Choosing Kitchen Tiles

The kitchen is the one room in the house that can have several different types of tiles, in different applications, and they all will enhance your kitchen beautifully. When choosing kitchen tile for your home consider where it is going to go first. Glossy tile that goes on a wall will not be the same as flooring tile. Flooring tile has to be safe to walk on, and a glossy floor kitchen tile could be unsafe under foot.

Here are tips for choosing the right application and type of tile for your kitchen.

1.) Determine where the tile will be installed: Before you select a material you will need to decide what surface the tile will be applied. Tile can be placed as a backsplash behind a stove, or on the wall to the underside of the upper cabinets. Tile is a popular countertop material, and can also be used on the kitchen floor.

2.) Decipher the difference between ’tiles’: The word ’tile’ refers to a resilient material that can be laid in rows over a surface. For kitchens, this could include: quarry, stone, cork, vinyl, bamboo, ceramic, porcelain and glass. Applications like vinyl, cork and bamboo tiles are most commonly used in flooring. While quarry, ceramic, and porcelain can be used for counters and floors. Glass tile is commonly reserved for walls and backsplashes.

3.) Determine your budget before getting sold on the look: Kitchen tile can be inexpensive, such as vinyl and linoleum tiles or they can be expensive, such as custom designed ceramic tiles. Do your homework before getting married to an envisioned look in your head! Tile and home improvement stores can help you estimate the amount of product that will be required for your kitchen.

4.) Consider your household’s lifestyle: Although kitchen tile is resilient, it still requires up-keep and the longevity of each material differs. For countertops, ceramic tile is durable and will hold up to heat from hot pans, and is easy to clean and maintain. Unfortunately a ceramic tile surface can be uneven and it can easily crack or chip. Determine if your family’s lifestyle will match the tile finish you choose.

5.) Choose a floor tile that can withstand your family’s habits: When choosing floor tile it has to be durable enough to withstand heavy traffic, pets, spilled foods and cleaning supplies. Ensure that you purchase floor tile that is called ‘floor tile’. If you choose a wall tile for a floor the coefficient of friction (COF) will be too low, which in turn means it’s too slippery for walking. Instead choose floor tile that has a slight raised pattern, or texture to it to allow for a safer kitchen floor. For a more refined and elegant look consider using quarry tile. The clay and limestone based tile is fired to look like natural stone. Quarry tile is more expensive than the traditional ceramic tile, but is gorgeous in the right application.

6.) The sky is the limit for your tile backsplash: Well, to a certain point the sky is the limit. Since your backsplash doesn’t take direct heavy traffic, glossy, and painted tiles are a perfect fit for your backsplash. Although they still have to withstand, hot oil splatters, grease and daily cleaning. Choose from porcelain, ceramic, glass, metal or stone materials for a backsplash that can subtly or boldly bring a decorative flair to your kitchen.