The Beginners Guide to Selecting the Right Tile for Your Home
Selecting the perfect tile for your home involves a lot of decision-making based on what you want. There are endless options that can complete the look of your home or any room in your home. Whether you are looking for flooring, wall, or backsplash tiles, several factors can simplify your search. Read this beginner’s guide to selecting the right tile for your home to assist you in making the best choice.
Flooring Tiles
When it comes to tiling your floor, there’s a vast array of choices aside from traditional hardwood. Selecting the right tiles for your floors throughout the home will ensure that you can enjoy your space for years to come with the budget you have and the style you prefer.
Laminate Tiles
If your budget isn’t particularly bursting at the seams, there are a couple of choices that can still work well in some spaces. Laminate tiles are the cheapest flooring available. They are made of a thin sheet of plastic and are relatively easy to install. The tiles come in an endless variety of colors and styles. You can find laminate tiling that mimics the look of wood, natural stone, and porcelain stone. The tiles are easy to maintain and do not require grouting, which makes it a major plus.  Although a cheaper option, laminate flooring is not advised for installation in rooms where there is an excessive amount of moisture or unsettled areas of the home.
Vinyl Flooring
This kind of flooring is another cheaper and trendy option. Vinyl flooring is also made of plastic, specifically polyvinyl chloride, otherwise known as PVC. These tiles are an excellent choice not only for their lower costs, but they are waterproof and easy to maintain. Also, it is easier to install than other varieties of tiles, and the flooring lasts a long time.
Furthermore, vinyl tiles are not as hard as other floor tiles. Like laminate tiles, vinyl flooring comes in multiple varieties. Particularly popular with consumers is laminate flooring that looks like wood. If you are going to install vinyl tiles, make sure that the floors in your home have settled. If you just built a house, wait at least a year for the foundation to completely settle if you are going to install in an area like the basement.
Miniature Mosaic
For smaller areas like bathrooms or accent floor areas, miniature mosaic tiles work well and create a unique look. These small mosaic tiles are easy to install because they come in sheets, so you’re not installing every tiny flooring by hand. Because they are small, there is naturally going to be more grout lines, but this is a positive aspect of small tiles. The more grout lines, the less slippery a surface will be. The grout lines create traction for your feet, so this is why it works so well in a bathroom.
Natural Stone Tiles
Like granite and marble are also a great flooring choice but expensive, and they require professional installation. These tile choices can go into any room of the house, but they are slippery, and more maintenance is required. It’s best not to use natural stone in areas of the home where there is moisture and foot traffic, mainly since most natural stone is more slippery. Slate tiles are a perfect choice for outdoor tiling such as walkways to the garden. Slate is less slippery than marble or granite.
Marble countertops
These tiles show an unrivaled measure of sophistication, and marble floor tiles can also create a classy and stylish look in any room. Marble is a metamorphic rock and has a porous surface, so it’s more susceptible to stains. Installing marble tiles can increase your home’s property value, but it is higher maintenance. Marble scratches easily, so it’s not recommendable to use it in areas where there is a lot of action. It could be a suitable choice for accent areas of the floor or rooms that you do not use continuously.
Granite
Tiles made of granite are similar to marble in that is also an expensive choice but one that is striking and beautiful. Granite tiles are also porous and require maintenance similar to marble. The pros of granite floors are that they are highly durable with proper care and can last for a very long time. Installing granite tile flooring can also increase your home’s value.
For rooms such as the kitchen or bathroom, stain-resistant porcelain tiles are a great choice. Many consumers choose porcelain tiles over natural stone because there is less concern with water damage and maintenance. These tiles also come in different color varieties, and you can easily make the tiles tie in with your kitchen. Choosing a neutral color will make it easier to match your cabinets and other furniture to create a synthesis in any space.
Walls and Backsplashes
Choosing the right tile for your walls or backsplashes can revamp and revitalize the look of any room. The kitchen and bathroom are the most common rooms to install tiled walls and backsplashes.
Ceramic or porcelain tiles are quite a popular choice to use for backsplashes. These tiles come in many color varieties and stand up to moisture. They also are suitable for different budget sizes, making it work for you and your home.
Glass tiles are an enchanting and contemporary way to update your home. These tiles are reflective and can really brighten up space because of this quality. Glass is non-porous, so it’s really easy to maintain, and it doesn’t require any sealing.
Metal tiles are a non-traditional choice that comes in different metallic varieties, and there are some with imprints. Metallic tiles are easier to install than most other tiles. A downside to metal tiles is that they can scratch easily and it’s not something you can simply buff out.
Marble and granite tiles are an excellent choice for backsplashes but require more maintenance and a higher budget. If installed, these natural stone tiles create an alluring and elegant look.
Ultimate Decision
The style of tile you choose should fit the needs of the room you are going to renovate. Does the style fit your desired look? Also, is the tiling appropriate for your particular space? Furthermore, are the tiles budget-friendly? These are just some of the questions you should be asking yourself before making a choice.
Remember, at Top Mexico Real Estate … we make it happen!
Article by Jules Hopkins