Ceramic tile offers unlimited decorating possibilities
With today's technology advancements, many new tile designs and tile applications are available for both homeowners and commercial facilities. If you have never used ceramic tile before or it has been a long time since you have done so, you will be amazed at the wide selection of colors, sizes, shapes and new textures that are now available.
Ceramic tile is a natural product made up of clay, a number of other naturally-occurring minerals and water. Ceramic tile comes in both glazed and unglazed tiles. Glazed ceramic tile has a ceramic coating applied to the tile body which gives the tile its color and finish. Ceramic tile is a popular choice for your interior floors and walls and offers unlimited decorating possibilities.
Some characteristics of glazed ceramic tile are:
- Durable - a properly installed ceramic tile will outperform and outlast nearly any other floor covering product created for the same application.
- Easy Care - glazed ceramic tile resists stains, odors, and dirt and can be cleaned up with a damp mop or sponge or common household cleaners such as Mr. Clean, Top Job or Spic and Span.
- Scratch resistant - Grade III and Grade IV glazed ceramic tiles are extremely resistant to scratching and you never have to worry about a cut or tear like you do with some other types of floors.
- Environmentally friendly - ceramic tile is manufactured using natural materials and does not retain odors, allergens, or bacteria.
- Beautiful and Versatile - modern ceramic manufacturing technology has created virtually an unlimited number of colors, sizes, styles, shapes, and textures that will add rich beauty and character to any room decor.
- Fire Resistant - ceramic tile doesn't burn nor emit toxic fumes. A lighted cigarette, when dropped on the floor, even if allowed to sit, will not do any damage to ceramic tile. Even hot kitchen pans or skillets will not scorch or melt the surface of glazed ceramic tile.
- Water Resistant - most glazed ceramic tile has a dense body that permits little or no accumulation of moisture. This means spills from common liquids found in a kitchen are not a big concern.
Some of the other important things to consider when selecting a ceramic tile are:
- Slip-resistance of ceramic tile
- Size of tile compared to the overall room size
- Width and color of the grout joints
- Thickness of the tile
- Height variations of the floors between adjoining rooms
- Suitability of the sub floor for ceramic tile
- Cleanability of the ceramic tile
Choosing The Right Tile
Choosing Tile
Choosing your ceramic tile might be the hardest part of a tile project. There are literally thousands of colors, sizes, styles, shapes and grades to choose from.
The trend in ceramic tile used to be to stay as neutral as possible. In fact, most of the tiles sold for home use white, almond or gray. Nowadays, white and almond are still the most common, but people are experimenting more with color. Colors are getting warmer and brighter, as well as clearer and cleaner.
Tile Sizes and Shapes
As far as size goes, the most popular tile sold is still the 4-1/4" square wall tile. However, the current trend is towards larger tiles, like 12x12s and even 18 x18s. It's tough for a do-it-yourselfer to install anything bigger than this because the underlayment has to be absolutely even and level.
Small one inch tiles are also common. These are called mosaic tile because you can mix different colors to create borders, patterns, and even pictures. These are usually joined together in 12"x12" or 12"x24" sheets to make them easier and quicker to set. You can even have custom patterns made.
Tile Types
The material that's used to make tile and the methods of manufacturing determine its durability and absorption. It's important to know what tile is best suited for your specific situation.
Most ceramic tile is glazed. Glazed tile is made from a mixture of clays that are pressed into shape. A "glaze" is then applied to the top and baked on. Glazed tiles are available in high-gloss, matte, and abrasive slip-resistant finishes. Glazed tiles also come in decorative styles with a pattern or hand-painted design. The glaze on the tile doesn't go all the way through, so if it gets chipped, you're going to see the color inside. Glazed tiles may tend to get scratched on frequently-used countertops, but they're ideal for walls.
Mosaic tile is made from different types of clay with color pigments added so the color goes all the way through the tile. Mosaics are suitable for almost any surface because they resist moisture, are stain-proof and will not chip easily.
