Ceramic Tile Choices

Your style is in essence, that sense of the “right” design and color with all your decorating
decisions. It is reflected wall to wall throughout your home.

It is reflected in your choice of furniture, your choice of art, cabinetry, and more. Your style
expresses itself from room to room, indoors and out.

You should also use that unique sense when choosing ceramic tile.

Floor coverings can often make, or break the overall feel of your home. Following are the three
types of tiles available today.

The basic 3:

There are 3 types of ceramic tile: glazed, unglazed and porcelain. Understand them and you’re
miles ahead.

Glazed

Glazed tiles are coated with glass-forming minerals and ceramic stains. They can offer better stain and moisture resistance than unglazed tile.

Unglazed ceramic tiles

Unglazed tiles are more hard and dense. They come with various surface treatments and textures.
These are more popular for outside your home.

Porcelain tiles

Porcelain tiles fall in the ceramic tile category and are the hardest and densest tiles available.

Size matters.

Ceramic tile is manufactured in sizes ranging from 1/4 inch to twenty-four inches square, and
all shapes and sizes in between. Ceramic tile is normally boxed and priced by the square foot,
regardless of the size of the individual tile itself.

Be aware that tile size is relative. Tile is usually referred to by its nominal size, not its actual size.

During the firing process, tiles can shrink, on average, by about 10% in size. For example a 12”
by 12” tile may actually measure 11-1/2 inches square.

Larger tiles are growing in popularity. It is not uncommon to see 16×16, 18×18 and 20×20 tiles
for use in your home.

Currently, the most popular ceramic floor tile are the larger sized tiles such as 13” by 13”, 16” by 16” and 18” by 18” sizes.

Consider your room size.

When considering what size tile would be appropriate for your given space, start by determining
the size of the room.

People often think that small rooms call for small tile. That is not necessarily true. In fact,
incorporating a larger size tile in a smaller room will visually increase the size of the space. And fewer grout lines will help create more continuous surface appearance. The choice is yours.

On the other hand, using a tile size that’s too small will create more grout joints that may make
the floor look too busy.

Scale can play an important role in creating a room’s overall balance. So, please consider it
carefully to achieve your desired look.

Tile versus stone.

The look of natural stone is very popular, but some consumers prefer ceramic tile over stone, due
to price and maintenance considerations.

Ceramic and porcelain manufacturers have created tiles that offer textures, colors and patterns
resembling natural stone products, at a much cheaper price. They feature heavy textures, chiseled
and hammered edges, and tumbled stone looks.

Slate, travertine and marble are some of the most sought after looks in ceramic and porcelain
tiles.

Ceramic tile texture is related to its style. So feel free to feel! The feel of a tumbled stone or slate looking ceramic tile will be irregular and somewhat rough.

A tile simulating marble or granite will have a very smooth, polished feel. Textures also vary in
their degree of shine, ranging from dull, semi-gloss, to glass-like.

Of the most sought-after looks in ceramic and porcelain tile, slate, travertine and marble are just a few.

Porcelain tile for the outdoors.

Porcelain tile is a versatile product, with many styles designed for today’s popular outdoor living areas.

Outdoor tile typically features non-skid finishes, designed for safety when wet, sometimes
installed on patios, walkways, or around pools.

Another important characteristic of tile designed for outdoor applications is its resistance to frost.

It’s a cold, hard fact, tile manufactured for outdoor use has a very low water absorption rating,
minimizing the cracking, chipping and other effects of expansion when the temperature falls
below freezing.

Tile is the king of customization.

In addition to your normal basic ceramic tile, manufacturers also offer decorative inserts,
medallions and mosaics that are used to create intricate patterns and beautiful borders.

Tile size 2”x2” and smaller are usually referred to as mosaics and are often used with different
colors to create a pattern or decorative inset. Glass mosaics tiles are very popular today.

Some of these tiles also come in different shapes, such as hexagon, circles, rectangles and many more. Your choices are almost infinite.

With a little imagination, even the simplest design appears customized.

When creating a pattern with different tiles, you should know that the more prominent tile that is
throughout the largest areas is called the “field tile”.

Combining styles and patterns of ceramic tile flooring with countertop and wall products can
also create beautiful designs, and give your room an aesthetic balance.

Floor and wall tiles may be designed to look similar, but floor tiles are generally thicker and are textured to make them safer to walk on.

Wall tile styles are usually designed to have higher gloss levels, and are manufactured in smaller
sizes.br>

Grout impacts the overall look.

Grout is a type of cement that is used to fill the space and provide support in tile joints.

There are two types of grout commonly used in home installations; Portland cement based, and
epoxy based.

Both of these grout compounds may have sand added to provide additional strength to the tile
joint.

Sanded

grout is recommended for tile joints 1/8th of an inch and larger.

Unsanded

grout is an option used in joints that are smaller than 1/8th of an inch.

Grout can be pigmented to give a nearly infinite range of colors, shades and hues. Pigment is
added to the cement at the job site when the grout is mixed.

Grout color and thickness will change the appearance of the floor and room dramatically.

Using a white or a light colored grout highlights the color in tile. Choosing a dark grout with a
light tile, or light grout with a dark tile, will emphasize the geometric pattern of your layout. So be wise and plan accordingly.

Those are the basics regarding ceramic tile types and applications.

We hope this helps you determine a style to match the pattern of life in your home and underlines the fact that, while there are many styles of ceramic tile flooring, the right one can help make your home.