Kitchen Tiles in Kenya: Wall Backsplash & Floor Tile Prices

Distinguishing Between Kitchen Wall and Floor Tiles

The kitchen serves as the primary workspace of a home, subjecting surfaces to unique stressors including high heat, oil splatters, heavy appliances, and constant foot traffic.

Consequently, selecting the correct tile involves satisfying two distinct sets of requirements: hygiene for vertical surfaces and load-bearing durability for the ground.

In the Kenyan market, homeowners often prioritize the aesthetic appeal of the backsplash, but the technical specifications are equally important. Tiles Market categorizes kitchen inventory into two distinct silos.

Wall tiles focus on resistance to staining and ease of cleaning, utilizing high-gloss glazes to repel grease. Floor tiles focus on abrasion resistance and friction, ensuring the surface remains safe to walk on even when water or cooking oil is spilled.

Kitchen Wall Tiles and Backsplashes

Search trends and interior design requests in Nairobi heavily favor kitchen wall tiles, specifically for the "backsplash"—the area between the countertop and the hanging cabinets. This zone requires materials that can withstand the thermal shock of a gas cooker and the corrosive nature of food splatters.

The Importance of Glazed Surfaces

For kitchen walls, a glazed ceramic finish is non-negotiable. Unglazed or porous stones absorb oil and tomato-based stains, which become impossible to clean over time.

A quality glazed tile creates an impermeable shield. This allows you to wipe away hot grease, steam residue, and food splashes with a simple cloth and mild detergent, keeping the kitchen hygienic and odor-free.

The Subway Tile Standard

The most requested style for modern Kenyan kitchens is the Subway Tile, typically found in 10x20cm or 7.5x15cm formats.

These brick-shaped tiles offer a timeless, clean aesthetic.

White subway tiles reflect light, making smaller kitchens appear more spacious, while black or dark grey options provide a practical solution for hiding soot marks in busy cooking areas. Their small size allows for versatile installation patterns, such as herringbone or classic brick-bond, adding character to the cooking space.

Mosaic and Patterned Features

Beyond standard options, many designers use mosaic tiles or patterned geometric tiles to create a focal point behind the cooker hood or sink.

Since these areas are smaller, you can invest in higher-end decorative tiles without significantly impacting the total budget. Mosaics on mesh sheets are particularly useful for fitting around electrical sockets and window ledges without messy cuts.

Kitchen Floor Tiles: Durability and Safety

The kitchen floor endures more wear and tear than any other surface in the home.

Between heavy foot traffic, the weight of appliances like refrigerators and gas cookers, and the inevitable impact of dropped utensils or pots ("sufurias"), the flooring material must be exceptionally robust. While wall tiles focus on hygiene, floor tiles must focus on load-bearing capacity.

High-Traffic Durability

For kitchen flooring, we recommend Porcelain tiles over standard ceramic. Porcelain is fired at higher temperatures, resulting in a denser, harder body that resists chipping even when heavy objects fall on it.

If you have an open-plan kitchen that connects to the living room, a full-body porcelain tile is ideal because the color runs through the entire thickness of the tile. If a chip does occur, it remains nearly invisible compared to a glazed tile where the white clay body would show through.

Slip Resistance in Oily Environments

Kitchen floors frequently encounter water spills, oil droplets, and food residue. This combination creates a significant slip hazard. While high-gloss tiles look attractive in showrooms, they become dangerous skating rinks in a working kitchen. We advise choosing a Matte or Satin finish for the floor area.

These textures provide sufficient grip for footwear without being so rough that they trap dirt or grease, striking the necessary balance between safety and cleanability.

Kitchen Tile Prices in Kenya (2025 Market Rates)

Budgeting for a kitchen renovation involves understanding the price difference between specialized small-format wall tiles and heavy-duty floor tiles.

Generally, "Subway" style wall tiles cost more per square meter due to higher production costs and the quantity needed to cover a specific area. The table below provides a current estimate of costs at our Nairobi depot.

Note that for kitchen backsplashes, the area to be tiled is often small (usually the space between the counter and cabinets). Therefore, choosing a slightly more expensive, high-quality decorative tile often has a minimal impact on the overall project cost while significantly upgrading the visual finish.

