By Royal Touch — Specialists in Decorative Wall & Floor Finishes

Introduction

When it comes to high-end interior and exterior finishes, architects and interior designers often face the challenge of choosing between microtopping, microcement, and tiles. Each has its strengths, limitations, and ideal use cases. At Royal Touch, we’ve worked extensively with all three and can guide you in selecting the right option for your project — ensuring both design integrity and functionality.

Outdoors in Microtopping

1. Understanding the Materials

Microtopping

A seamless, ultra-thin cement-based coating (2–3 mm thick) with a higher polymer content, making it more flexible than microcement. It can be applied over almost any stable surface — including old tiles — without demolition. Microtopping is often chosen for renovating existing concrete floors, but it also creates stunning finishes on walls and furniture.

Key Features:

• Thickness: 2–3 mm

• High polymer content → added flexibility

• Finish: Matte, satin, or polished

• Joint-free, sleek appearance

• Works well for renewing concrete floors

Microcement

A cement-based product with polymers and mineral pigments, microcement is slightly less flexible than microtopping but more versatile in application. It can be used not only on floors but also walls, furniture, and even curved surfaces, making it popular for creative architectural projects.

Key Features:

• Thickness: 2–4 mm

• Versatile — suitable for walls, floors, furniture, and curves

• Available in multiple textures & finishes

• Excellent adhesion on multiple surfaces

• Strong resistance to wear and tear

Both Microcement and Microtopping are widely used terms and are often used interchangeably in the design/architecture industry.

Tiles

Ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone tiles are the most traditional surfacing option. They’re available in countless designs but require grout joints and are more challenging to repair seamlessly.

Key Features:

• Thickness: 6–12 mm (or more for stone)

• Pattern, texture, and finish variety

• Durable and easy to replace sectionally

• Requires grout maintenance

2. Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Microtopping (High Polymer)	Microcement (Versatile)	Tiles (Traditional)
Appearance	Seamless, modern	Seamless, creative	Patterned/jointed
Thickness	2–3 mm	2–4 mm	6–12 mm
Application	Best for concrete renovation	Wide range: walls, floors, curves	Requires base prep
Durability	High	Very high	High
Water Resistance	Moderate–High	High	High
Flexibility	Very high	High	Low
Maintenance	Low	Low	Medium (grout)
Customisation	High	Very high	Medium–High
Cost	₹₹₹	₹₹₹	₹₹–₹₹₹

3. When to Choose What

✅ Choose Microtopping When:

• Renovating existing concrete floors

• You need extra flexibility to prevent cracks

• You’re aiming for a minimalist, industrial aesthetic

✅ Choose Microcement When:

• Project requires creative versatility (walls, floors, furniture, curves)

• Wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens, or outdoor zones are involved

• You want more options for textures and colours

✅ Choose Tiles When:

• Budget is the top priority

• You want decorative patterns or natural stone effects

• The project design requires segmented surfaces

  
  

  

  Luxury living room with microtopping floor

  
  

4. Why Architects Prefer Microtopping & Microcement for Premium Projects

Both finishes allow uninterrupted visual flow, reduce maintenance concerns, and offer custom colour matching — making them ideal for luxury residences, boutique hotels, and modern commercial spaces.

At Royal Touch, our craftsmanship ensures:

• Perfectly level application

• Bespoke texture creation

• Long-lasting performance

  
  

5. Final Thoughts

Tiles will always remain popular for their decorative flexibility. But when the design brief demands seamless elegance, durability, and modern aesthetics, microtopping and microcement are the clear winners.

Choosing the right one depends on substrate, application goals, and performance needs — and that’s where Royal Touch helps architects and homeowners make informed, future-proof decisions.

Whether you’re an architect designing your next signature space or a homeowner seeking the ultimate surface finish, our team at Royal Touch can help you choose and execute the perfect material.

📦 Architects: Request your Sample Kit — see and feel our finishes before specifying.💬 Homeowners: Get a custom quote tailored to your project’s needs.