The kitchen can be the most creative area of your house. From floors to countertops, you can dramatically cover the surfaces with unique, decorative tiles to adapt well with your kitchen and its appliances. Tiling the kitchen can be challenging.
Here are some of the valuable tips, which can help you select the right kitchen tiles.
#1 Where will the tile be applied?
Before selecting the tile, decide the place you want to install it. It is crucial to match the material of the tile with the surface of application. You can put the tiles all over the kitchen, like under the cabinets, on the wall behind the stove, over the countertops or on the kitchen floor. Every part of your kitchen has its pros and cons, and it is vital to know where the installation will be done.
Tiles are available in a range of styles. The choice of kitchen tiles depends on the space of the application. For walls under the cabinet and countertops, the best tiles would be ceramic, bamboo, stone, porcelain, glass and vinyl. If you are looking something for the backsplashes, glass tiles are the most popular ones. Homeowners prefer to go with vinyl or bamboo when planning to tile kitchen floor.
#2 Maintenance needs
Selection of kitchen tiles also depends on the type of maintenance different tile variety need. For example, if you choose porcelain tiles or ceramic tiles for countertops and kitchen flooring, exclude the ones marked as “semi-vitreous” and “non-vitreous”. While all the tiles require some maintenance over the years, some tiles require special attention in short intervals. For instance,
kitchen tiles made of cork and natural stone need resealing every 2-3 years.
#3 Evaluate your budget
There is a huge range of kitchen tiles available in the market. It can be both cheap and expensive. Before you start drawing a royal kitchen design in your mind, make a proper budget on what you can afford and how much you can spend. Online tile stores can help you to get a fair idea of tile buying costs and maintenance prices.
#4 Check the ratings
Tiles also have a grade card that can determine the quality of the material used. Especially in the case of ceramic and porcelain tiles, be aware of the COF (Coefficient of Friction) rating. These ratings show how smooth the tile is. Any tile with a COF rating of 0.6 and above means the tile is slip resistant.
Porcelain tiles can be measured on the terms of endurance. Porcelain kitchen tiles are rated on a scale of 1 to 5, as per the PEI (Porcelain Enamel Institute) rating. The higher the grade, more durable is the tile.
#5 Family Habits and Lifestyle
Kitchen tiles need to be highly durable and sturdy because the kitchen is the busiest area of your house. Though the kitchen tiles are not soft, they need proper maintenance for a longer lifespan. Its compounds determine resistance power of a tile. Consider the place of installation when selecting tiles. For example, as the countertop area is open to heat and flames, robust ceramic tiles are best for this area. Ceramic tiles are meant to resist hot temperatures and dark stains.
While choosing tiles for kitchen floor consider factors like how many pets do you have? Do your kids often run around the kitchen? How many spills your floor will have to face? Houses with heavy footfall in the kitchen area should rely on strong and crack resistant tiles.
Never use wall tiles as replacement of expensive floor tiles.
Wall tiles may look good and cheap on the first go, but repair and maintenance can become a regular headache. Wall tile have less friction element and highly slippage. Choose a tile for kitchen floor which is rough and anti-slipping.
Endnote
Creating a perfect kitchen is not only about having a tidy and beautiful outlook. It requires proper planning, deep research and high-quality materials. Before jumping into a kitchen remodelling or new kitchen decorations, be aware of the pros and cons of kitchen tiles.
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