Different Types of Wall Tiles For Your Home


If you’re planning on redecorating your home with tiles it’s important to know which tiles you should buy. There are several different materials that are used to make tiles.

Choosing the right one for the right area will help in making them last much longer. The material and the way that the tiles are manufactured will go a long ways in determining the durability and the amount of liquids and stains that the tiles will absorb.

Tiles are a great way to borders to a plain wall to make it stand out. They’re also great for protecting walls from water behind and around sinks in both the kitchen and the bathroom.

The most popular size of tile is 4 1/4″ square, these are used mostly on walls in bathrooms and kitchens. The next larger sizes are 8X8, 10X10 and 12X12, these sizes are growing more popular for home use.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tiles are made of a mixture of different clays and baked in high temperature kilns. A glazing is applied to the tiles before they’re baked to give them their shine and add durability.

The glaze is only applied to the top surface of the tile and can be easily chipped if it is hit with something hard, or if something is dropped onto the tiles. They are also very easily scratched and are better suited for walls than counter tops or floors.

Quarry Tile

Just like ceramic tiles, quarry tiles are made from mixing clays and baking the tiles. However, quarry tiles are normally used for interior floors. They’re almost always a deep red color and glaze isn’t applied to quarry tiles.

Quarry tiles have irregular shapes and are generally fairly porous. If you decide to use them on a floor, you should seal them to prevent them from soaking up stains. You can use a clear sealer or find a colored tinted sealer that will match.

Mosaic Tile

Mosaic tiles are also made from different types of clays, mixed together and then baked. However, mosaic’s have color pigments added to the clays that are blended in and go all the way through the tiles.

Mosaic’s are harder than most regular tiles and are well suited for floors or walls. They’re not as easily chipped as ceramic tiles, will resist moisture and are also highly stain resistant.

These tiles are actually only one inch square, but usually come pre-joined on sheets that are at least 12X12 to make installing them easier and faster.

Crafters and hobbyists have used mosaic tiles to make pictures, decorate picture frames and other crafts for years. They’re even used to cover table tops for a unique, durable and colorful design. They can easily be used to just edge any item that you’d like to add a colorful border to.

Natural Tile

Natural tiles are becoming one of the most popular. They’re made from materials such as marble, granite, limestone and slate. The materials are sliced at the correct thickness and then cut into pieces.

This type of tile is probably the most expensive that you can buy. But, you can find many look-a-like tiles that closely resemble the real materials. They are durable like real stone and are as much as 80% cheaper!

Almost every tile manufacturer will also stock trimming tiles. These are pieces needed to add the finished touch to your project. Trimming tiles will give a professional look to the corners and edges of your walls or counter tops.

Related Posts:

Post a Response

You must be logged in to post a comment.