One of the oldest materials used in interior decoration is ceramic tiles. Which one to choose so that it not only adequately fits into the design of the room, but also meets operational requirements?
Multiple selection rules
Ceramic tiles are a beautiful and modern material that fully meets the requirements of environmental regulations and standards. It remains resistant to any external influences - it does not fade, does not emit toxins, does not conduct current, does not get wet. This is achieved by firing at high temperatures, due to which the tile has a vitreous structure. Thanks to this, it remains resistant to deformations and bends. Despite the simplicity of the material, it is important to know at least a little about how to choose ceramic tiles. This must be done correctly, and the first rule is attention to packaging - it makes it possible to find out enough information about the material, for example:
- For floor or wall. Floor tiles are marked with the image of a foot on a black background, wall tiles are marked with brushes.
- Wear resistance. It is marked with the numbers I to V on the PEI scale, but thisparameter is important mainly for floor tiles.
- Water absorption. This factor is directly related to the porosity of the material. The lower the water absorption, the more resistant to external influences such as temperature changes, frost, the tile will be.
- Resistant to chemical attack. It is marked with letters from A to D. The AA mark indicates that there will be no visible effects on the surface when exposed to aggressive substances. The D icon indicates that under the influence of the same factors, a complete loss of the primary surface may occur.
If the package is marked AIII or BIII, then the finishing material can only be used for interior work.
Which ceramic tile to choose?
Tile types are classified according to several parameters:
- A type of clay mix. The material can be based on different types of clay - red, white. It depends on the composition what will be the technical features of the final product in the form of porosity, consistency of geometric dimensions, color rendering of dyes.
- Forming. Tiles are created either by pressing or extruding. The first is produced with the marking B, the second - A.
- The presence of glaze. The material can be glazed or unglazed.
- Shape. Modern tiles are available in square, rectangular, complex shapes, so deciding how to choose ceramic tiles is often very, very difficult.
- Destination. Tiles can be used for flooring,walls, borders, facades, pools, and can be universal and suitable for any surface.
Given these factors, you can choose the finishing material for specific room parameters.
Production technologies
How to choose the right ceramic tiles? A variety of factors play a role in this matter, but we decided to talk separately about the main technologies by which this material is produced. They also affect the performance properties of the final product:
- Two-fired. It involves the pressing of a clay mixture, which is fired and glazed, then fired again. As a result, the surface is porous, but with low strength indicators. Matte and glossy surfaces are suitable for wall decoration. This technology produces such types of tiles as majolica and cottoforte.
- Single firing. Using this technology, tiles with an enameled surface are produced by pressing. Both the base and the enamel are fired at the same time.
- Clinker. This type of tile is created with additives in the form of coloring oxides and annealed clay. The material is obtained with a dense structure, resistant to moisture, easy to maintain. Production is carried out by extrusion, so it is possible to create tiles of complex geometric shapes.
- Cotto. This tile is not enameled, so the porous structure can be both traditional and non-standard. Surfaces are resistant to external influences.
- Ceramic granite. This type of tilepressing the mixture under high pressure, drying it and firing it at high temperature. The result is a vitrified monolith with a non-porous structure and a full-depth pattern.
As you can see, there are many varieties of material. How to choose a ceramic tile so that it meets all the requirements? We offer several rules for the selection of finishing materials for the design of the kitchen and bathroom.
Select options for the kitchen
Ceramic tiles are most commonly used in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. And an important parameter of choice is not so much aesthetics as the resistance of the coating to external influences. Before choosing a ceramic tile, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main points that you should pay attention to:
- kitchen is a room with a high level of humidity, so the surface must be resistant to temperature changes and high humidity, splashes of grease and aggressive chemicals;
- heat retention - ceramic tiles do not retain heat well, so you need to think over the underfloor heating system;
- slipperiness - the tile has a smooth surface, so it is safest to walk on it in indoor shoes.
Given these parameters, you can choose a coating that will transform the kitchen space, create an interesting interior in it and prevent possible negative consequences of using the material.
Floor tiles for the kitchen: how to choose?
Before choosing a floorceramic tiles, you need to decide on its size. Even with the same color and surface design, the material can be produced in different sizes. Of course, large tiles look presentable and stylish, but kitchens do not always have optimal parameters for their installation. For a small space, it is advisable to choose a finishing material that has a small size: 20 × 20 cm, 25 × 25 cm, 10 × 10 cm. When choosing, you need to consider several important recommendations:
- For a small floor area, it is better to choose small-format ceramics, otherwise it will be necessary to trim the material during installation, which will lead to a large amount of waste.
- Small tiles are easy to fit into a small kitchen space.
- Large-sized ceramics will visually enlarge the space of the kitchen.
How to choose ceramic floor tiles if you want non-standard solutions? Pay attention to rectangular ceramics - it looks expressive due to the imitation of brickwork or wooden parquet. Such materials are ideal for modeling space and giving proportionality to narrow or long kitchens. To give the premises originality, you can choose a tile of an unusual shape - multifaceted, rounded, wavy, diamond-shaped.