Quarry tile is a broad classification for any tile made out of a mixture of clays. They are usually deep red in color and left unglazed. These tiles are used mostly for interior floors because they're usually porous and irregular in shape. The surface of these tiles can be sealed or left unsealed, although, they may stain if left unsealed.
Another hot trend is natural materials such as slate, marble, granite, and limestone cut into thin pieces and installed like tile.
Trim Tiles
Most lines of tile have special tiles for creating borders and accents. They should also have tile for finishing corners and edges. These will give your project a professional look.
You can get really fancy with your tile layout. One way is to use trim tiles for an accent strip in your design. These come in many different varieties.
Glazed tile that is used in the field will only have glaze on the top surface. This is so they can butt up to other field tile. Special tiles will be rounded at the edges to finish off the field tile.
Bullnose is a term used to describe rounded-edge tile. A single-edged bullnose tile is used to finish off the top of a wall, like a bathtub surround, or the edge of a countertop.
A double-out bullnose has two rounded edges for finishing off the corner of a tile section.
Edge tile is used for around the overhang of a countertop.
If your line of tile doesn't come with an edge tile, you can substitute it with a bullnose tile on top and a regular field tile at the edge.
When installing wall tile, you usually want to finish off the bottom row with special base tiles. These are flared at the bottom and make a nice transition to the floor. The top of the base is square to butt up to regular field tile. There is also a tile called a "sanitary base". which has a finished top. These are used in areas where there won't be wall tile.
Tile RatingPEI Class 1 Rating (No foot traffic) - Recommended for wall use only in residential and commercial applications.
PEI Class 2 Rating (Light traffic) - Recommended for both wall use and bathroom floor applications.
PEI Class 3 Rating (Light to moderate traffic)- Recommended for countertops, walls, and floors where normal foot traffic is expected.
PEI Class 4 Rating (Moderate to heavy traffic) - Recommended for all residential applications as well as medium commercial and light institutional.
PEI Class 5 Rating (Heavy to extra heavy traffic) - Recommended for all residential as well as heavy commercial and institutional applications.
What tile to use for:
Kitchen floor?
Either porcelain or ceramic, but porcelain will resist chipping and hard wear better.
Kitchen backsplash?
Just about anything. A backsplash is actually a really easy application for tile or stone, so it's mainly an aesthetic decision.
Shower wall?
Again, just about anything. Ceramic and porcelain tile are water resistant by their nature, so shower wall use is an easy application.
Shower floor?
For this, we recommend a small tile, usually no more than 2x2, although a tile as large as 4x4 may work if it has rounded corners and edges. Shower floor tile needs to be small enough to slope smoothly to the drain. Also, the large number of grout joints with small tile aids traction when the floor is wet.
Bathroom floor?
Most any floor tile will work, as this is an easy application for tile. Water resistance is not an issue, although slip resistance may be a concern when the floor is wet.
Entry hall?
We generally recommend porcelain floor tile for more heavily traveled areas in the home. Porcelain will resist heavy wear and chipping better than ceramic tile.
Basement floor?
This usually depends on the type of use expected in the basement. For lighter use basements, ceramic floors will hold up fine; heavier uses may require porcelain. Both types are highly resistant to water, making them ideal if the basement is prone to flooding.
Fireplace surround & hearth?
Most anything will work, especially on the wall.
Sunroom?
The same rules apply as for the basement. The only additional consideration is if the room will be open in winter. If the tile gets wet and freezes, we recommend porcelain to resist the stress of freezing and thawing.
What tile can I use outside?
Exterior applications in our climate require a frostproof tile, which for all practical purposes means a porcelain tile. Additionally, we suggest using a tile with a slip resistant texture. Slip resistance is a subjective thing; there are no real standards for it in residential tile, although there are standards for commercial use. We suggest the customer test some samples at home if they're concerned about this.
What tile can I use for a commercial building floor?
Commercial use generally requires heavier wearing, chip resistant tile. Most glazed and all unglazed porcelains are ideal for this.