Ceramic tile has come a long way from its humble beginnings to now having the ability to create custom tile, exactly the way you want it. Its versatility has led it to become one of the most praised building materials that go into your home.
You’re no longer limited to a sole color. You can get exactly what it is you want, and that includes tile that looks like wood. Yes, it’s amazing! The technology behind that is called inkjet, and it has opened up so many possibilities for creating a custom look, and enjoying the look of one material that looks like another, with the advantages that come along with installing tile.
Yes, you can now get that wooden look when you’re installing a shower. You would never be able to actually install wood in a shower because it would start deteriorating extremely quickly because of the exposure to water. While tile isn’t perfect, it’s really great. It should be known that it can feel cold underfoot why a lot of homeowners choose to combine its installation with the installation of a radiant floor heating system.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the many different places where ceramic tile can be used, and by the end we’ll be happy to help connect you with the most relevant ceramic tile contractors near you. It’s even free with no obligation on your part either! There are also different tiles that are better for one purpose over another.
Things to Consider Before Making Your Choice
Before you proceed to buy and install the tile, you will want to make sure that you’re actually installing the right type. If for example you plan on installing it outside, you need to know that those are exposed to a lot more wear than the ones installed inside.
While tile is generally a very practical choice of material, it would be a shame to install a material to simply have to replace it because you didn’t think about the fact that frozen water expands, and what that means is that if water penetrates a tile and then freezes, you’ll quickly end up seeing the tile break. At this point it’s inevitable that you will need to replace it.
You will also want to make sure that you accurately estimate the amount of wear that it will be exposed to. For instance, if you’re installing it as flooring in a commercial setting, you’re looking for different properties than if it’s used for ceramic wall tiling.
The PEI Rating of the Material
Material that is intended for floors will take a serious beating every single time you walk on it. For instance, Raku ceramic tile would never be sufficiently strong to be used for floors, and it would simply crack as soon as you started walking on it. It does make great, decorative pieces including vases and many other different things.
So how do you know if the material has the durability that you would be needing? You can start looking for something that is called the PEI rating. What it does is that it measures the hardness of the tile, where tile that is installed on the walls naturally don’t have the same durability requirements as do ones installed in industrial or commercial settings.
This is how the scale goes, and the corresponding usage that is advised on the basis of it. If you’re ever in doubt as to whether you’re choosing the right tile for the purpose, we encourage you to seek out the advice of professionals that give you the advice you deserve.
PEI 1 – Are you installing it on the walls in your home? Great, then this option is enough. Otherwise you’ll want to go with something more durable than it.
PEI 2 – This rating can also be installed for very light foot traffic applications too. What does that mean? Well, things where there’s no heavy objects that will accidentally be exposing it to potentially damaging impacts, which for example can be in the bathroom. It can also still be used for walls.
PEI 3 – The material is starting to get more durable and these tiles can tolerate more wear and while still being for residential purposes only, they can be installed in living rooms, halls and bathrooms. Places that will be exposed to slightly more foot traffic than simply will be the case in a bathroom.
PEI 4 – Being able to tolerate moderate to heavy traffic, you start being able to use this for more serious purposes and it can even be used for commercial purposes when the wear isn’t too harsh.
PEI 5 – when you need the strongest tile, this is it. You shouldn’t start seeing this break, and it can even be used for heavy commercial use too. Make sure to always consult with the sales staff, if you aren’t sure if you’re choosing the right durability. Contractors will also generally be happy to provide their recommendations, hoping to earn your business in return.
Uses Around the Home
Because it’s so beautiful and practical, there’s almost no place in the home where its addition wouldn’t help beautify the space. You can combine the materials in so many ways with the thousands and thousands of different tiles available. If you need that additional push in order to get convinced that you should start on such project, all you need to do is head over to Mercury Mosaics and fall in love with all their different mosaic options. Believe me, it’s not the cheapest tile you’ll be able to get, but it is beautiful! So if aesthetics comes first, and budget second… Or fifth, then their many different tiles could be exactly what your home needs!
