Building stylish spaces that reflect your personality, likes, tastes, and preferences gives you a sense of fulfillment and ownership.
One of the most important areas that you should pay special attention to when building is flooring.
Flooring exposes you to different preferred materials such as tiles, and the market has many floor tile designs that you can choose from.
But how do you choose the right design for your home? Here are some practical tips to help you make an informed decision that will give you value for your money.
the pattern
You should consider the style before choosing the right tiles for your home.
First, factor in the style of your home, make sure your tile pattern matches your home’s style.
Secondly, consider your tile style before you settle on it.
Going for a kitsch, stone look, or rustic look can match any interior.
These tiles are good at hiding dirt, and choosing marble tiles gives your home a formal look.
the color
Color is another factor to consider when choosing the right tile design for your home, and you should consider the overall feel you want to achieve in a space that requires tiling.
Do you want to achieve a calm or relaxed mood?
A relaxed mood is excellent for your bathroom, hence, choose the right tile colors that blend in perfectly. For your kitchen, you may need a more lively mood, therefore, go for contrasting colors.
room size
The size of your room is another essential factor to consider, using larger tiles makes your room appear more airy and larger.
So, use smaller tiles for larger rooms, and you can also use light and dark colored tiles for larger spaces.
If you have smaller spaces, you need to use light colored tiles to make them look bigger.
tile size
The size of the tiles should also be your final choice, as small tiles are suitable for spaces such as bathrooms, toilets, and kitchens.
The best tile sizes range from 3/8″ mosaic to 5’x10′ ceramic slabs. Proper tile sizing requires capturing the room’s proportional and proportional appearance.
Tiling with larger tiles helps reduce the effects of the stucco pattern, making rooms appear larger and more spacious.
plaster
Choosing the right grout color is also essential to choosing the right tile design, and choosing contrasting grout emphasizes the design and lines.
Conversely, grout with a contemporary color creates a subtle effect, just remember to seal the grouting areas to prevent staining.
porosity
Porosity is another essential dimension when choosing a particular tile design. The ratio of air holes to solids during tiling determines the porosity of the tile, which directly affects its ability to absorb water.
Pay attention to tile rating when tiling areas exposed to moisture, such as mudrooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.
Tile porosity comes in the following classifications:
Impervious: absorbs 0.5% or less water and is ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.
Vitreous: absorbs water from 0.5% to 3%.
Semi-vitreous: water absorption 3% – 7%.
Non-glass: Its water absorption is 7%, which is not ideal for use on floors.
Perfect tile finish
Choosing the perfect tile finish is another factor to consider when choosing your tiles, and you can choose from these finishes:
Glitter
Tiles with this finish have a mirror-like sheen, as they reflect light, add brightness and give your rooms a spacious look. These tiles are not suitable for kitchens or bathrooms as they become slippery when wet.
material
Matte tiles are slip-resistant and non-reflective, which makes them hide stains and dirt.
It also reduces the risk of falls in moisture-prone areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.
We recommend choosing tiles with a COF value greater than 0.6 for maximum safety.
semi-material or lapato
Tiles with this finish have a higher gloss than matte tiles and are non-slip, which reduces slips, falls and injuries.
The durability and hardness of the tiles
Durability and hardness are other issues to look out for when choosing the right tiles, and you can determine the hardness of your tiles using a simple rating system called the PEI scale.
This scale ranks tiles between Classes 1 and 5, with Class 5 having the highest abrasion resistance, and this scale takes into account factors such as the ability of the tiles to withstand pedestrian activity and wear and tear.
Category 1: This class includes tiles that do not tolerate traffic, making them ideal for walls.
Class 2: These tiles are suitable for light traffic or interior wall applications, as they are suitable for areas with little foot traffic, such as bathrooms and rooms where there is no outside access.
Category 3: These tiles can accommodate light to moderate traffic, as they are ideal for countertops and walls.
And you can use them in any room except those with high traffic areas such as kitchens and hallways.
Category 4: These tiles can withstand moderate to heavy traffic, and you can install them in all areas of the home, such as kitchens, halls, and entryways.
Class 5: These tiles are the strongest and can accommodate heavy to very heavy traffic, and they work well in all rooms and commercial spaces.
Pattern and texture
Don’t forget to pay attention to the texture and pattern of the tiles, and you can choose your tiles from different patterns.
Advances in technology allow manufacturers to print tiles to mimic the feel and look of natural stone, wood and marble, and you can even mix and match two or more pieces to create premium patterns.
slip resistance
Slip resistance is a crucial factor to consider when choosing tiles, most tiles are slippery when exposed to water, which exposes people to accidents.
Bathrooms and showers are among the riskiest areas, so pay special attention when making the decision.
Cost calculation
Finally, remember the cost implications before choosing a specific type and design of tiles. You should calculate the number of tiles required for your project, add 10% to cover the loss, and make sure the cost of tiles fits your budget.
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