularly suitable for small spaces or those with limited natural light. Darker tiles can create a cosy and warm entrance way.

Q: What is the best flooring for a hallway?

A: The best flooring for a hallway is porcelain tiles, due their huge variation of design options and their advanced durability, low maintenance and moisture and stain resistance.

Q: What is the best flooring for an entry hall?

A: The best flooring for an entry hall is porcelain tiles. Porcelain tiles offer a huge variation of design styles with an option for every aesthetic, whilst offering durability, stain and moisture resistance.

Q: What flooring makes hallways look wider?

A: Light coloured tiles can make a hallway look wider due to their open and spacious feel. Additionally, large format tiles, with minimal grout lines they make flooring feel more expansive and wider.

Q: What is the best flooring for a small entrance hall?

A: Large format floor tiles for small hallway spaces are ideal for creating a more spacious feel with minimal grout lines. Patterned tiles are also a great choice for adding depth and visually enlarging a space.