Ceramic Tiles For Your Floors

When you're in search of a flooring material that combines strength and durability with timeless good looks, it's hard to beat all the virtues of ceramic tile. Ceramic tile is a great flooring material that is durable and stylish and also requires very low maintenance. Ceramic tile is an appropriate choice for any floor in your home, but it's especially well suited for such areas as entryways, bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and other areas where high traffic and exposure to water and dirt might make other materials less practical. Using ceramic tiles has many advantages over other types of flooring materials.

When selecting a specific tile for your application, there are several factors that must be taken into consideration. Where is the space you plan on tiling? Does the space incur a high level of traffic or excessive wear from family or pets? Is this an area where furniture will be slid or moved on a regular basis? All these factors are key when selecting the finish or type of tile. A well laid tile floor can last for centuries, so your selection should be made carefully.

You should have a clear mind about the colors, textures, materials and patterns for your specific application. The common tiles are very much affordable. some option for tiles are natural tiles, patterned tiles, glazed tiles, mosaic tiles etc... There are four basic decisions to make when choosing ceramic tile for your floor: size, shape, color, and finish. Ceramic tile ranges in size from mosaics, which are approximately 1/4" square, to 12" x 12" squares and even larger. For floors, your best choice is typically in the 6" x 6" up to 12" x 12" sizes - the larger tiles look better on larger floor areas. Shapes include square, rectangular, diamond, hexagon, octagon, triangular, round, and others, and you can also have custom shapes made up for you. You can find floor tiles manufactured in just about any color imaginable, from white to black and every shade in between, as well as the natural hues of slate, granite, marble, and other natural stone tiles.

Ceramic tile is simply clay that's been shaped and fired to make it strong and hard. During the manufacturing process, most tile is covered with glazing material that is baked on, adding to the tile's hardness. Glazed tile is more water resistant and is easier to clean than unglazed tile, but it also tends to be more slippery when wet. For floors, your best choices are tiles that are glazed with a non-slip material, or quarry tiles, which are made from a mixture of clays and typically left unglazed.

As many people know, caring for a tile floor is different from other flooring surfaces. For one, tile typically has a very delicate finish which can be scratched by brittle bristle brushes, scouring pads or steel wool and harsh abrasive chemical agents. A solution of mild soap and water applied the surface of the tile on a regular basis is generally enough to keep your floor clean and looking its best. But from time to time, depending on the level of household traffic, it may be necessary to spruce your floor up with a few readily available treatments.