World of Tile

I'll bet you smiled when you decided to pick “Tile”. It’s a great flooring product and adds an air of luxury and décor style to any room that you apply it to. Tile can be used in a variety of ways such as a kitchen backsplash, countertops, bathtub/shower surrounds, tabletops, fireplace hearths and of course flooring. With the variety of types of tiles, colours, patterns and finishes, its become a popular choice for any new home or renovating project.

Here are some tips before deciding to purchase ceramic tile. A glazed tile not only comes in a rainbow of colours but it also provides a non-porous surface that is stain resistant. An unglazed tile is thicker and denser than a glazed tile and the colours are limited to the colour of the clay and they are great for a commercial space. Installing ceramic tile yourself is a huge undertaking and it might be helpful to sign up for a course at your local home building supply store or look to your flooring experts to give you a quote on having the job done professionally. When selecting your tile look for a reputable brand name so as to ensure product quality such as colouring and sizing, so there are as little irregularities as possible. Ceramic tiles with a shiny glazed finish are not recommended for floors because of the slipping hazard, they are best used as decorative finishes such as a bathtub surround or fireplace hearth.

A ceramic tile floor will probably be one of the most durable floorings you can install and will outlast most conventional flooring materials on the market today. Your ceramic floor will be water resistant because of its non-porous properties and is best suited for the wet areas in a home such as bathroom, kitchen and laundry room. The beauty of a ceramic tile allows you to select something that fits anybody’s décor from rustic to formal. Maintenance on your tile floor is simple at best. A quick sweep and a weekly damp mopping is all you need to keep the floor looking like new. Your ceramic tile floor is going to be resistant to scratches, fire or heat and will be allergy free which has become more important in our daily lives.

There are a variety of types of tile flooring. A few of them are Ceramic Tile, Glazed Tile, Marble Tile, Mexican Tile, Italian Tile, Granite Tile, Natural Stone Tile, Porcelain Tile, Mosaic Tile and Travertine Tile. There are distinct characteristics about each of these and more. Always do your homework before making your final selection to confirm that you have made the best choice of product for your particular space. If the budget works then it is a wonderful luxury to add radiant heating under your tile flooring. Nothing feels better than walking on a toasty warm floor when getting up first thing in the morning or stepping out of the shower. You won’t regret this expense.

Last but not least, don’t forget about the colour selection of your grout. This sometimes can be overlooked up until the moment you need to apply it. It is extremely important to realize how the colour choice of your grout can affect the final outcome of your project. If you wish the tile to be more subdued looking and not wanting to highlight the individual tiles, then a lighter colour choice would be best. A darker coloured grout highlights each tile and will usually be the more dominant colour from the tile. Either selection would be acceptable it just depends on how you want to envision your final tile application.

Here’s hoping that you’ll Tile and then Smile. I’m sure you’ll be receiving many compliments after all is said and done. Tile is Naturally beautiful and it will provide that beauty for your home for many years to come.

Written by Sharon @ IDQ