In recent posts I touched very briefly on the topic of tiles. This time I’ll elaborate a little further.
Stone, glass, metal, and prefab hybrid. These are all belfast tiles designs which have become so popular over the past couple of years as a result of technological advances in mass producing it. Because of this, an individual would believe ceramic tiles are obsolete, at a “great for grandma’s home ” sorta way. Grab a chair, you’re in for a jolt. Ceramic tiles nowadays are almost red carpet material. Yes they could be a cost premium. It’s mostly the deco tiles which will set you back your prettiest penny. But if you’ve got the money, there isn’t much else to say – except to say it’s bloody well worthwhile.
At any rewarding ceramic tile showroom it is easy to spend hours upon hours just trying to select a layout and commit to it. And of course with anything ultra cool, as soon as you’ve made your mind up you’ll inevitably walk by still another assortment of tiles and be changed into a drooling, indecisive idiot. I’ve been into a ceramic tile showroom in west LA lately that literally blew my mind.
Ceramic Tile are produced from a specific sort of clay, which is fired at a particular temperature. At this time someone waves a particular magic wand and presto! Ceramic tile. Ok, that last part isn’t always accurate, but at least now you understand a few steps in the procedure. The distinction between this and porcelain tile (to the user ) is the ceramic tiles are normally more artisan, less ideal, more infrequent, more striking. On the other hand, porcelain tiles are normally far more streamlined, far more perfect. Since ceramic tiles are fired at a higher temperature, it’s a lot stronger than ceramics. Yet most men and women have a tendency to gravitate towards ceramic tile.
While searching for tiles, that’s not true. Ceramic tiles’ attractiveness lie inside the flaws and inconsistencies. Ceramic tiles have an undeniable charm, and for the most part they seem handmade. Obviously looking handmade comes part and parcel to actually BEING handmade, but I just thought I’d point out the obvious. OK, pointless reality time is finished.
So, back to the point… I’m a big fan of using ceramic tiles, but I must be honest, they’re a frickin’ pain in the behind to install. Within the process of earning ceramic tile, there may be as much as an 8 percent warping during the heating process, for whatever reasons. Thus, if you do begin tiling you can normally find a few tiles sticking out and looking strange. It will begin to seem less and less like you’ve been poked in the eye as soon as you’re around 50% finished with the tiling. At this time, the irregularities come together and you begin to see the imperfect magnificence of it all. So in the event that you’re new to laying ceramic tile, try to not have a cow when you see what resembles blatent flaws in the item, because when it’s all completed those imperfections will only enhance your satisfaction.
Ceramic tile has a limitless design program really. You’re only at the mercy of everything you’re capable of dreaming up. There’s so many diverse colours, glazes, shapes, sizes, components, repeating patterns,… ok, ok… I think you understand.
Field tile is something which will take up the most space on a wall or floor. It’s typically tile which lacks elaborate decoration and designs.
Base molding tiles run across the ground, at the base of a wall.
Rail molding tiles are usually utilised to top off a half wall of tile, creating a textural separation between your usual wall and the tile layout.
Corner (or crown) molding tiles are used where the cover of the wall meets the ceiling.
To add flare to your tiling, you may use a boundary molding, which will run across the wall in a row, or you could add a deco tile. You wouldn’t use deco tiles together because in the first place it might just be too costly, and in the next place it would wind up appearing as tacky as your ’80’s acid-washed jeans.
Deco tiles are only employed as exquisite accents, splashes of decoration in a overall wall or floor tiling. Just by placing a couple of deco tiles strategically on your design you will take advantage of your efforts. So whether you think that your interior living room requires a feature wall of ceramic tiling, or you only have to tear your bathtub up and go nuts, ceramic tiles are a rewarding and terrific choice to take into account.
Peter Gibson is an interior design specialist of 20 years. His work and accomplishments have been documented in several trade periodicals and websites through the years, and he’s won industry awards for his work throughout his time in South East Asia.
Peter’s hobbies are musical in nature, as such he assists his wife and son run a classic vinyl record store in his spare time, because of his love for classic music and classic collecting.
When laying ceramic tiles is completely new to you, “5 Steps to complete a successful ceramic tile installation” is a set of basic but important ideas you will help you avoid making costly mistakes on the following bathroom or ceramic tile installation.
O Shop around in case you would like to save
O Prepare the surface for a durable job
o Finishing touches
Plan which Tile
This measure can be underestimated and sometimes even forgotten (can you believe it?) . Planning your ceramic tile installation from A to Z is probably among the main steps for a smooth, easy going and problem free bathroom tile installation.
Some things to consider in account are:
O Pattern /color of the tile
(This is important information that will be vital to know how much grout, tile, etc, you have to purchase )
O Adhesive, mortar or grout to fit your requirements
DO NOT feel shy about asking the providers for help or advice in calculating how much you require. They will gladly help you, since they are likely to generate a sale.
Shop around in case you would like to save!
This isn’t as hard as the initial step, however as soon as the budget is tight it can be challenging to get the appropriate tile to your ceramic tile installation that you want. Costs can vary a lot between different tiles, so some wind up rather expensive for just a few square yards.
Always look around, it has never been easier. Use local directories to locate the suppliers near you and pay them a visit.
Prior to making your final decision always check the selected tile under different lights as the results can be surprisingly different.
Prepare the surface for a long lasting job before placing the ceramic tiles
The surface to be tiled (floor, wall or any other) will frequently have to be ready, this may include work like filling, levelling, smoothing, priming and sometimes water proofing.
The ideal preparation will be directly alter the lifespan of the ceramic tile installation. Unless you would like to be tiling again shortly, you need to get this right from the beginning.
This is most likely the main point to guarantee a durable tiling job.
Laying the ceramic tiles
The technique of laying ceramic tiles isn’t especially tricky. It only requires a small amount of training before anyone can easily master it. Clearing the space to be tiled prior to starting will allow you to do the job safer and easier.
Laying ceramic tiles may also be somewhat messy, if you don’t need dust throughout the house we suggest sealing the space that you would like to tile whenever possible.
Try not to permit any adhesive to have in your skin and never forget to read the manufacturers instructions before even opening the tin. If a few ends up on you, simply clean it with water whenever possible. Despite the fact that tile adhesives aren’t normally abrasive, should you put it off for some time it might cause an allergic response.
Use a spirit level to assist you with the depth & degree of the tiles and spacers to keep an even distance between them.
The finishing touches
You will need to fill out the spaces between tiles with grout ensuring you don’t leave any openings because these cause damp problems, at a shower for example.
There are lots of unique types of grouts; you will have to select the right one based on the surface and selected tile.
Now that you have your ceramic tiles laid down, you just need to look after them, usually manufacturers supply advice on looking after their tiles and only minimal effort is needed. Most household cleaning products will do the work well, if a particular stain is stubborn, there are lots of commercial stain removers, just be sure you use the perfect product for the ideal tile.
You’re closer to discovering how satisfying it can be managing a tile installation yourself, simply follow these 5 steps to get the best result.
Now visit http://www.tiling-tips.com [http://www.tiling-tips.com] if you would like to know how to use these 5 steps in depth.
Nowadays Building Maintenance Engineer specialist Manuel Kupka focuses on exploring, developing, and testing information products on building maintenance and installation.
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