Tegel Tiles, Like Ceramic Tiles, Must Be Soaked Before Fitting

Tegel is a flooring tile made from a cement-and-sand mix, found in many older homes. It is a popular choice for room decoration because of its distinctive patterns that can beautify floors. For installation, tegel is treated the same as ceramic tiles, meaning it is soaked beforehand. However, Davy notes that tegel is thicker than ceramic, so tegel tiles are rarely lifted as has been seen with some ceramics. Tegel offers several advantages over other floor types. The founder of Sarasa Tegel & Antik, Heru Suprihantono, says tegel designs can be tailored to the buyer’s wishes. “So, buyers can have (tegel) designed themselves or they can have a design made for them,” he said, quoted on Tuesday (19/05/2026). A second advantage is that tegel feels cooler due to its porosity, whereas other floor types, such as ceramic, have glaze that fills pores on the surface. Third, another benefit is its strength. Tegel is thicker than other floor types, so tegel is not easily cracked. So, if you want a floor that lasts longer to avoid unexpected repair costs, tegel could be a suitable option. “If installation is not good, tegel is still stronger because of its thickness,” he said. Moreover, Heru states that high-quality tegel will keep its shine even if polished only once after installation. “Maintenance is simply mopping with water. If you use chemicals, the material will soak into the tegel and usually result in white stains,” he explained. “It’s also good to use coconut husk scraps, that’s from old times. If you use chemicals or soap, that is dangerous,” he added. On the downside, this flooring type tends to be relatively expensive. Typically, patterned tegel is sold at a higher price than plain tegel. Therefore, if you want to beautify your home with tegel, budget more for installation. But after that you will have a beautiful floor that lasts and suffers minimal damage.