Tile Flooring: What Makes Ceramic and Natural Stone Tiles Popular?

There is no other kind of flooring that offers flexibility in terms of design than ceramic tiles or natural stone. These come in different sizes, shapes, and colors making your design choices practically limitless. This is just a single benefit of ceramic tiles and natural stone. They are also both durable and do not require a huge amount of maintenance.

Here are the features and benefits of these beautiful tile flooring –

Minimal Maintenance

It is easy to keep ceramic tiles or natural stone floors. Just use walk off mats on entrances and make sure that the floors are regularly swept. Should stain or spills happen, then just find a manufacturer-approved cleaner and the tiles are good to go.

Flexible Designs

Ceramic tiles, in particular, come in various sizes which can be used on their own or mixed with other design options. What you need is just a little imagination plus a little math skills in order to create your own patterns. Different geometric sizes and shapes are being offered in the market. The colors vary greatly, too, so you won’t run out of styles to choose concoct.

Economical

Tiles are cost effective flooring materials in the sense that you might spend more, at first, but as soon as they are installed, then you won’t have to worry about reinstallations or other costly upkeeps. Tiles also do not require resurfacing, refinishing, re-coating or re-glazing.

Natural stone and ceramic tiles also increase the value of a home, thus, helping you recoup the investment cost on the product.

Allergen-Free

Tiles are easy to clean and have zero allergen so you won’t have to worry about the welfare of asthma sufferers.

Tile flooring is also non-toxic (just make sure that non-toxic grout is used for installation) which makes it doubly excellent for people who suffer from allergies.

Matches Any Application

Tiles can be installed in just about any part of your home from walls, to the floors, tubs, showers, ceiling, backsplashes, even the outside part of your home. They are also widely used on table tops, countertops, columns, hearths, etc. Compared to wood flooring, you won’t have to worry about installing them on a wet environment. They can be installed on any subfloor that has proper underlayment.

Timeless Appeal

You already know the value that tile flooring can give to your home. It offers a classic look especially where earth tones are utilized. It also stays beautiful – just like hardwood – for as long as you take time to do the minimal maintenance required to keep them.

Glazed tiles often last for many, many years even with just minimal maintenance. Other than dusting or routine vacuuming, tile floors require little cleanup even during cases of spills and stains.

Any Downside?

Tile floors maybe one of the popular choices among millions of American homes but it is not for everyone. They also have some drawbacks such as, if they are not installed over an effective floor heating system, then you’re left to tread on a cold surface.

Apart from having to walk on cold surface, tiles also do not have insulation properties, thus, sounds made inside the room will not be dampened. To solve this noise issue, just place runners or area rugs on strategic areas.

Talk of rugs and carpet, tiles can also be very slippery especially when they get wet. New innovations have, fortunately, been produced such as the anti-slip surface and anti-slip mats.

Tiles aren’t your usual DIY flooring project. Special saws and other equipment are needed to cut tiles; mortar needs to dry and the drying time could be unforgiving. In short, you need a skilled installer for this kind of flooring.

Tags: McCreery's, McCreery's Home Furnishings, tile, tile design, tile flooring, tile in interior design, tile work, tilework

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 23rd, 2016 at 6:00 pm and is filed under Flooring Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.