Selecting the Right Kitchen Tile

Selecting the Right Kitchen Tile

Tile, especially porcelain or ceramic tile, is an excellent choice for a kitchen floor because it's easy to maintain, durable, and given the variety of colors and sizes available for every budget, you're guaranteed to find kitchen tile perfect for your home. Here are a few tips to follow before hitting the tile showrooms to better prepare you to choose the right kitchen tile.

Types of Kitchen Tile Available

Kitchens typically see a lot of action, from high traffic to food splatter, to accidentally dropping a dish. This means that the tile floor you choose should be both durable and easy to clean. If, however, your kitchen is seldom used, and is mostly for show, you can be less discerning of what materials you need.

For instance, natural stone, such as slate, is beautiful and comes in a variety of shades and sizes, but will most likely chip if a heavy pot is dropped on it and could stain if not sealed properly. Natural stone also requires upkeep, such as sealing the tile once a year (sometimes more if your kitchen falls into the first category), so you might want to consider a natural stone for elsewhere in your house or perhaps as a backsplash.

The most durable and popular forms of tile are glazed kitchen ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles. These tiles don't need to be sealed, so there is virtually no upkeep other than routine cleaning. Also, you can choose porcelain or ceramic that was designed to simulate a natural stone product so you get the beauty of natural stone without the hassles of the real thing.

You can also purchase tile that mimics hardwood flooring, also without the upkeep of actual hardwood. Glass tile and mosaic tiles are best used as accents in areas that won't receive high traffic or best reserved for a backsplash, especially since these are more expensive and will get the most attention above your counters rather than under your feet.

Measure, Determine Budget and Gather Samples

Measure your kitchen (multiplying length by width) to get an approximate square footage-don't worry about being exact because you'll need to figure in about a 10 to 15 percent surplus for cuts and mistakes. Then, determine a budget and divide it by your kitchen measurement so you have an idea of the price per square foot you're willing to pay once you're in the store. Don't forget about paying for labor if hiring a contractor when determining your budget.

Also, gather color samples from your kitchen, such as a paint swatch, a cabinet door and even a countertop sample if possible. This way, once you're in the showroom, you'll be better equipped to choose possibilities that will work with your current color scheme. It's best not to buy impulsively, even if you fall in love with a particular tile. Take several samples home so that you can see tiles in your lighting, in your home, and make sure to put it against any flooring that might connect to the kitchen as well as pay attention to how it looks in both natural and artificial light. You'll be surprised what looks great in the showroom could look completely different in your home. It's best to take your time and get it right, because tile is not something easily replaced once installed.

Bob Fischer contributes to KitchenDesignsRemodeling.com, which specializes in offering kitchen design ideas, as well as kitchen ceramic tiles.

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Using Glass Tile For Kitchen Back Splashes

Using Glass Tile For Kitchen Back Splashes

Do you want to add luster and sparkle to your kitchen back splash? Then glass tiles are the only choice! These tiles are spectacular and are available in clear, frosted, linear or iridescent finishes and can even be slip proof for floors!! Glass is actually incredibly durable and non-porous making glass a perfect choice for the kitchen.

The downside of glass is that these tiles can be very tricky to cut and very expensive. Installing glass kitchen back splash tiles is very similar to installing ceramic tile only your choice of grout color is very important. Since most glass tiles are translucent, imperfections in your grouting job will show through the tile. Since these tiles are translucent, their color will also be affected by your grout color choice therefore it is recommended to use a white grout so that the true color of the tile will show through.

Glass mosaic tile back splashes

Glass 1x1 mosaic tiles are quite expensive running at approximately $30 sq where larger glass tile sheets are less. One way to include glass into your back splash design without blowing your budget is to use smaller glass mosaic boarder sheets. These sheets combine excellently with ceramic or stone tiles and work wonderfully on their own when applied to a painted back splash surface.

Solid glass tile back splashes

Another fabulous option for kitchen back splashes is solid glass slabs. Solid pieces of clear or colored glass can be installed between kitchen counters and kitchen cabinetry creating a luminous and fluid like effect for your kitchen back splash. Solid glass is also quite expensive and will show dirt and grime easier however this surface is very easy to keep clean as it is seamless.

Sculpted glass kitchen back splashes

As evident in glass blowing, glass is a material which can be heated and then sculpted into incredibly beautiful pieces. If you are serious about creating a unique kitchen backsplash, there are glass manufacturing experts who can create some amazing pieces that could be worked into a kitchen backsplash for you. The more complex they are however, expect cleaning to be a nightmare!

!!important tip for white glass tiles!!

If you want to use a white glass tiles in your kitchen back splash design, beware that most white glass tiles will actually have a light green appearance!! It will never look like true white. If white is your color of choice and you wish to use glass tiles then frosted glass tiles are your only hope. These tiles create a much whiter appearance.

Michael Kyle is Co-founder of The The Sexy Kitchen.com and Sexy Bathroom.Com Two great web sites dedicated to Kitchen & Bathroom Design, Planning and Materials as well as a great resource for design photo's and entertaining.

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