You live in a modern-day environment, but you want to incorporate traces of the past in your home flooring. You long for the cool transition of shiny entryway tiles to an old-fashioned living room floor. If you're one of those people fond of well-loved classic designs, this is the right article for you.
In today's digital world, ceramic floor tiles have become a lost art. You don't see them in many buildings anymore because the finish isn't as shiny and new as other materials like laminate or carpeting. But what if we told you that this is all about to change, starting from your humble home?
The Sometrile Archivo White Ceramic Floor Tile is a revolutionary white ceramic floor perfect for your vintage space dreams. This ceramic tile is perfect for any room because it comes with both matte and glossy finishes! Read and find out more about what the Archivo tiles can offer.
Behind the Antiquity of The SomerTile Archivo Plain White Ceramic Flooring: A Review
The SomerTile Archivo Plain is reminiscent of old European flooring designs. It's one of SomerTile's Archivo Ceramic Tiles collection with the simplest and cleanest patterns. If you're into neater flooring, you might like the Archivo Plain a lot. Read more about it below and see if it fits your preferences.
Technical Specifications
- Material: Grade 1 Ceramic
- Size: 4.88x4.88 in
- Coverage: 5.84 sqft
- Item Weight: 19.2 lb
- Thickness: 0.31 in
- Color Family: White
- Type of Finish: Glazed
- PEI Rating: 4
- Frost-Resistant: No
- Indoor/Outdoor Use: Indoor
- Commercial/Residential Use: Both
What's Good About It
First things first, what makes the Archivo Plain white floor tiles the perfect choice for your flooring solution?
Channels Your Vintage Dreams
Does your love for vintage-themed settings make you wish you were born at least twenty years earlier? Thanks to ceramic floors, you no longer have to live with an impossible dream. Start building your vintage world with these SomerTile white tiles! It comes with a buttercream base coating and warm sepia tones to produce a clean and, at the same time, charming, rustic design.
Comes With Reasonable Pricing Behind Luxurious Looks
This SomerTile Archivo floor tile has a 5/5 rating in the Houzz reviews, which mostly highlights value for the money. It produces a luxurious look, but the price is actually affordable. The balance between reasonable pricing and quality is a common concern for buyers, but the SomerTile Archivo Plain will relieve you of them.
Suits Heavy-Duty Environments
The SomerTile ceramic floors aren't only for pretty visuals. They also have a PEI rating of 4. PEI stands for Porcelain Enamel Institute, which rates tile products based on the hardness of their glaze. A rating of 4 refers to flooring that is suitable for moderate to heavy foot traffic. The SomerTile ceramic applies to commercial and residential spaces without floor abrasion issues.
Incorporates Medium Moisture and Water Absorption
Tile flooring has excellent absorption properties. As a result, it is often installed on heavy-duty traffic areas and splash zones (bathrooms, kitchens, and entryways). This SomerTile flooring has semi-vitreous tiles, which absorb moisture for about three to seven percent. It's not the highest density rate, but it's good enough for indoor use.
Blends the Variations Well
The Archivo Plain collection contains eight variations. You might be concerned about merging multiple patterns, or you might only like one design among them. Luckily, these variations complement each other very well. It creates a nice blend of neat, rustic and unique charm on your flooring.
What's Not Good About It
Meanwhile, what makes the Archivo Plain tiles the wrong choice for your flooring solution?
Not Frost Resistant
If you're looking for frost-resistant flooring, switch to porcelain tile material instead. Unfortunately, the SomerTile ceramic floors don't incorporate frost resistance, so they can't withstand freezing conditions well. This is one reason why these tiles are only made for indoor use.
Mixed Designs Don't Fit Your Preference
One case of SomerTile Archivo Ceramic contains randomly mixed tile patterns. However, not all cases contain the complete eight variations, so you might find the inconsistency a disadvantage to your flooring design. Some users had to buy another case just to get the variation they wanted. Still, this hugely depends on your personal preference.
Challenging to Install
Tile ceramic floors are harder and heavier than other types, so they can be challenging to install. If you're new to flooring applications, you might want to consider working with installation experts to do the job for you. However, that would mean adding more to your expenses.
Shopping for Flooring Tiles Made of Ceramic: What to Look For
You can find many options for white flooring tiles made of ceramic at your local home improvement stores or online marketplaces. The problem is, they might not suit the style and qualities you're looking to achieve with your vintage-themed interior. Here's what you should look for to ensure it'll be a worthy investment:
Tile Rating
The tile rating or tile grade indicates how strong the flooring type is against various flooring abuses, such as foot traffic, scratches, dents, chips, water, and temperature. Here's a quick reference on tile ratings according to PEI:
- Grade 1: Wall installations only
- Grade 2: Light foot traffic
- Grade 3: Light to moderate foot traffic
- Grade 4: Moderate to heavy foot traffic (available for all home areas)
- Grade 5: Heavy foot traffic (most reliable for home and commercial use)
Space and Flooring Size
The tile and space sizes should match each other well. Typically, the larger and more spacious the room, the bigger the tiles should be. Larger tiles are around 15 inches or greater. Meanwhile, smaller ceramic floors are more suitable in areas that require foot traction.
Flooring Grout
Do you see those gap lines between flooring tiles? They're called grouts, a thin mortar (sand, water, and cement mix) that enhances the flooring style and adds traction to your feet. Floor grout also helps reduce the risk of slipping accidents.
Price vs. Quality
Flooring tiles made of ceramic are some of the most budget-friendly options that don't compromise quality and durability. Still, don't expect them to have the same attributes as high-end products. For example, don't expect to get porcelain flooring benefits on ceramic floors.
Difficulty Level of the Installation
Flooring installation is crucial to your budget. If you pick a type of flooring and find it hard to install, you'll have to add installation costs and let flooring experts take charge. So if you don't plan on entertaining extra costs, ensure to align your installation skills with the right type of flooring.
Flooring Design
Naturally, the flooring design is significant to your plan. The color and pattern greatly influence a space's ambiance, so take that into account when choosing your flooring solution. Be clear with what you want to see, research what styles fit best, and look for them in the market.
Convenience and Maintenance
Ceramic isn't the most convenient flooring. It gets cold when the temperature is down, so consider other options if you find that aspect important to you. However, ceramic-made floors (especially glazed ones) are easier to maintain when it comes to upkeep.
Final Thoughts
The SomerTile Archivo White Ceramic Tiles is an expensive-looking option sold at a reasonable price. It brings your vintage dreams to life and is strong enough to handle moderate to heavy-duty areas in your home.
However, just like any other type of flooring, it isn't for everyone. It's not the best flooring in the market, and you might have issues with ceramic floors in general. Still, it does the job well. Suppose you're seeking a budget-friendly solution for your interior plans that incorporates a clean and antiquated theme. In that case, you can give the SomerTile Ceramic Archivo a shot.
June 20, 2022
