Tiles – no matter how small they may be – may have the potential to simply change the aesthetic appeal or mood of a home space or room just based on its feel, and look. Choosing floor tiles for your home is vital because there are numerous factors to consider. If you are a new Bria homeowner, a DIY-er, or if you wanted to do a room makeover or a room renovation, here are some pointers to assist you in selecting the best floor tiles for your home.
Read also: Home Flooring Guide: Marbles or Tiles?
5 Main Types of Tiles for Flooring
1. Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is a multipurpose and popular choice for tile in home improvement projects because it is useful for a wide variety of applications. Not to mention its affordability and durability apt for any room at home.
2. Porcelain Tile
Porcelain tiles are more durable (and often more expensive) than their red clay ceramic counterparts. They are not as easy and friendly to use as DIY at home, it would need experts and professionals when installing this type of tile.
3. Glass Tile
Glass tiles have the highest stain resistance of any tile, even to red wine or acidic lemon juice.
4. Marble Tile
Marble, often considered one of the more expensive natural stone tile materials, is a sophisticated choice. It exudes class and style that is difficult to replicate with other materials.
5. Granite Tile
Harder and more expensive than marble. It is evidently more durable because it is somewhat safe from chips and cracks. It is waterproof and does not absorb any moisture or stain.
How to Choose the Right Type of Tile for the Flooring of Your Home?
1. Know the purpose of your tile.
Using tiles in your home space adds aesthetics. It also bears some other benefits. With tiles, it is easier to clean the space. You can simply use a broom or mop the floor wiping it with soap and water. Tiles can make you safe from falling or slipping, depending on the type of tile. Determine whether you use the tiles for the wall, for the floors, or both. Will it be for your bathroom, kitchen, garden, or bedroom? It would be up to you it would be up to your style.
2. Stick to the theme, style, or peg.
Before anything else, you should know the style or peg of your home. Do you wish to follow a pattern? Is there part of the home space you wish to emphasize? You may check out different lifestyle magazines and websites to check out the pegs of the style of your home. Your chosen tile should be matched and consistent with the theme, style, and peg of your home.
3. Work within your budget
Are you working within a budget? It pays to be practical, do not just be dependent on the style and peg, and do not limit yourself to the aesthetics. Check if your wants are within the budget too. TIP: Include in your estimated tile expense, an add up to 10% wastage expense, just in case.
4. Pick on the tile durability based on the purpose of the space
It is not all about just the aesthetics. Make sure that you are choosing the right durability of the tile for your home depending on the purpose of the room. Indeed, there are different floor tiles and you must choose the one that has the most quality and that suits your home style and peg. Tiles are known for their durability and hardness properties, and these tiles are not all the same.
For ceramic or porcelain tiles, a rating scale has been determined by the Porcelain-Enamel Institute. They call it the PEI Scale to help you determine the right type of tiles for you:
- PEI 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.
Whether it is the least resistant (Class 1) and (Class 5) being most resistant to scratch. Usually, Class 2 or higher are used for light residential use. Hardware / Tile stores usually indicate the durability level of the tile.
5. Choose A Size and Scale
Usually, the tile size is dependent on the room size. It should be proportional and scalable according to your peg. You would see the pattern created when you have at least 3 pieces or 1 set of the same size across the floor. Make sure that there is minimum wastage during the installation. TIP: pick large-sized tiles for the living room, dining room, and bedroom; it suggests that the space is bigger; smaller ones for the kitchen, and bathroom.
6. Colors
The color of your tiles makes or breaks the mood of your room. Aesthetically, it should be aligned with the room peg and style. But for a general rule, lighter colors make your space larger though they may seem to be harder to clean. Meanwhile darker ones add warmth and hide dirt well and they add some drama to your space. Using neutral colors makes you more flexible with your decorations and furniture pieces. It would be more pleasing if the grout would match your tiles especially if you wish to have a seamless effect.
7. Textures and patterns
In spaces prone to moisture, it is recommended to use textured or matte finish tiles. Shiny and smooth tiles are best suited for the bathroom walls. There are gloss finish tiles that can reflect a lot of light and that illuminates a room making it appear bigger, also, they tend to get easily wet.
8. Choose a Grout
There are stain-proof grouts for those tiles that are hard to keep clean. To minimize grout lines, it is recommended to use a grout that matches the tile. In effect, this will make the look clean and cohesive. Should you wish to have a different aesthetic, then use contrasting or complementing colors to make the tiles unique and stand out. You may use a high-quality grout and sealant that requires little effort.
9. Maintenance
Home sweet and clean home! Nothing beats a clean Bria home! It is important to keep the home space clean, especially now that everybody’s conscious and wary of the different viruses. Consider how easy it is to clean the tiles. Regular sweeping, dust mopping, and vacuuming are recommended to remove dirt and stains on the floor tiles. Simple soap and water or mild cleaning solutions may be used to further sanitize the home space.
Finding the perfect tile for the flooring your home is not as easy since you have to consider a lot of things. The right floor tile in your home space brings the different elements of the room together and affects the room’s accent and mood. This would even make you enjoy your own perfect Bria home.
Written by Ruby Baclid
