Where to Use Each, and Why!
The benefits of choosing tile for flooring, countertops, backsplashes and other features are almost too many to count. Tile surfaces are incredibly durable, and will continue to look attractive decades after their installation. Tiles cannot release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, which will improve your home or business’s indoor air quality. Tile is also incredibly low-maintenance. Depending on which type you choose, you may only have to clean with warm water.
Several types of materials can be formed into tiles. Each offers its own distinct advantages and is best suited to certain applications. Lets review which types of tile you can choose for your kitchen or bathroom remodel, and the advantages each represents!
Ceramic
Ceramic tiles are made of clay that has been baked, glazed and patterned. Clay is a relatively inexpensive substance, which makes ceramic one of the more cost-effective tiles on the market. Ceramic tiles are extremely durable and low-maintenance in spite of their budget-friendly price tag. They also resist absorbing water, bacteria and odors, which makes ceramic tiles an excellent choice for flooring. Ceramic tile is available in a wide range of styles and easy to cut, making it an ideal solution to creating a hypoallergenic surface in any room of your home.
Porcelain
Porcelain is also made of clay, albeit a more refined one that’s also fired at a higher temperature. It is denser, thicker and harder than ceramic, thus making porcelain tiles significantly more resilient by comparison. Porcelain is also less porous than ceramic, which gives it even greater resistance to mold, mildew and cracking. Alongside its high resistance to heat, that makes porcelain tile ideal for kitchen countertops. Set a hot pan on top of a porcelain countertop and it will be no worse for wear!
Natural Stone
Natural stone tile’s rich color and warm, unique textures are certain to enhance any room’s aesthetics. If you select a hard and nonporous type of stone, your kitchen countertop will be incredibly resilient to heat and abrasion, as well as easy to maintain. Marble and granite countertops only require infrequent resealing. Stone tile also creates a cool and comfortable bathroom floor in the summertime – as well as a cozy, warm one in the winter (so long as you include radiant heating as part of your remodeling project). Perhaps best of all, lustrous natural stone surfaces markedly improve any home’s resale value.
Engineered Quartz
Whereas some types of natural stone are too absorbent to create truly maintenance-free counters and flooring, engineered quartz is completely nonporous. Bacteria and liquids accordingly cannot penetrate engineered quartz, which promotes greater hygiene and far easier cleaning. Engineered quartz boasts almost preternatural hardness, so even a cast iron pot or pan can do little to damage it. Engineered quartz is available in a wide range of naturalistic patterns, so you can still give any room a vibrant, earthy flare without forfeiting convenience.
Metal
Kitchen backsplashes, bathroom walls and shower enclosures all look marvelous once they are tiled with metal. Tin, copper, aluminum and stainless steel tiles are more versatile than you might imagine: They may be embossed with virtually any pattern, or smooth to create a sleeker and easier-to-clean surface. Metal tiles are a good way to balance out a room’s appearance if it is currently dominated by wood features. They are also relatively inexpensive, plus they are good for the environment. In addition to being made of recycled materials, metal tiles are completely recyclable!
If you’re remodeling a room or designing an outdoor kitchen and need high-quality, long-lasting and attractive tile to bring its countertops and backsplashes to perfection, contact Gallery 77 today. We fabricate and install alluring tile surfaces at all types of properties throughout the greater Hudson, WI area!
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