Bathroom Floor TileUndecided about which bathroom floor tile to use? Here you'll find information about the best ones available...
Flooring sets the tone for any room and bathroom floor tile can turn a bathroom from ho-hum ordinary to extrodinary! Here you will learn more about the different types of tile materials that perform well to excellent as bathroom flooring There is nothing like floor tile to change the whole appearance of any room, and in a bathroom it is especially true...
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. Stone TileOf 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... Virtually indestructible, stone flooring will last a life time and then some... and be difficult to replace so choose wisely... Marble, travertine and granite tile are 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!
Available in tile or slab form, marble, granite and travertine can be found in scads and scads of beautiful 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 when installed correctly, plus your feet will love you for it! Although fairly easy to care for, using the proper stone cleaning agent is absolutely recommended. Any kind of soap that contains acidic properties is not a good cleaning agent for stone because it will cause etching and dull the finish. Don't chance it! Stone tiles are heavy, especially granite, and an ordinary suspended wood sub-floor may need reinforcement to support the weight. One step you do not want to skip is verifying that the sub-floor 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 hiring a professionally!
CeramicMoisture resistant, durable, affordable 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 its 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, designs to choose from to fit any style, decor and budget than ceramic tiles. 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 regular basis and damp mop with soap and water when needed. You'll know it's time to apply another coat of the protective finish when you see bare spots on the gloss. Always choose a product recommended for "ceramic" for this project. 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 is a couple of production procedures that make them different from each other. Both are made of clay and go through a "baking" process. Ceramic is made of unrefined and porcelain is made of refined clay. The type of clay and "baking" process creates their profile and separates them one from the other. Colors available in porcelain are mostly "earthy" tones, and unlike ceramics the color runs through-out the thickness of the tile not just on the surface. The finish on porcelain is matted, where ceramic is glossy. The standard sized tiles are usually, 12x12, 12x18 and 12x36 but you can always have sizes cut to your specification. NOTE: Cleaning, maintenance, installation and disadvantages are identical to ceramic's...
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! More than likely they will bounce back! No kidding! Although cork has a "naturally" resistance to moisture, for wet areas (bathroom, kitchen) you'll need/want to apply a water-based polyurethane sealer as soon as it is installed. This will guarantee you have added protection against "excesive" spillages. For care, maintenance and additional information about the benefits of cork, see cork flooring for details. Disadvantages of Cork
InstallationCork 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. RubberBelieve it or not, rubber tiles make an excellent bathroom floor tile! With some properties similar to cork; warm and comfortable underfoot, durable & hardwearing, resistant to moisture, heat, mold, dust, it's quite amazing what has been done to rubber to make it so appealing for residential use... You will not believe the colors and textures available. Very contemporary!! Plus, the tiles are so easy to install, just lock them together... Learn more about rubber tiles from our web page on rubber flooring You are going to be surprised with all the options available! Providing you with useful information about flooring is our goal... and we are always adding new stuff! Enjoy choosing your bathroom floor tile and come back soon!
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