Buying Quality Tile
Orange County and surrounding areas in California are the home to many wonderful tile manufacturers, suppliers and installers. Talking to people that are involved in the tile industry will give you a very good insight into the type of tile you require. With hundreds of styles, patterns and price ranges to choose from, there are definitely tiles perfect for you. To get some idea of the varieties available please visit www.ocremodel.com.
Selecting the Correct Tile
When it comes time to buy new kitchen or bathroom tile, you should consider the following:
• Select tile that will stand up to heavy traffic, moisture, resist stains and are easy to clean.
• Small tiles have more grout to clean. The room will appear smaller.
• Large tiles make the room appear bigger, the tile does not look as busy and there is less grout to maintain.
• Take paint chips, color swatches, room plans etc with you when you shop for tile. Taking tile samples home to see them under your lighting conditions and décor is a smart idea.
• Do not put tile, sold as wall tile, on floors or other surfaces that need a heavy-duty tile.
Bathroom tiles
There are many options to consider when shopping for bathroom tiles. They come in almost unlimited shapes, textures, patterns and sizes. There is a tile to suit everyone’s taste and budget. Educating yourself on what is available and what will work well in the bathroom you are tiling is very important.
Ceramic tile is a great choice for a bathroom. They are durable, easy to clean and moisture resistant. Slip-resistant tiles are paramount for safety reasons. When getting out of the shower or bathtub, you do not want to slip and fall so keep the finish in mind. Unglazed tiles absorb stains so they are not practical in bathrooms unless you apply a sealer.
There are so many different shapes available such as:
• Square
• Octagon
• Hexagon
• Rectangles
• Diamond shaped
• Accent pieces
Kitchen Tiles
Here are some tile materials for kitchen and/or bathroom use that are very popular:
• Ceramic tiles – glazed or unglazed tile come in plain and decorated styles. There are many excellent products on the market today to seal unglazed tile very successfully.
• Quarry tiles – These are natural clay that has the water squeezed out and then they are fired.
• Porcelain tiles – They are made from minerals and fine grain clays that produce an extremely dense and hard tile. They are moisture resistant and hold up under heavy traffic while keeping their color and beauty
• Mosaics – very tiny tiles, glazed or unglazed made of ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass
• Terracotta – made of clay, usually very absorbent so a sealer is needed
There are standard industry ratings and tests that tell you which tiles resist moisture, breaking, etc. such as:
Hardness/scratch resistant – MOHS test rating system goes from one, being the softest to 10, which is the hardest. For tiles used on floors, look for a rating of 5 or higher. For extremely heavy traffic areas, you should consider seven or higher.
Wear – The Porcelain Enamel Institute or PEI has a rating system for wear resistance that goes from the lowest, being one to the highest, being 5.
• #1 – Light traffic such as bathrooms
• #2 – Medium traffic – not recommended for kitchens, entryways, stairs
• #3 – Medium/heavy traffic – suitable for any room in the house
• #4 – Heavy – suitable for all rooms in the home plus commercially
• #5 – Heavy/Plus – can be used anywhere
Water – Tiles are tested for water absorption rate.
Shading – Tiles vary in shades adding design and beauty to the product. View a few tiles together to get some idea of what the overall effect will look like.
Tiles can really add character and originality to your house, and are durable and long lasting for all aspects of remodeling.
Selecting the Correct Tile
When it comes time to buy new kitchen or bathroom tile, you should consider the following:
• Select tile that will stand up to heavy traffic, moisture, resist stains and are easy to clean.
• Small tiles have more grout to clean. The room will appear smaller.
• Large tiles make the room appear bigger, the tile does not look as busy and there is less grout to maintain.
• Take paint chips, color swatches, room plans etc with you when you shop for tile. Taking tile samples home to see them under your lighting conditions and décor is a smart idea.
• Do not put tile, sold as wall tile, on floors or other surfaces that need a heavy-duty tile.
Bathroom tiles
There are many options to consider when shopping for bathroom tiles. They come in almost unlimited shapes, textures, patterns and sizes. There is a tile to suit everyone’s taste and budget. Educating yourself on what is available and what will work well in the bathroom you are tiling is very important. Ceramic tile is a great choice for a bathroom. They are durable, easy to clean and moisture resistant. Slip-resistant tiles are paramount for safety reasons. When getting out of the shower or bathtub, you do not want to slip and fall so keep the finish in mind. Unglazed tiles absorb stains so they are not practical in bathrooms unless you apply a sealer.
There are so many different shapes available such as:
• Square
• Octagon
• Hexagon
• Rectangles
• Diamond shaped
• Accent pieces
Kitchen Tiles
Here are some tile materials for kitchen and/or bathroom use that are very popular:
• Ceramic tiles – glazed or unglazed tile come in plain and decorated styles. There are many excellent products on the market today to seal unglazed tile very successfully.• Quarry tiles – These are natural clay that has the water squeezed out and then they are fired.
• Porcelain tiles – They are made from minerals and fine grain clays that produce an extremely dense and hard tile. They are moisture resistant and hold up under heavy traffic while keeping their color and beauty
• Mosaics – very tiny tiles, glazed or unglazed made of ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass
• Terracotta – made of clay, usually very absorbent so a sealer is needed
There are standard industry ratings and tests that tell you which tiles resist moisture, breaking, etc. such as:
Hardness/scratch resistant – MOHS test rating system goes from one, being the softest to 10, which is the hardest. For tiles used on floors, look for a rating of 5 or higher. For extremely heavy traffic areas, you should consider seven or higher.
Wear – The Porcelain Enamel Institute or PEI has a rating system for wear resistance that goes from the lowest, being one to the highest, being 5.
• #1 – Light traffic such as bathrooms
• #2 – Medium traffic – not recommended for kitchens, entryways, stairs
• #3 – Medium/heavy traffic – suitable for any room in the house
• #4 – Heavy – suitable for all rooms in the home plus commercially
• #5 – Heavy/Plus – can be used anywhere
Water – Tiles are tested for water absorption rate.
Shading – Tiles vary in shades adding design and beauty to the product. View a few tiles together to get some idea of what the overall effect will look like.
Tiles can really add character and originality to your house, and are durable and long lasting for all aspects of remodeling.
