Choosing Tile Flooring

When considering the sort of flooring to put in your home, tile flooring is an increasingly popular choice due to its durability and beauty. Tile flooring is available in many different forms, sizes, shapes, and colors, which give the home decorator a variety of possibilities for patterns and looks, from rustic to elegant. From entryways to bathrooms, tile flooring can add just the right accent to your home and because of its durability, it will undoubtedly last for many years to come. But keep in mind that because installing tile usually involves using adhesives and grout, it's a fairly permanent addition to the house. To ensure that you make the right choices when purchasing tile flooring, a little education will help.

Hardness

One of the most important things to consider when purchasing your tile flooring is where the tile will be used, and to select a tile of proper hardness for where you want to place it. The Porcelain Enamel Institute has developed a standard scale for tile hardness, from zero to five, with "zero" used as a hardness suitable for wall tile and "five" primarily referring to tile suitable for commercial use. This scale is not indicative of the quality of the tile, but merely the amount and sort of traffic it can handle.

When purchasing your tile flooring, be sure to ask about the rating of the tile you're interested in, so you're not using a tile in your entryway that would be better suited for your bathtub. No one wants to have tile flooring installed just to have it crack, so make sure that you are selecting the right tile for your job.

Porosity

Just as you want to select tile flooring that will stand up to wear, you also want tiles that will hold up to the amount of moisture in the room that will be used in. If your tile is to be used in the bathroom where there will be a lot of steam, or outside where it will be subject to the elements, you should pick a tile that is nonporous so it will not be subject to water damage. Also keep in mind that some materials will need sealant in order to keep moisture out. The professional at your local flooring store will be able to answer your questions about the type of tile and sealant that you should use.

While on the subject of moisture, be sure to pick tile flooring that isn't too slick when wet. Tiles appropriate for the bathroom and other such areas will have been treated so the surface is slightly abrasive, which will prevent slipping when stepping out of the shower. Simple attention to the porosity of your tile as well as the hardness will do wonders for ensuring that you select tile flooring that is beautiful and that will last for a long time.
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