Here’s a quick list f places where the material is used in your home, to make sure that you didn’t by chance miss one.
Floors
If you’ve ever walked into a truly beautiful, high-end bathroom, you’ve probably been walking on top of tile. The many different options can be matched with exactly the ambiance that you’re creating. However, it’s not just in your bathroom that you can use this on the floors. The mudroom, kitchen and entryway are also places where it can be used. If you’re turning a garage into a room, you can even use it there! With its ability to stay easy to clean and not attract dirt, as well as being durable (assuming you get the right option for the purpose), it’s a truly versatile option, ready to go anywhere in your home.
Your Kitchen Island is a Place that Most Homeowners Don’t Think About in the Process
Everyone doing kitchen remodeling is talking about backsplash installation, however most people don’t think about the fact that the kitchen island can also be decorated. They’re often overlooked despite the fact that they play such an important role in your home. Well, we want to bring focus to them so they can get the attention they deserve. Below you can see how the tile from Mercury Mosaics was installed to install beautiful contrast to a kitchen that was otherwise predominantly white in color. Rather than letting the white color dominate the whole room, the contrast is beautifully done here.
Photo credit: mercurymosaics.com
Backsplash to Protect the Walls With Your Culinary Adventures
Backsplash installation is an important part of any kitchen improvement project. If you’re wanting to upgrade your kitchen, we also very much encourage you to read this guide on the topic, since we share a bunch of tricks and everything you need to be aware of in the process.
The backsplash serves an important purpose. You’ve probably realized that it isn’t always the most clean experience when you’re either cooking or doing the dishes. Things will easily go all over the place in the process. Ew! Well, with the installation of tile you don’t have to worry anymore since it’s very, very easy to clean. It also serves the role that it will significantly improve the look of any kitchen when the tile for that purpose has been chosen wisely. See below one way that it was installed in a very contemporary kitchen. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably drooling a little bit right now!
Creating a Focal Point With Stove-Splash
While the above image shows how a consistent look can be created throughout the wall in your kitchen using mosaic tile, but your options don’t end there. While it’s easy to clean, the look itself might be a little bit too clean for the taste of some people. You can either change it up by creating an accent or otherwise creating a finishing touch. Contrasting tile may be an option, or you can go a little bit more retro the way it was done underneath. It’ll add a lot of personality, but if you’re trying to sell your home, you might want to consider something that is a bit more clean in its appearance with broader appeal also since it will help increase the home’s resale value more also.
Either way, it’s definitely a source of inspiration for how you can install the tile in different ways. Is the look for everyone? Definitely not! But if it’s right for you, that can be enough.
The Fireplace
Are you having a fireplace installed? Then what better opportunity to make it the center of attention once someone goes into your living room? This is yet another place where tile can be added to really make it stand out. Your fireplace does not simply need to be this boring place that just serves a functional purpose. It should be lighting up the space and drawing people to the living room. Not all materials will be able to handle the temperatures needed around a fireplace, but tile can.
Here’s yet another example of how you can use contrasting colors to definitely create an interesting space that will draw the attention of your guests and get them speaking.
Walls of Your Bathroom
You’ve probably previously heard the advice that you shouldn’t use excessive amounts of tile if you’re trying to save money during a bathroom remodel. Well, if that’s not your main goal, you can use it to either compliment or contrast the floors by installing it on the walls of your bathroom. This is yet another place where it can be a huge advantage that the wall material is easy to clean. You don’t even need huge amounts of tile in order to create an interesting accent that can break up the feeling in the room. Rather than it being a place you simply go to take a shower, it can now be a room that you look forward to go to in the morning.
Although there is some color variation in the tile used below, it’s not too daring, but complements the rest of choices in the bathroom very well.
An Interesting Shower Niche
Shower niches can not just be made to be an interesting visual addition to any bathroom, but they also serve a big purpose. In the photo above, you see how they’re allowing the shower’s users a place to put all their things, and when you see this, how can you really not want this to be your bathroom?
Ceramic tile has so many different uses in your home, and we’ve covered some of the most important ones that homeowners choose. How are you planning on using the material to compliment your home?