All You Need To Know About Home Tiling
Tiles for both commercial and residential application come in a variety of types and they offer an environmental-friendly and cost-effective flooring choice. Tiles are manufactured from natural clay and other recycled materials in other cases. There is no need for the use of harmful substances that are used to make other types of flooring or heavy chemicals during the manufacture of tiles. No trees have to be cut down when flooring with tile as with hardwood floors and the best part of it all is that tiles have a long life span and they are very durable.
Ceramic tiles
This type of tile is the most popular kind used in homes, stores and offices and it comes in two categories: unglazed and glazed. Ceramic tiles are manufactured from clay after which they are heated. After the clay tile has been fired, the glaze is then added and this, in turn, creates the color of the tile. The process of glazing is responsible for the development of infinite color combinations of the tile.
Quarry tile
This type of tile is unglazed ceramic tile and is a cheaper, natural and durable option for residential, commercial and industrial applications of tile. It is used more often in industrial settings seeing as it is so durable and it can also be used outdoors. One great quality of quarry tile is that it is less inclined to getting scratches and chips. In climates that are colder quarry tile grades that are used are freeze-resistant so as to prevent problems related to weather. Quarry is porous like almost all types of tile meaning it can become stained. If you opt to install quarry in a kitchen, then a wax finish or a glaze-like seal must be applied to prevent staining and other damages. Quarry does not have lots of color selections like the other types of tile, but they come in several shades gray, brown, orange, red and more. It is used in residential applications for pathways and kitchens because of its naturally coarse meaning it’s less slippery when wet than other surfaces.
Porcelain
This is a type of ceramic tile, but the difference between it and ceramic is that porcelain is fired at higher temperatures making it moisture-resistant and denser. Porcelain tiles are also more stain-resistant seeing as they are less porous and this is why most of them are suitable for both outdoor and indoor installations. They are difficult to cut on account of their hardness and density, therefore, labor and costs involved are higher. Porcelain tiles can be found in a high-polished, unglazed or a matte finish.
Tile mosaics
These types allow for more creativity with your design and are more often used for smaller areas like a kitchen or kitchen backsplash or even small areas of the counter space. Mosaic tiles are normally less than 6 sq. inches and are made of clay or porcelain composition. Most of them come in hexagons, octagons, squares and other unique shapes. They can also be found in fabric mesh sheets or pre-mounted paper.
Marble tiles
Marble is a natural stone whose versatility has been used in homes for centuries to achieve a unique and luxurious look. Given its natural quality, each of the tiles come in a variety of colors. Most homeowners like this because it gives off a unique design while others just prefer the consistency that ceramic tile has to offer in terms of design. Given that marble is porous it has to be sealed just like all other kinds of tile.
Natural Stone Tile
These are made from natural materials which have been quarried, made into slabs, finished and cut to size. Typical stone types used as flooring tile comprises of slate, limestone (travertine included), marble and granite. There are thousands of varieties of these types of natural stone with characteristics that depend on when the stone was quarried and where it was done so.
- Granite is a kind of igneous rock which is very hard and dense and its unique appearance is because of speckled minerals that are found within the rock, the varied selection of colors available and its unique veining. It is a nearly impervious rock and once polished it is able to resist scratching. It is an excellent flooring choice for kitchens and areas with high-traffic.
- Marble is a metamorphic rock with lots of veining and a variety of available colors. It’s more porous compared to granite and isn’t recommended for flooring in kitchens unless it will be regularly honed and sealed.
- Limestone offers an earthy look in terms of both dark and light shades of the stone. Its surface can either be polished smooth or textured. It is less dense than marble and granite and can be stained easily not to mention it is prone to scratching. It is not the best choice for high-traffic areas or kitchen flooring.
- Travertine is a kind of limestone offering an earthy tone with an unusual crystallized appearance. It’s soft and porous with a natural surface that has divots or pitting. After filling the voids in the surface, a polished or honed surface can be achieved. It is not recommended for kitchen floors because it can be easily stained and scratched, therefore surface sealing in addition to special care is needed to maintain it.
- Slate is very durable and extremely dense. It can be gotten in very dark earth tones and its surface is textured naturally unless a honed, smooth finish is achieved. It is excellent for areas with high-traffic and kitchen flooring.
