The Beauty of Ceramic Tile Floors

If you are looking for a classy, low maintenance flooring option, ceramic tiles could be a good choice for you. The versatile properties of ceramic tiles makes them a great choice to be used in the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, in short just about anywhere in your house.

History behind Ceramic Tiles

A ceramic tile is made of clay that has been molded, pressed, and baked. Most manufacturers also cover tiles with a glaze before firing to add to the tile’s hardness and functionality. Glazed tiles are easier to clean and are weather and moisture resistant. Unglazed tiles are less slippery and have a beautiful appearance however they may be porous and stain and crack relatively easily. Therefore when unglazed tiles are used it is prudent to cover them with a protective sealant.

The strength of ceramic tiles is measured on a scale of 0-5 that is also called the ‘Moh scale’. The weaker a tile is the lower is its score. Thus a tile with a moh scale rating of 0 is weak, purely decorative and should not be used for flooring while a tile with a moh score of 5 is ideal for heavy traffic and industrial purposes.

Ceramic tiles are one of the oldest known building and decorative materials known to man. Their use has been recorded from ancient Babylon, Greece and Rome. Such is their durability that many tiles have survived for 4000 years and tiles in houses engulfed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD are unaffected to this day. In fact the heat shield of missiles and space shuttles is made of special ceramic tiles designed to withstand extreme heat.

Reasons to choose ceramic tiles

Advantages of ceramic tiles

• Tiles are available in a mind boggling variety of colors and designs
• Tiles are simple to install and easy to maintain
• Ceramic tiles can withstand years of heavy traffic, are water and abrasion resistant
• Tiles are not affected by dampness or chemicals
• If a few tiles are damaged they can be easily replaced for a small price instead of incurring huge costs in replacing the entire floor

Ceramic tiles have been used by designers for centuries but there are a few things that must be kept in mind when choosing ceramic tiles over other material like linoleum or vinyl as the flooring material

Disadvantages of ceramic tiles

• Ceramic tiles are heavier
• Ceramic tiles are hard and can cause discomfort on prolonged standing
• Installation of ceramic tiles may require a professional
• Removal of old ceramic tiles may be difficult
• Tiles increase the height of the floor and this must be factored in when laying tiles
• Tiles may turn out to be more expensive than some other options
• Glazed tiles are slippery, though one may get around this problem by using unglazed anti slip tiles

Ceramic tiles are not the darling of decorators for nothing. Since they are mass produced it is possible to obtain any number of tiles that are exactly alike. Natural stone does not offer this luxury. With tiles it is possible to use pre-designed patterns or create customized designs to suit the purpose or mood of a room. If one prefers the warm appearance of a hardwood floor it is possible to get the classic wooden look combined with the convenience of a tile by using wood patterned tiles. New tile options are available colors like acid green, gold and orange or in exciting pop designs to suit every room. Ease of cleaning is a blessing when using tiles in the bathroom or kitchen. Its ability to withstand chemicals means that one need not worry about the ingredients in the cleaning solvents. In commercial settings the use of tiles gives a neat, hygienic, professional look. Given the numerous advantages that it offers ceramic tiles are a rare combination of a rich history and modern convenience, a material ideally suited to the taste of many flooring enthusiasts.

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