Kitchen colors
Choosing ceramic tiles for the kitchen is quite simple, because modern manufacturers offer a huge variety of color and texture solutions. As for the selection of colors, you need to take into account the range in which the entire interior is designed:
- under prevailingthe white color of the room will suit tiles of any color;
- against the background of a green interior, tiles of yellow, light brown, coffee color look beautiful;
- choose white ceramics with blue accents for the blue color, plain in any shades of blue or sand.
Quite often, the interior of the kitchen is maintained in a popular eco-style with an emphasis on wooden elements. In this case, when choosing tiles, you need to take into account the texture and color of the wood itself. But under wooden furniture, you should not choose wood imitation tiles, as wood motifs will contradict each other.
Bathroom tiles: about the nuances of choice
Rooms such as the bathroom and toilet are the most problematic in terms of design. There is not much space in them, so you have to go to different tricks to make the compact space convenient and rational. And the choice of finishing materials is an important step, as they should visually improve the perception of this room. How to choose ceramic tiles for the bathroom? The basic selection rules are:
- View - wall or floor. The first type is used mainly for room decor, the second is important as a functional detail.
- Surface type - modern tiles have a glossy or matte, smooth or embossed surface. When choosing, you need to take into account that it is easier to slip on a smooth surface, and embossed ones are not always comfortable for the feet. In any case, bathroom floor tiles must be slip resistant.
Before choosing ceramic tiles for the bathroom, you need to consider the size of the room, its stylistic design, the features of sanitary equipment in it and the availability of additional accessories.
About shapes and colors
As we have already said, to create a harmonious interior, it is important to consider what size the ceramic tiles will be. It must match the shape and dimensions of the room. In addition to traditional square and rectangular variations, mosaics and tiles are popular, helping to create complex decorative compositions and patterns on the floor.
To choose ceramic tiles for the bathroom, you need to decide on the desired color effect. The limited space leads to the fact that you have to pay attention to light shades - sand, beige, pastel. As a rule, they are in harmony with plumbing fixtures and furniture, which is most often light in the bathroom. But you can always bring novelty to the design of this room:
- bright colors of exotic fruits will fill the room with unusual colors;
- you can support the marine theme using turquoise and azure tiles:
- Shades of blue and lilac will help convey an atmosphere of calm.
If the bathroom is large, you can make it luxurious and decorate in rich dark colors. For example, a black tile with a gold frame looks catchy and spectacular.
Top brands: what to choose for your bathroom?
How to choose ceramic floor tiles to make this room harmonious and stylish? For the right choice, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the products of the most popular brands on the market, which have the largest number of reviews. Our mini-review will include three popular brands:
- Kerama Marazzi. This manufacturer from Russia offers as many as 12 collections of tiles in a variety of styles, and each collection is a reference to a specific country with its cultural characteristics and traditions. This is the only company in Russia that produces ceramic granite with an exact imitation of natural material. It is the products of this brand that have received the largest number of reviews. They note such advantages of tiles as a rich assortment, strength and beautiful appearance of the coating, the ability to find material even in a small town. Among the shortcomings, buyers note not the most successful harmony of floor and wall tiles, that is, problems may arise with the selection of material for both the floor and the wall in one collection.
- Fap Ceramiche. Ceramics of this brand are chosen by those who can afford the products of the elite class. When discussing which ceramic tile to choose for a bathroom, reviews often mention this particular brand. Its advantages are in the perfect imitation of natural materials (natural marble or fine wood), excellent design solutions and consistent quality. There are also disadvantages, but most buyers note the high cost of products. In some reviews there isinformation that tiles do not always match in size.
- Keramin. The Belarusian brand offers up to 80 tile collections in a variety of price categories and colors. According to reviews, it is easy to choose a finishing material in the assortment not only for the bathroom, but also for the corridor or kitchen. Among the advantages are a wide range and variety of colors, universal solutions, an adequate price. But, as with many other brands, the geometry of the tile does not always fit.
These are only the most popular brands, the products of which have quite a lot of reviews. What will you choose? It's up to you!
Hallway Solutions
Tile is most commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms, but lately there has been a trend towards ceramics and hallways or hallways. These premises are the hallmarks of an apartment or a country house, which is reflected in the selection of materials. What ceramic tiles to choose in the hallway? The selection criteria for this room are somewhat different, due to the intensity of the load on the floor:
- Wear resistance. Dirt, water flowing from an umbrella, snow melting on shoes, a heavy bag placed on the floor - all this damages the flooring. Therefore, to finish the hallway, tiles are required, the wear resistance class of which is from III and above.
- Resistant to chemical attack. For mopping, we use a variety of "chemistry", including caustic substances. They can damage the coatingtiles, so for corridors and hallways choose A and AA resistant tiles.
- Resistant to moisture. For the hallway, tiles are suitable, which have low porosity and, accordingly, a low level of water absorption.
We have described the different types of tiles for the bathroom, kitchen and hallway, given the most popular selection criteria so that you have no problem finding the answer to the question of which tile is suitable for a particular room.