All You Need To Know About Home Tiling
Tiles
for both commercial and residential application come in a variety of types and
they offer an environmental-friendly and cost-effective flooring choice. Tiles
are manufactured from natural clay and other recycled materials in other cases.
There is no need for the use of harmful substances that are used to make other
types of flooring or heavy chemicals during the manufacture of tiles. No trees
have to be cut down when flooring with tile as with hardwood floors and the
best part of it all is that tiles have a long life span and they are very
durable.
Ceramic tiles
This
type of tile is the most popular kind used in homes, stores and offices and it
comes in two categories: unglazed and glazed. Ceramic tiles are manufactured
from clay after which they are heated. After the clay tile has been fired, the
glaze is then added and this, in turn, creates the color of the tile. The
process of glazing is responsible for the development of infinite color
combinations of the tile.
Quarry tile
This
type of tile is unglazed ceramic tile and is a cheaper, natural and durable
option for residential, commercial and industrial applications of tile. It is
used more often in industrial settings seeing as it is so durable and it can
also be used outdoors. One great quality of quarry tile is that it is less
inclined to getting scratches and chips. In climates that are colder quarry
tile grades that are used are freeze-resistant so as to prevent problems
related to weather. Quarry is porous like almost all types of tile meaning it
can become stained. If you opt to install quarry in a kitchen, then a wax
finish or a glaze-like seal must be applied to prevent staining and other
damages. Quarry does not have lots of color selections like the other types of
tile, but they come in several shades gray, brown, orange, red and more. It is
used in residential applications for pathways and kitchens because of its
naturally coarse meaning it’s less slippery when wet than other surfaces.
Porcelain
This
is a type of ceramic tile, but the difference between it and ceramic is that
porcelain is fired at higher temperatures making it moisture-resistant and
denser. Porcelain tiles are also more stain-resistant seeing as they are less
porous and this is why most of them are suitable for both outdoor and indoor
installations. They are difficult to cut on account of their hardness and
density, therefore, labor and costs involved are higher. Porcelain tiles can be
found in a high-polished, unglazed or a matte finish.
Tile mosaics
These
types allow for more creativity with your design and are more often used for
smaller areas like a kitchen or kitchen backsplash or even small areas of the
counter space. Mosaic tiles are normally less than 6 sq. inches and are made of
clay or porcelain composition. Most of them come in hexagons, octagons, squares
and other unique shapes. They can also be found in fabric mesh sheets or
pre-mounted paper.
Marble tiles
Marble
is a natural stone whose versatility has been used in homes for centuries to
achieve a unique and luxurious look. Given its natural quality, each of the
tiles come in a variety of colors. Most homeowners like this because it gives
off a unique design while others just prefer the consistency that ceramic tile
has to offer in terms of design. Given that marble is porous it has to be
sealed just like all other kinds of tile.
Natural Stone Tile
These
are made from natural materials which have been quarried, made into slabs,
finished and cut to size. Typical stone types used as flooring tile comprises
of slate, limestone (travertine included), marble and granite. There are
thousands of varieties of these types of natural stone with characteristics
that depend on when the stone was quarried and where it was done so.
-
Granite is a kind of igneous rock which is
very hard and dense and its unique appearance is because of speckled minerals
that are found within the rock, the varied selection of colors available and
its unique veining. It is a nearly impervious rock and once polished it is able
to resist scratching. It is an excellent flooring choice for kitchens and areas
with high-traffic.
-
Marble is a metamorphic rock with lots of
veining and a variety of available colors. It’s more porous compared to granite
and isn’t recommended for flooring in kitchens unless it will be regularly
honed and sealed.
-
Limestone offers an earthy look in terms of
both dark and light shades of the stone. Its surface can either be polished
smooth or textured. It is less dense than marble and granite and can be stained
easily not to mention it is prone to scratching. It is not the best choice for
high-traffic areas or kitchen flooring.
-
Travertine is a kind of limestone offering an
earthy tone with an unusual crystallized appearance. It’s soft and porous with
a natural surface that has divots or pitting. After filling the voids in the
surface, a polished or honed surface can be achieved. It is not recommended for
kitchen floors because it can be easily stained and scratched, therefore
surface sealing in addition to special care is needed to maintain it.
-
Slate is very durable and extremely dense. It
can be gotten in very dark earth tones and its surface is textured naturally
unless a honed, smooth finish is achieved. It is excellent for areas with
high-traffic and kitchen flooring.