Let’s talk about tile. Let’s talk about what kinds of things a person might be interested in, when they are trying to select tile for a new construction, commercial, or home improvement project.
What are the differences between the different types of tile?
There are a couple of different types of tile. There is ceramic. There is porcelain. Porcelain tends to be denser and run more true. It is generally stronger and more durable. Ceramic tile is still pretty tough, but it’s a softer tile and it’s clay backed. So those are the differences between the main types of flooring tile. There are also glass tiles and other decorative tiles.
There are also different sub-types and quality grades within each type.
What kind of considerations should a person take when selecting tile and grout?
All tiles come in residential grade and commercial grade. Specifications that should be considered include aesthetics like tile appearance, pattern, color, and texture, tile size, material density, and slip resistance.
Another consideration is that matching your grout color to match the tile helps hide the slight imperfections that are inescapable in matching a flat tile to a curved flooring surface.
I love the look of tile, but I’m always concerned about slips, trips, and falls. How slip-resistant can tile be?
You can find tile that is very slip resistant. It has a lot of texture, a lot of variations in the tile. You can find a matte finish. High gloss looks nice, but it is really better for applications where there is no chance of water exposure due to its slipperiness. In areas like the kitchen or bathroom, you’ll most likely want to use a more slip resistant, matte tile. But it’s all personal preference. I just recommend to try to stay away from high gloss tile in wet areas for safety.
Cost Considerations
Tile wood-look planks are less expensive than hardwood flooring.
Sealing grout is much more cost-effective if done at the time of the tiles’ installation. Then it will be on the scale of adding $1-2 per square foot.