Believe it or not, you can’t just put any tile in any room. There are loads of factors to take into account when choosing a specific tile for a room. Design, durability, usage and placement, are just some of the considerations when selecting the perfect tile. Just because they look good in the store, doesn’t mean they’ll suit your needs. The last thing any DIY tiling enthusiast needs is to buy a load of expensive tile, only to find it chip or crack after a week of use. Let’s take a look at the types of tile and which rooms they’re most suited to.
Ceramic
Ceramic tile is the easiest tile to work with in just about any room in the house. It’s durable thanks to its moulding process and composition – primarily clay – and comes in both glazed and unglazed forms. Glazing gives the ceramic tile a more decorative edge which is great for kitchen floors or walls. It’s possible to get a textured tile or non-slip coating for areas which get wet a lot. Bathrooms, for instance, will see a lot of water, and a textured tile will work for preventing slips and spills.
While ceramic tiles are great for walls as well as floors, you might want to try something more decorative like porcelains and glass. Play around with your sizes in the kitchen and bathrooms, but for floors 12x12 is the general rule of thumb. In short, ceramic tile is suitable for the: kitchen, bathroom, entrance hall, mud room and passages.
Porcelain
Porcelain is another variety of ceramic tile, but has lower absorbency and contains a type of crystal called feldspar, as well as other chemicals such a silica and colouring oxides. As with ceramic tiles, there are glazed and non-glazed versions available, and while these are durable and decorative, they do cost quite a lot and will take a lot more time and effort to install. With the tendency towards natural stain resistance thrown into the mix, this tile is great for kitchen floors. Glazed tiles won’t absorb water well, and will probably provide a hazard in bathrooms.
Use that porcelain tile in the: kitchen, entrance hall and passages – dependent on the amount of water you’re going to see in those areas.
Stone Tiles
Stone tiles are made from exactly that: quarried stone. Granted that means there are a variety of different types of stone tile available. These include marble, granite, limestone, slate and travertine. Most of these wouldn’t do well in the kitchen, because they require high levels on maintenance and won’t stand up to the sheer amount of use they’ll get. The two exceptions to this rule are granite and slate, which are perfect for areas with high traffic, like the kitchen.
Use stone tiles like limestone, travertine and marble in the: entrance hall and passages – or areas with low use.
Use stone tiles like slate and granite in the: kitchen, entrance hall and passages – or areas with high use. They’re durable and strong tiles.
Glass
Most of the tiles discussed above are suitable for walls and floors (with some exceptions in the stone tile section) but glass tiles shouldn’t be used on floors. The backsplash in the kitchen, or the shower wall, is the perfect place to use glass tiles and create a decorative effect. These are used primarily in areas that won’t see a lot of use, and can be cut quite small and even turned into a mosaic for an design touch. Both glazed and non-glazed glass tiles are available, and your aesthetic needs should govern your choice here.
Use glass tiles in the: kitchen or bathroom for backsplashes and walls – never for floors!
And there you have it! A few tile choices and where to put them. If you’re keen on installing these yourself, you might want to check out a few DIY courses to start you off in the right direction.