Modern Kitchen Design Trends in Nairobi

Kitchen aesthetics in Kenya have shifted significantly towards open concepts and functional beauty. Developers and homeowners now view the kitchen as an extension of the living space, leading to specific design choices that balance style with the heavy utility required in a Kenyan home.

The Open Plan Flow

With the rise of apartment living in urban centers like Kilimani and Westlands, open-plan kitchens have become the standard.

To create a seamless visual flow and make the apartment appear larger, designers often use the same tile for both the living room and the kitchen floor. However, this presents a safety challenge. We recommend selecting a "Satin" finish porcelain tile for these areas; it offers the sheen of a polished tile to match the lounge but provides enough grip to be safe in the kitchen zone.

The "Dark & Dramatic" Aesthetic

Practicality drives the trend towards dark kitchen walls. Black or charcoal grey wall tiles are increasingly popular for active kitchens.

Beyond looking sophisticated and modern, these darker tones serve a functional purpose: they effectively hide soot marks, smoke residue, and minor oil splashes that are inevitable in busy cooking environments. Contrasting dark tiles with white cabinets creates a striking, high-value look.

Wood Effect Kitchen Floors

Many homeowners desire the warmth of timber flooring but avoid it in the kitchen due to water damage risks. Ceramic wood-effect tiles offer the perfect solution.

These tiles mimic the grain and texture of natural wood but are completely waterproof and fire-resistant. They add a rustic or "farmhouse" charm to the kitchen and are exceptionally good at hiding dust and crumbs compared to plain white tiles.

Installation and Maintenance Tips

A kitchen installation faces challenges that other rooms do not, primarily due to grease accumulation and heat. Proper installation choices made today will prevent hygiene issues and maintenance headaches in the future.

Grout Selection for Kitchens

The biggest mistake in kitchen tiling is using white grout on the floor. In a cooking environment, oil and food particles inevitably settle into the porous grout lines, turning them black and greasy within weeks.

We strongly advise using Grey Grout or a specialized Epoxy Grout for kitchen floors and countertops. Epoxy grout is stain-proof and non-porous, meaning oil sits on the surface rather than soaking in, making it easy to scrub clean.

Cleaning Grease from Tiles

Over time, a film of cooking grease can build up on kitchen tiles, making them look dull. Avoid using abrasive steel wire or harsh acidic cleaners (like "spirit of salts"), as these will strip the glaze and eat away the grout.

For effective maintenance, use a mixture of warm water and white vinegar or a specialized alkaline degreaser. This cuts through the oil without damaging the tile surface, restoring the original shine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to common questions regarding kitchen tiling, addressing specific concerns about durability and design in the Kenyan market.

Can I use wall tiles on the kitchen floor?
Technically, some large-format wall tiles can be used on floors, but we generally advise against it for safety reasons. Wall tiles are typically glazed to be very smooth for easy cleaning, which makes them extremely slippery when wet or oily. Additionally, standard ceramic wall tiles are often thinner and not fired to the same hardness as floor tiles, meaning they may crack under the weight of a refrigerator or a dropped heavy pot. Always check the "PEI Rating" (abrasion resistance) before putting a tile on the floor.

What is the best tile color for a small apartment kitchen?
Space is a premium in many Nairobi apartments. To make a small kitchen feel larger and airier, choose white, cream, or light grey tiles with a glossy finish. These surfaces reflect artificial and natural light, expanding the visual space. If you want color, add it through a small backsplash strip rather than darkening the whole room with black or brown wall tiles.

Are porcelain tiles heat resistant?
Yes. Porcelain is fired at temperatures exceeding 1200°C during manufacturing. This makes it impervious to the heat generated by standard domestic gas cookers or ovens. You can safely install porcelain tiles directly behind a hob as a splashback without worrying about the glaze cracking or discoloring from the heat.

Secure Your Kitchen Renovation Today
Whether you are building a commercial kitchen or renovating a family home, Tiles Market provides the inventory you need at depot prices. Browse our collection of heat-resistant backsplashes and heavy-duty floor tiles, or contact our sales team for a custom quote on your Bill of Quantities.