Tile
From Floor Coverings
Tile Flooring
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Tile Flooring Advantages
Tile Flooring is incredibly durable. In fact, some of the tile flooring that was installed in homes during the time of Ancient Rome are still in existence today. During the 12th century, Cistercian monks crafted beautiful Ceramic Tiles to install in the floors of churches and cathedrals and then they went out of style again. The skill and craft of creating tile flooring returned in 1843 when Herbert Minton re-introduced encaustic tiles in England. In fact, London’s Palace in Westminster was decorated with such tile flooring. Lasting for centuries is what getting your money’s worth out of an investment means.
Tile Flooring Manufacturing
The process of manufacturing tile flooring has changed a great deal over the centuries, but the strength, durability and beauty of them have not. The tiles are made from materials that come from the earth, like clay and talc. They are then refined and forced into a mold using very high pressure called “dust- pressing“. The final process serves to harden the tiles and includes firing them in a kiln or they can be hardened naturally by drying them in the air depending on the type of tile. This hardening process is what contributes towards the strength and durability that keeps tile flooring looking great even in high traffic areas. In addition to creating a beautiful glossy finish, the firing process also makes the tiles good heat conductors.
Tile Flooring Applications
Tile flooring is appropriate for virtually any room in the home, although the most popular rooms in the past have been the kitchen and bathroom. Some homes are even seeing places like the patio displaying beautiful ceramic tile flooring. These areas are great for ceramic tile flooring because they are so easy to clean should something get spilled on them. Simply wipe them up with a warm, soapy rag or mop and their beauty radiates. Water damage is not a concern for ceramic tiles like they would be for carpet, hardwood and vinyl. Mold, mildew, buckling, peeling and other types of damage might be a problem for other materials in the bathroom and kitchen, but not for ceramic tiles.
Tile Flooring Variety
Tile flooring comes in all shapes, sizes, styles, patterns and colors to match just about any home décor. The endless possibility of tile designs make it easy to decorate with style and creativity. The variety of patterns makes it easy to coordinate the tiles to match your countertops or backsplash. There are different types and thicknesses of tiles that should be used for specific needs and areas of the home each with their own set of strengths. For example, porcelain tiles are especially resistant to chipping and scratches. These can be purchased in designs that imitate the appearance of natural stone without paying the high cost of stone flooring, making it an excellent choice for the kitchen.
Types of tiles include, ceramic, cement, porcelain, quarry, saltillo, brick, pavers, mosaic, terra cotta, glazed and unglazed. The Moh Scale rating of tile flooring determines its hardness, ability to resist moisture and how well it resists wear. You can use this rating to determine which type of tile flooring is best for the particular traffic area to be covered. The hardness and wear rating places tiles in groups from 1 to 5 starting with light traffic and ending with the extra heavy traffic. The longer a tile is fired in the kiln, the harder it will be. The moisture resistant rating lists tiles as impervious (least absorbent), vitreous, semi-vitreous, and non-vitreous (most absorbent). This part of the rating is especially important if you are considering placing your tiles in the kitchen or bathroom.
With the exception of mosaic tiles that are usually 2 inch squares or smaller, most tiles are sized anywhere from 4 inches by 4 inches up to 2 feet by 2 feet squares. Thickness for tiles range from ½ inch thick up to ¾ inch thick. Other shapes are available also. Grout color may also be an important part of the selection process, because although the tiles are easy to clean, grout may not be. Choosing a colored grout may be a better choice, since it will show less dirt.
Tile Flooring Installation
The installation of tile flooring is not usually considered the easiest of home improvement projects out there, but there are many do-it-yourselfers that have done a great job. Tiles have to be cut to fit, mortar has to be applied and applications of grout complete the project. If the type of tiles that you chose needs a precision cut, this may be a bit more difficult. Tile flooring installation will require that attention be given to the sub-floor as well. Sub-floors have to be stable before tile flooring can be installed and this may mean building it up to the proper thickness.
Clay-based quarry tile has been used mostly in commercial settings in the past. However, since it is so durable and inexpensive, it is becoming more popular for use in the home. Quarry tile requires sealing for use in wet areas because it is unglazed. There is not a wide variety of colors available for quarry tile, usually earth shades of red and orange. Saltillo tile is one of those tiles that is air dried instead of kiln dried. The fact that this tile uses less energy to make qualifies it as “eco-friendly”. However, this process makes it softer and a little less durable. But air drying exposes it to the outside elements and interestingly, gives it a unique appearance. If you plan to use Saltillo indoors, you will have to apply a sealer.
