Tile Flooring

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If you’ve already renovated or gone through the kitchen remodeling process, you know how important flooring is. The choices on the market are endless but if you’ve decided on tiles for your home, here’s our buying guide.

The Benefits of Floor Tile

Ultimately, the type of floor tile you choose depends on your budget, needs, and personal preferences. This type of flooring is beneficial for home improvement because it is:

Hypoallergenic

For homeowners with allergies or asthma, tiles are a great alternative to carpets. Tile floors do not house mold, bacteria, pollen, germs, dust mites, and other allergens. They can also help you maintain the air quality of your home and are made out of little or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can compromise your health.

Durable

Compared to other flooring materials, tile can take the wear and tear of daily life. Tile is ideal for areas around your home with the most foot traffic like the kitchen or your entryways because it won’t scratch easily.

Sustainable

More often than not, tiles are made out of glass, sand, or clay. These raw materials can be combined with other recycled materials to help reduce your energy usage. Your house is kept cooler in the summer but warm in the winter for years to come because tile is baked at high temperatures to last.

Low-maintenance

Another advantage you gain from investing in this type of flooring is that it is easy to clean and does not require as much care as other materials. By nature, tile is resistant to dirt, strong odors, spills, and stains so you will not need to use harsh chemicals or cleaners to clean your floors.

Aesthetic

Tile is praised for its versatility and ability to complement different interior design styles. You can choose a type of tile that compliments the furniture around your living room, the pink accents in the bathrooms, or the subway tile you’ve picked out as a backsplash. Certain tiles can give your home a vintage feel while others keep your space updated with the latest trends.

Cost-effective

When you shop for tile, you will not need to replace it any time soon. Generally, tile flooring is more affordable than other materials and you get more bang for your buck because of how durable tiles are.

Valuable

For homeowners looking to put their house on the market or rent it out, tile can increase the value of your home. The right type of tile can transform a space and make your home worth more money.

Choosing Floor Tile

Now that you’ve decided to push through with tile flooring, here are the different factors you have to take into consideration when narrowing down what will best suit your home.

Color

When it comes to color, tile comes in light and dark shades of pretty much every color you can think of. Mix and match white and gray with mosaic tiles or stick to one color for your entire floor. You can also choose a color that compliments your countertops or the detailing on your walls.

Material

We recommend the following when you shop for tile:

Ceramic Tile

ceramic is suitable for every room and style because they come in different shapes, styles, and patterns. Feel free to install ceramic in the kitchen, bathroom, or other high-traffic areas around the house. Ceramic is easy to clean, install, and can be budget-friendly.

Porcelain Tile

when you shop for floor tile, porcelain is just as popular as ceramic. Porcelain tile can mimic the texture of natural stone or wood but offer you durability. When you purchase porcelain tile, you will have a floor that can stand extreme changes in temperature without cracking or fading.

Glass Tile

unlike natural stone, this type of floor is stain resistant and will complete your minimalist or modern interior. Per square foot, this is a costly option and is usually used as wall tile in the shower or backsplash. However, if you plan to use this type of tile, use it in low-traffic areas.

Marble Tile

if you’re looking for elegance, marble is the material for you. This type of floor will need a sealer before it is installed so use this inside the house. With the natural veining of marble, you’ll never have two tiles that are the same. This is an expensive option but it is durable and beautiful.

Mosaic Tile

: mosaic is a popular wall tile choice but these squares can be used as flooring in kitchens and bathrooms. Compared to porcelain and ceramic tile, mosaic is smaller and easier to install in small spaces. The most popular way to use mosaic is to use them as accent pieces and let the rest of the flooring be one type of tile.

Travertine Tile

travertine is an eco-friendly tile that is on the pricier side but is easy to repair and can last years. If you’re inspired by the ancient Roman style, you can use travertine as a wall tile or in low-traffic areas around the house.

Granite Tile

this stone surface is aesthetic and perfect for busy households. There’s a spectrum of colors to choose from and scratches or acid does not affect the surface after it has been polished.

Quarry Tile

this type of tile was widely used in traditional flooring. If that’s your style, the burnt clay can last decades inside and outside of your home.

Terrazzo Tile

while used in public buildings, this is also a popular choice for home use. This tile is a combination of marble, glass, granite, or quartz and is slippery by nature so you should inquire about the services your contractor offers to make the floors non-slip.

Shape

When you shop for tile or are looking through the latest magazines for ideas and inspiration, you may have noticed that the tile shape can really tie a room together. Feel free to choose from the following shapes:

Diamond
Plank
Subway Tile
Square
Hexagon
Octagon
Conche

Size

Depending on your personal style and the overall feel of your space, you will need to shop for certain tile sizes. Large tiles mean you will have fewer grout lines and your space will look bigger. You should use tiles smaller than 18 inches in a small room or grout a similar color to your tile. Small tiles are often used to add texture and compliment visible grout lines around your house. Small tiles can also be used as a border around large ones to create a cozy space.

FAQs for Tile Flooring

What are the disadvantages of tile flooring?

Installation time can be a disadvantage when you choose tile flooring. Compared to other materials, tile can be cold, hard, and heavy. Additionally, you will need to seal your floors.

How long do tile floors last?

Low-quality tile and amateur installation mean that your floors will last 20 years. With proper care, high-quality tiles, and professional installation services, this type of flooring can last anywhere from 30 to 50 years.

Is it expensive to tile floors?

Depending on the class, material, size of your space, size of your tile, and whether the installation will take place indoors or outdoors, prices range from $1000 to $5000 while installation can range from $800 to $3000.