Bathroom Floor TileThere's Nothing Like It!Bathroom floor tile creates an elegant, luxurious effect that most flooring materials have a hard time competing with. Tired of that ho-hum bathroom flooring? Would you like to go from ordinary to extraordinary? One fairly simple way to do it, is to install sumptuous looking bathroom floor tile... Read on to learn more about the different types of tile materials that perform well to excellent as bathroom flooring.
There is nothing floor tile to change the whole appearance of any room, and in a bathroom it is especially so....
Of course you may then want (or need) to make a few other changes to go along with your awesome new floor, but all in good time....
StoneOf all the types of stone flooring, granite, travertine and marble tiles are the ones most often used for a bathroom floor.They are timeless, elegant and luxurious... and the most desirable flooring if one can afford them...
Marble, travertine and granite tile is naturally waterproof. Before being mined and cut into slabs, these natural stones were subjected to moisture on a constant basis... you know how mother nature can be! bathroom floor tile of natural stone materials will be highly reactive to acidic elements (shampoo, toothpaste), but a floor sealer will provide some protection, and knowing what your bathroom flooring will be exposed to will help decide if your choice of material is a good fit for the designated area. Available in tile or slab form, marble, granite and travertine can be found in scads and scads of beautiful, different colors and patterns... With so much to select from there is bound to be many choices to please everyone. Tile sizes and shapes can be cut from slabs to specification, so plan your bathroom floor tile well... Because stone is hard and cold underfoot, you may want to consider installing radiant heat under the bathroom floor tile. It is easy to do and inexpensive to operate, plus your feet will love you for it! Although fairly easy to care for, using the proper stone cleaning agent is highly recommended. You may hear that dish washing soap diluted with water works just fine, but in reality the acid content in dish washing soap may cause etching to the stone. Stone tiles are heavy, especially granite, and an ordinary suspended wood subfloor may need reinforcement to support the weight. One step you do not want skip is verifying that the subfloor can take the weight of your flooring, get a professional's opinion...
Disadvantages of Stone Flooring
InstallationBathroom floor tile of marble, granite or travertine will be expensive and difficult to install. Unless you have the needed expertise required to install stone tile, call in the professionals! Your best bet will be one that only installs stone flooring and guarantees the work. Remember, mistakes raise the price of materials and stone tiles are expensive... In the end you'll get what you pay for, a perfectly smooth, level, aligned, finished floor that looks spectacular and will last a life time... Well-worth the expense of having it laid professionally!
CeramicMoisture resistant, durable and easy to take care of, ceramic tile with a slip-resistant surface works exceptionally well as flooring in a bathroom. This type of floor tile has much to offer, which explains why it's popularity has grown immensely in the last 5-10 years! Today, there is no other floor tile available that offers as many colors, shapes, sizes or designs to choose from than ceramic tiles. Choices to fit any style, decor and color... Cost effective, this manufactured "stone" is very solid, and with so many options to choose from you can be as creative as you like with your design... Although cold to the touch, installing radiant heating underneath the tiles will make them warm and cozy! Maintenance: Just sweep with a soft-bristled broom on a regularly basis and damp mop with soap and water when needed. When you see bare spots on the gloosy finish you will know it is time to re-seal it with the recommended sealant product. Disadvantage InstallationOne outstanding selling point about ceramic, porcelain or mosaic tile is you do not need to hire a professional to install any of them... you can do it yourself! If you have the time, patience's and can follow printed instructions you'll have no problems... It does require planning, preparation and some "special tools", but you can rent them rather than buy, just think of the money you can save... PorcelainAlthough porcelain is another form of ceramic, there are a few chracteristic that seperate them. Both are made of clay and go through a "baking" process. Ceramic is made of unrefined and porcelain is made of refined clay. It is the type of clay and 'baking" process that seperate them from each other. Colors available in procelain are mostly "earthy" tones and, but unlike ceramic the color runs through-out the thickness of a porcelain tile not just on the surface. The finish on porcelain is matted, where ceramic is glossy. There are standard sized tiles available, 12x12, 12x18, 12x36 but you can always have sizes cut to your specification. NOTE: Cleaning, maintenance, installation and disadvantages are identical to ceramic... CorkCork is an excellent choice as bathroom floor tile! A totally "green", renewable resource that will make you feel good for choosing it! Cork has natural anti fungal and bacterial properties, plus it is moisture resistant, so what better place to install it than in a bathroom? Warm and comfortable underfoot, its buoyancy will deflect denting and prevent breakage when breakables hit the floor because they will bounce back! No kidding! What you will need to do to protect it from "excessive" spillage is apply a water-based polyurethan sealer once it is installed. For care, maintenance and additional information about the benefits of cork, see cork flooring for details. DisadvantagesInstallationCork tiles are probably the easiest type of flooring to install! You can do-it-yourself even if you're not the "handy" type person, or hire it done. It really doesn't take any special skills, just a few tools and the ability to read and apply the instructions that come with the tiles from the manufacturer. That's it! Have fun choosing your bathroom floor tile!
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