When you're designing your home, there are many decisions to be made. One of the most important things you should consider is the type of flooring that best suits your design goals. You don't only want your home to be clean, safe, and comfortable but also visually pleasing.
This article will have a quick overview of the different types of floor tiles and how they can affect the overall feel of any space in your home.
What You Should Know About Tile Flooring
Tile flooring has been around since ancient times, and it will continue to be a popular choice among homeowners. With its wide range of colors and styles available, tile floors provide both practicality and aesthetic benefits.
Tile flooring can be a stylish addition to any home. Still, tiles are generally more expensive than other types of flooring such as carpets, hardwood floor options, or laminate wooden-looking tiles, which require less maintenance while still offering a durable non-slip tile surface.
A tile is a flooring material that consists of thin square sheets of natural or manufactured stone, ceramics, or other materials. It’s usually fixed by adhesives to form a solid surface and cover an existing floor or as an accent design element on walls and ceilings.
Most tile floors are durable and easy to clean, making them good choices for kitchens and bathrooms.
Tile floors should be swept regularly using a broom or dust mop, removing dirt from the tile surface, so it does not get ground into the tile material. In addition, tile flooring should be mopped with a neutral cleaner at least once or twice per week. Doing this helps remove dirt and grime that accumulates on the tile, which reduces slip resistance and causes stains if left uncleaned for too long.
Tile sealants can also help protect the tile from staining. Additionally, you should reseal the tile flooring every year or two to maintain its appearance.
Homeowners should consider tiling their floors because many types of tiles look amazing. Aside from being low-maintenance, it can also change the look of a space!
What Are the Different Types of Floor Tiles?
When choosing the best look for your floor at home, you must be mindful of safety and comfort and not just aesthetics. Thus, the best type of tile for your home should be well-thought-of.
Here are some of the most popular tile types:
Porcelain Tile
Baking a mixture of ground-up porcelain stone and feldspar at very high temperatures—this process changed the physical composition of the tile into what we know today as porcelain tile. You can also polish porcelain tile to create a more decorative look on your flooring design, giving it a high-gloss finish that makes it resistant to stains and water damage.
You can use porcelain tile on floors because it is strong enough to sit under heavy furniture without breaking or cracking. However, you should not install this tile type over concrete as the porcelain tile will chip. Porcelains are best used on tile floors without heavy furniture sitting directly on top.
Ceramic Tile
A great tile option for a flooring design is ceramic because it can add color and pattern to your space without being too dramatic. This tile can also withstand water damage due to its porosity but will stain if water damage occurs.
Ceramic tile is recommended in bathrooms because of the tile's ability to absorb moisture. However, it would help if you also sealed this tile before using it in wet conditions to prevent staining.
Vitrified Tile
Vitrified tile is a tile type made from glass and then hardened. It is also resistant to damage and staining because of the hard materials. This makes it ideal for floors and countertops. Vitrified tile can also be heated to extremely high temperatures, making it very durable compared to other tile types.
Marble Tile
Marble is a natural tile and can be created from marble, limestone, and chalk. Marble tile is mostly used in the bathroom because of the tile's durability. This tile is usually about 3/8″ inch thick so that it can withstand moisture. In addition, this tile is great for high-traffic rooms because the tile has a non-slip surface to it.
Stone Tile
You can use stone tile to give your home an urban, minimalistic look. It's also perfect for industrial and earthy themes. Stone tile is also very durable and less likely to crack than ceramic tile. Additionally, you can mix stone tile with other types of tile for a more eclectic look.
Tile comes in many different colors and textures for your decorating needs. So, you have a wide selection of tiles to give your home a better look!
Choosing the Right Kinds of Tiles
One of the most popular choices for tile flooring is ceramic tile. This tile is perfect for any room in your home because of its durability and easy-to-clean feature. In addition, ceramic tile can be sealed, which increases stain and water resistance. Most tile stores will offer a variety of colors, sizes, and patterns to choose from, so you’ll never run out of options!
Meanwhile, wooden tile flooring is also a sturdy option that you might want to consider. For this tile, it is best to select hardwood or engineered hardwood material reinforced with plywood. The added plywood adds strength to the flooring materials so that they are not easily damaged by heavy objects or moisture if something spills on them.
These tile flooring materials are also easy to clean, making them good choices for families with young children.
Helpful Tips in Easy Tile Installation
It would help if you got tile installation done the right way. If you install tiles incorrectly, then it will be difficult to get them fixed later on. Consider these easy steps for tile installation:
- Remove any debris from the tile and floor.
- Ensure that your tiles are laid at a plain level.
- You should not mix tile adhesive or tile grout with cement or other substances.
- Skip the corners and make sure to cover all tile joints, leaving no gaps.
- Use a tile cutter and a straight edge if needed and only trim the excess tile using the tile cutter's scoring blade.
- Allow tile adhesive to dry completely before grouting.
- Grout the tile on a day when it is not going to rain or get humid.
- Use a rubber float for smaller areas, and use an edging tool if needed around tile joints.
Once you have installed your tile correctly onto the floor, consider how you will install wall tiles. There are many different tile designs, and your tiler can help you figure out which tile is best for the look you want.
Final Thoughts
There are many different types of floor tiles to choose from, and you must take the time to find a tile type that will work for your space holistically, not just in aesthetics but also in form and function. We hope these tips have helped you get started on this process. Good luck with choosing the perfect flooring for your home!
June 20, 2022
