Planning A Ceramic Tile Purchase

How many kinds of tile are there to choose from?

Too many to list. What you need to know is that tile is essentially categorized as ceramic tile, porcelain tile and stone.

Stone is just that. Natural stone cut precisely into near-perfect shapes for a tailored installation. Various stones are used for flooring and decorative purposes, most popularly marble, granite, travertine, limestone and slate.

Ceramic tile is a man-made product produced from natural materials like clay and fired at high temperatures. Most ceramic tiles feature a durable glass-like glaze surface which comprises the color and design layer.

Porcelain tile is a form of ceramic tile, only materials are fired at higher temperatures, which means they are more dense, fine-grained, rugged and stable and can be used in more applications, including outdoors and in harsher environments like extreme heat and freezing cold. Full- or through-body porcelain tiles are the same color and design throughout the body of the tile; helpful to know is that dings and scratches won’t be so evident.

Where can I use tile?

Tile can be used on just about any surface; floors, walls, countertops, furniture, etc. But it is critical to know that all tile is not the same. A tile made for walls likely will not meet performance standards for flooring. Ask one of our professionals to match the right tile to your lifestyle and fashion needs.

What do to I need to know about tile maintenance?

That depends on the tile. Generally, maintenance and cleaning are rather easy – a damp cloth or mop or gentle cleaner. It’s important to keep grit off glazed tile. Walk-off mats or area rugs help. Stone, specifically, may need sealing periodically. The fact that some Roman tile now over 2,000 years old is still in place and performing well should say a lot about tile’s durability for floors, walls, spas and counters.

What size do I need?

Tile sizes range from mosaics of about an inch up to 24 inches or more. The size and shape you need (there are about as many shapes of tile as there are geometric shapes!) depend on a couple of things….think scope and design. Today, designers say the trend is to use large-scale tiles in large spaces. The sizes, shapes, colors and number of tiles together with the width and number of grout lines (the latter being a function of the size and number of tiles you select) affect the overall look and texture of a room.

Depending on your design scheme, you can select from tiles that create a design or tiles with a design on them. Fortunately, there is a tile size and shape, color and fashion for every taste and any design you can imagine.