Ceramic Tile FlooringCeramic tile flooring make fantastic looking floors! They have become one of the top flooring picks available today... read on to find out why! By using your own creative mind, a flooring catalog or engaging a flooring designer to help design the layout, you can create a truly awesome looking floor with ceramic tile. Although it will add expense to your flooring costs, creating your own design and having it hand painted onto ceramic tile is an option that will allow you to have a one-of-a-kind flooring to suit your taste... now that's a thought!
The flexibility of ceramic tile is endless and suitable for any setting.
Ceramic tile flooring can really show off where there is lots of foot traffic, like bathrooms, entryways, and kitchens.
It is also light enough to be laid on a suspended wood floor, making it a very good choice for upper stories. Traditional or contemporary, antique-style or nineteenth-century. You can make it happen with ceramic floor tile...
Ceramic, clay and terra-cotta tiles are "manufactured" stones. Ceramic tiles are made of refined clay and clay tiles are made from unrefined clay. Ceramic tile flooring is more precise and polished than clay tiles and both ceramic and clay tiles are less porous than terra-cotta. Terra-cotta is made from the same type of clay but goes through an entirely different "firing" process which makes it more porous. The only downside: Ceramic floor tiles are cold and hard underfoot and can break easily during installation or in transit. Underfloor radiant heat works very well under stone floors and is worth considering, and even more so if you live in a cool climate...
Traits Of Ceramic TileThere is no doubt about it, ceramic materials make an excellent floor tile choice. Although it is a manufactured "stone", ceramic tile is compared with the natural stone floorings like granite tile and marble flooring. Porcelains and mosaics are part of the "ceramic" tile family and have many of the same qualities as ceramic tile. what separates them is the "firing" process they go through during manufacturing, but basically they are "kissing cousins"...!From earth tones to the stunning brightness of primaries, the colors available in ceramic tiles will boggle your senses... never a shortage of colors or flooring layout ideas to go with them. Extremely durable with superb wear and performance, ceramic tile is light weight, waterproof (when properly sealed) stain resistant and easy to maintain. Matching wall/floor and non-slip surface tiles are available. Prices vary from $1.00 to $6.00 per/sq.ft. The higher priced tiles may include installation. Ceramic tiles usually come from the manufacturer with a glazed finish that resembles glass, and do not require additional sealing before installing. However, an absolutely crucial step is to seal the grout once the flooring is laid. The many shapes of triangles, octagons, squares, rectangles and diamonds come in various sizes that can be mingled to form unbelievable designs and patterns... Combining shapes and sizes, installing smaller patterned tiles as a border or insetting diamonds or square at corners and other strategic places creates a powerful pattern over the floor.
Installing Ceramic TileInstalling ceramic floor tile doesn't necessarily require a professional fitter. If you have carpentry skills, plus the right tools, you can probably do it yourself, but it takes time to master the "craft".However, one really important factor that may help you decide is the condition of the sub-floor! For a perfectly installed tile flooring of any type, the subfloor must be absolutely level and`solid as a rock, without any movement or give whatsoever... If you are inclined to do the install yourself (DIY), without any previous experience, I advise investing in a book on installing ceramic tile floors for DIY'ers (there are many to choose from). Not only will you SAVE a bunch of money by doing this, you'll have the detailed information you will need right from the start and step-by-step directions right at your fingertips when you need them... In addition to the book, another helpful source is your flooring distributor. It will be the best source for information and help when choosing the ceramic tiles you'll need for your flooring, installation advise and planning... Be educated about what you'll need before buying, and specific with what you are wanting... Compared to other stone tile, ceramic tile flooring is much simpler to install, with one exception, light-weight ceramic tile is prone to movement... Using spacers ensures the tiles are consistently spaced, or buy the "self-spacing" tiles with built-in lugs that automatically space the tiles for grouting.
Tile Care & Grout CleaningAnything metal will scratch ceramic. If you need to scrub, use a nylon or natural bristled brush. Sweep or vacuum on a regular basis.The "glass" like finish prevents most things from sticking to ceramic, so dirt can easily be removed with plain, warm water and a wet mop... For thorough, deeper cleaning, use only cleaning products recommended for ceramic tile flooring. There are several to choose from, just be sure the one you choose contains no acidic ingredients. Protecting your floor with the right cleaning products extends the life of the floor and keeps it looking like new. Applying a coat of sealant every 6-12 months will extend the life of your ceramic tile flooring, or better yet, following the manufacturer's recommendation is good advise... CLEANING GROUT Using an oxygen bleach powder and water solution will be your best friend for this job! It is non-toxic and will not change the color of the grout or harm any adjacent floor covering. NOTE: READ THE LABLE FIRST!! NOT all oxygen bleache powders are the same... The best ones contain only raw materials made in the US and have the highest ingredient content the US will allow. They are usually the most expensive too! But you get the "real deal", not some well-advertised brand that cost much less, but has no grout cleaning ability whatsoever! STEPS: AND if it has been awhile (or never) since the last time the grout has been thoroughly cleaned on your ceramic tile flooring, or any tiled flooring, I am pretty certain you are going to be very impressed with the results.
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