Tiles in Nairobi: What Locals Prefer + Where to Buy
When you’re designing or renovating in Nairobi, Kenya, selecting the right tiles goes beyond colour and size—it’s about durability, local preferences, climate suitability, and knowing exactly where to buy. Having worked with several homeowners in Nairobi neighbourhoods myself, I’ve seen what truly matters and what tends to disappoint. In this blog, I’ll walk you through what locals prefer, what to keep in mind, and where you can find quality tiles (including trusted online landing pages for help).
Quick Comparison Table: Popular Tile Types in Nairobi
Tile Type | Typical Price Range* | Best Use Case | What Locals Usually Look For |
Ceramic Wall Tiles | KSh 300–500 per m² | Bathrooms, kitchens (walls) | Bright finish, easy-clean, cost-effective |
Porcelain Floor Tiles | Living rooms, kitchens, and outdoor-covered areas | High durability, less water absorption | |
Wood-look or Stone-look Floor Tiles | Feature rooms, living spaces | Style + durability, minimal upkeep | |
Budget Indoor Floor Tiles | Secondary rooms, rental properties | Value-for-money, acceptable quality | |
Large Format Wall Tiles | KSh 500–900 per m² | Accent walls, splashbacks | Fewer grout lines, modern look |
* Prices approximate and depend on size, brand, and finish.
This table gives you a snapshot of what to expect. Now let’s dive into deeper insights.
What Locals in Nairobi Really Prefer
From my own experience consulting with homeowners and contractors in Nairobi, I’ve noticed a few consistent patterns:
- Durability matters: Nairobi’s climate, foot traffic, and the occasional heavy rainfall push people toward materials that can hold up. That’s why many prefer porcelain or high-grade ceramic over the cheapest tile options. For instance, the supplier I often work with lists porcelain floor tiles with features “built for the Kenyan climate”.
- Neutral & natural looks win: While colourful tiles have their place, many local homeowners lean toward neutral tones (beige, grey, stone) because they’re easier to match with furnishings and age well.
- Easy-maintenance is a key driver: Busy professionals, families, and rental property owners alike choose tiles that clean easily—no deep grooves, no overly textured surfaces in main living areas.
- Slips & outdoor areas are different: For balconies, terraces, or outdoor-covered spaces, locals are increasingly choosing slip-resistant finishes and larger formats to reduce grout lines and maintenance.
Availability + after-sales counts: Nairobi shoppers often favour tile shops that offer quick delivery, installation support, or guidance. One local business, for example, emphasises using trusted tile brands imported and stocked locally.
Which Places to Buy Tiles in Nairobi
If you’re searching for “tile shops near me” in Nairobi, here are three trustworthy options (and one important online landing page) that match what many locals use:
- Pergas Group – Their main online shop for tiles is at tiles in Kenya. They cover both floor and wall tiles (see their specific pages: Floor Tiles in Kenya and Wall Tiles in Kenya). Their inventory includes porcelain, ceramic, and design tiles built for Kenyan conditions. They also state that they provide Kenya-wide delivery.
- Design Tile Centre Ltd (DTC) – Located at The Centre Point, 42 Parklands Rd, Nairobi. They specialise in interior finishing, including tiles. Their focus on customer service and variety makes them a reliable brick-and-mortar choice.
- Megha Marketing – Branch in Nairobi: Wing A, Binaa Complex, Karen-Langata Rd. They list tiles among their major product lines (floor, walls). Good for combination shopping (tiles + other building materials).
When you visit, bring along tile samples, compare finishes under natural light, check for delivery timelines, and ask about extras like grout colour options or installation support.
How to Choose the Right Tile for Floors vs Walls
It’s tempting to pick a tile you love and use it everywhere—but floors and walls have different demands. Here’s how to break it down:
- For Floors: Choose tiles with lower water absorption (especially in bathrooms/kitchens), good scratch resistance, and a finish suited to foot traffic. Porcelain is ideal. As mentioned by Pergas Group: “Porcelain floor tiles offer superior durability and water resistance… ceramic tiles are a great budget-friendly option for bedrooms and living rooms.”
- For Walls: You have more flexibility—lighter weight tiles, gloss finishes, decorative patterns, or even accent features. Since walls don’t face the same wear as floors, you can focus more on aesthetics and ease of cleaning.
- Size & grout lines: Larger tiles (for example, 60×60 cm or even larger) create a more seamless look and fewer grout lines, which is especially popular among Nairobi homeowners aiming for a modern finish.
- Finish & slip resistance: For wet zones like bathrooms or outdoor covered areas, ensure that floor tiles are slip-resistant (often specified by rating). For walls, a glossy or satin finish might help reflect light and brighten smaller spaces.
My Personal Project Insight (Lessons Learned)
In one renovation I helped where my client wanted to transform a 3-bedroom apartment in Westlands, Nairobi, we selected a stone-look porcelain tile for the living room (60×60 cm, matte finish) and a lighter ceramic tile (30×60 cm) for the bathrooms. Three practical things I learned:
- Bring home a box sample. Under the showroom lighting, it looked great—but under the ambient light of the apartment at dusk, the colour shift was more than expected.
- Buy extra + match batch. We ordered 10 % extra tiles to allow for breakage/waste, and ensured all tiles came from the same production batch to avoid shade variation.
- Check sub-floor readiness. The floor underneath was slightly uneven, and that required levelling before the tile went down—if we’d skipped that, tile edges would’ve chipped early.
From this experience, I’d advise: when you shop for “tiles in Nairobi”, don’t just pick the tile—check mounting/installation conditions, delivery timelines, and service support.
See more: Tile & Carpet Trends: How to Pair Flooring for a Cohesive Home
Pricing, Budgeting & What to Watch Out For
When budgeting for tiles in Nairobi, here are the key cost components and pitfalls:
- Tile cost per square metre (see table above).
- Installation labour and materials (adhesive, grout, sealing).
- Transport/delivery — if shipping across Kenya or from the coast, costs add up.
- Extra waste/back-up tiles — always order more to ensure continuity later.
- Quality vs cheap shortcuts — extremely cheap tiles may have issues: colour fading, size irregularities, higher breakage rate. A Kenyan marketplace listing shows many floor-tile listings starting from very low (KSh 200), but these often are entry-level.
Be clear on payment terms: ask for specification sheets (e.g., wear rating, water absorption, slip rating) and warranty or guarantee from the shop if available.
FAQ
Q1: How do I know how many tiles to buy?
A: Measure the area you want tiled (length × width = m²). Add 5-10 % extra for cuts, breakage, and future repair. If you’re using large tiles (say 60×60 cm) or non-standard patterns, you might increase that to 10-12 %. Also, check the tile size and coverage per box when you order from a supplier like https://pergasgroup.com/floor-tiles/.
Q2: Can I use the same tile for both floor and wall?
A: Technically yes—if the tile specification allows it (check water absorption, slip rating, thickness). But best practice: use a more robust tile for floors (especially high-traffic or wet areas) and a more decorative/lightweight tile for walls. The two needs differ.
Q3: Why are some tiles more expensive, though they look similar?
A: Good question. The higher cost often reflects: better raw material quality (e.g., porcelain vs ceramic), larger size formats, special finishes (wood-look, stone-look), imported brands, stricter quality control (size uniformity, colour batch consistency), and added features (like slip-resistance or outdoor suitability). If you’re browsing “tile shops near me” in Nairobi, always ask for the spec sheet so you can compare apples to apples.