Decorating a home might seem like a nerve-wracking experience, but it is also a very creative process. Tiles have long been a common design idea in homes, but as more and more people are using them, there are a lot of new materials, patterns, and colors you can choose from. Instead of just limiting them to bathroom floors, people have started using tiles in kitchen floors, splashbacks, wall, and even hallways.
Though they seem like an old fashioned idea, different shapes provide a creative way to breathe life in a boring room, setting it apart. With them being the go-to floor design choice, let’s look at three things you need to keep in mind when choosing tiles for your home.
Porosity
It is the quality of being porous. It is another critical feature of a tile and should not be ignored. The porosity of a tile is determined by the ratio of air holes to solid parts in a tile. It impacts the water a tile absorbs. These tiles should be considered when installing in areas that are prone to moisture such bathrooms and kitchens.
These tiles are classified by different ratings, such as:
- Impervious: Water absorption of 0.5 percent. Recommended for kitchens and bathrooms
- Vitreous: Water absorption of up to 3 percent.
- Semi Vitreous: Water absorption of up to 7 percent
So, if you want to choose tiles for kitchen walls, you can go for something suitable and unique like a turquoise backsplash tile which is perfect for protecting your walls against water splashes.
Hardness
When choosing tiles for a room, hardness is one of the most important features you need to pay attention to. The hardness of a tile is a measure of the material’s ability to withstand traffic and scratches.
Depending on the room and how much the floor is used, you can choose from these different classes of tiles.
- Class 1: No foot traffic. For wall application
- Class 2: Light traffic. For example, bathrooms.
- Class 3: Light to moderate traffic. Best for bedrooms and kitchens.
- Class 4: Moderate to heavy traffic. Hallways and entryways
- Class 5: Heavy traffic. Commercial spaces.
If you want to choose tiles for different rooms in a house, you can buy tiles online. From bathroom to pool, kitchen, outdoor and decorative tiles, you can choose the perfect tiles for each room.
Slip Resistance
Most tiles material are slippery, and if you have elderly and children in the house, it can cause a severe problem. The bathroom is the prime place where most slip and fall incidents happen. So, you must make sure to install tiles that are slip-resistant in the bathroom. To select the perfect tile, you can look for materials with a high coefficient of friction.
- You can use ceramic or porcelain tile with a special textured surface.
- You can use slate as it has a natural slip-resistant texture.
- Mosaic tiles are perfect swimming pools and boost the visual aesthetic of any room they are installed in. For example, blue glass pool tiles would be optimal for your pool as they are frost proof and are made exclusively for waterlines.
Make sure to use small tiles of size 4×4 and avoid using ones that are bigger than 6×6 as they tend to be more slippery than usual.
