Tiles selection for your House

If you want re-flooring your home or Renovating your interiors, there are endless options for floor tiles, and making a choice is a difficult one to decide. Here are few tips which can help you narrow down your choice:- 

Types of Tiles

• Ceramic tiles are durable and affordable but are prone to chipping and cracking. It is highly recommended to go for group-4 or group-5 ceramic tiles which are suitable for areas that handle light and medium traffic.

• Porcelain tiles are not only denser and stronger than ceramic but are also scratch and stain resistant. For a seamless finish, opt for rectified or joint-free porcelain tiles. Use epoxy grouting to impart a neat look. 

• Vitrified tiles are strong, durable, stain and moisture resistant. They are available in different varieties like double charged vitrified tiles which include a two-tone colour, full body have a uniform palette throughout the tile, soluble salt ones are available in different patterns and glazed tiles come with an additional shine.

• Natural materials like sandstone, limestone, marble or travertine are available in the form of tiles.

• For a bold look, opt for cement tiles which are available in traditional patterns. Since these are porous in nature, so need to be sealed periodically.

Choose the Right Size

• When choosing the size, make sure there is minimum wastage during installation. Pick large-sized tiles for the living room, dining room and bedroom. 

• Smaller ones are appropriate for the kitchen and bathroom. Keep in mind that large tiles create less joint lines and impart the feeling of spaciousness.

Ideal Tile Finish

• Gloss finish tiles have an attractive mirror-like sheen which reflects a lot of light, adds brightness and gives the home a spacious look. Glossy ones should not be used in areas like the kitchen or bathroom because they have the tendency to get slippery when wet.

• Matte finish ones are slip-resistant, non-reflective and they do not show stains or dirt easily. Also, slip-resistant tiles reduce the risk of falling in moisture-laden areas like the kitchen and bathroom. For maximum safety, choose tiles with a COF( coefficient of friction) value of more than 0.6.

• You can also go with a semi-matte finish. These have a higher shine than matte tiles and are non-slip in nature.