Tile | Styles

The ceramic tile you select will impact your home’s interior beauty, design, comfort, livability and upkeep. It’s a fact; floor coverings can make or break a home.

Due to the number of tile choices, patterns, colors, textures and price points shopping for tile can intimidate even the most experienced shopper.

3 types of ceramic tile

Click on a swatch below for more information


Glazed

Unglazed

Porcelain

Glazed

  • coated with glass-forming minerals and ceramic stains
  • typically have a matte, semi-gloss or high-gloss finish
  • offer better stain and moisture resistance than unglazed
  • high gloss finishes- more slippery and show scratches
  • matte or textured finishes- help with traction and scratches, dirt is less visible

Unglazed

  • hard and dense
  • various surface treatments and textures
  • typically installed outside
  • good slip resistance
  • do require sealing to help prevent staining

Porcelain

  • falls in the ceramic tile category
  • hardest and densest tiles available
  • color goes all the way through
  • non-porous
  • resist scratching
  • can withstand temperature extremes

Size

  • manufactured in sizes ranging from 1” to 24” square
  • normally boxed and priced by the square foot
  • tile size is relative
  • referred to by nominal size, not its actual size
  • during firing ceramic tile will shrink by about 10% in size
  • most popular are larger sized tiles (13” by 13”, 16” by 16” and 18” by 18”)
  • determining tile size starts with the size of the room
  • small rooms don’t necessarily call for small tile
  • incorporating a larger size tile in a smaller room will visually increase the size of the space
  • fewer grout lines will help create a cleaner surface appearance
  • using a tile size that’s too small creates more grout joints that may make the floor look too busy

Cost-effective alternative

  • consumers prefer ceramic tile over stone due to price and maintenance
  • tile can also be made to feature heavy textures, chiseled and hammered edges, and resemble tumbled stone
  • tile texture is related to its style
  • feel of a tumbled stone or slate looking ceramic tile will be irregular and somewhat rough
  • tile simulating marble or granite will have a very smooth, polished feel
  • textures also vary in degree of shine, ranging from dull to semi-gloss to glass-like

Exterior

  • tile is a versatile product
  • outdoor tile features non-skid finishes designed for safety
  • outdoor tile is resistant to frost
  • tile manufactured for outdoor use has very low water absorption, minimizing the cracking, chipping and other effects of expansion when the temperature falls below freezing

Customization

  • manufacturers also offer decorative inserts, medallions and mosaics
  • tile size 2”x2” and smaller are usually referred to as mosaics
  • often used with different colors to create a pattern or decorative inset
  • smaller tiles also come in different shapes, such as hexagon
  • patterned borders can be made up of different size tiles
  • variations in color, shape or size can be patterned within a room, or across adjoining rooms
  • “field tile” -the more prominent tile that is throughout the largest areas
  • floor and wall tiles may be designed to look similar
  • floor tiles are generally thicker and are textured to be safer to walk on

Grout

  • impacts the overall look
  • type of cement that is used to fill the space and provide support in tile joints
  • two types of grout; Portland cement based, and epoxy based
  • both may have sand added for additional strength
  • Sanded grout is for tile joints 1/8th of an inch and larger
  • unsanded grout is an option used in joints that are smaller than 1/8th of an inch
  • can be pigmented to many colors, shades and hues
  • pigment is added to the cement at the job site when the grout is mixed
  • color and thickness will change the appearance of the floor
  • white or a light colored grout highlights the color in tile
  • dark grout with a light tile, or light grout with a dark tile, will emphasize the geometric pattern of your layout