Published 2026-08-31 · The Tile Guys
People ask for large format tile because they want fewer grout lines and that hotel-shower look. Bigger slabs. Cleaner walls. Less of the grid you see in a 4x4 stall from the 90s.
That part is true. The part that gets skipped is what big tile needs behind it. A pretty slab on a wavy, unwaterproofed wall is still a leaking shower. Just with fewer joints to hide it.
What large format tile actually is
Large format tile is the bigger stuff: slabs, wide planks, 12x24s and up. Fewer pieces cover the wall, so you get fewer grout lines. The field looks more like a surface and less like a grid.
Fewer joints change two things. The shower looks quieter. And there is less grout to scrub, stain, and recaulk over the years. That is the real reason people want it in a wet wall, not just because a showroom photo looked expensive.
Why the wall has to be flat first
Small tile can hide a wall that is a little out. Large format tile will show every bump. Lippage, hollow spots, and a piece that clicks when you press it are the usual result of setting a big tile on a wall that was never flattened.
Waterproofing matters more too. Grout is not a membrane. With fewer grout lines you still need a real waterproofing layer on every wet wall, the curb, and the pan. New big tile on a soft or leaking wall is the same bandage we talk about on a refresh versus a tear-out. The finish you see is not the part that keeps the house dry.
Epoxy grout in a wet shower
Once the tile is set, the grout still has to live in water every day. Sanded cement grout works. It also stains, needs sealing, and shows wear in a shower faster than people expect.
Epoxy grout is denser. It does not soak up soap and mineral the same way. In a shower — especially with fewer grout lines in a large format layout — it is often worth the extra work. The joints stay closer to the color you picked. Cleanup later is easier because there is less grout, and the grout that is there does not act like a sponge.
It is not automatic on every job. A backsplash is a different exposure than a shower. If the wall is sound and you want the joints to stay clean, we will say when epoxy grout is the better call and when standard grout is enough.
Where we set it
The Tile Guys are based in Woodstock GA. We set residential showers and baths from Woodstock and Canton down to Kennesaw, Marietta, and Roswell, and over to Milton and Acworth. Houses people live in. Not commercial, not new construction tracts.
If you are choosing large format tile for a shower in any of those towns, the conversation is the same: is the wall flat, is the waterproofing real, and is epoxy grout worth it on those joints.
What we do from here
Residential tile only: showers, baths, backsplashes, floors, and repair. See our custom shower tile and tile repair & regrouting pages, or call or text (470) 229-2881 and we will tell you whether large format tile is the right finish for the wall you actually have.