The kitchen is the heart of a home. A well-designed kitchen is not just for preparing food but serves as a gathering place for family and friends. Tile is an excellent choice for flooring, countertops, and backsplashes because of its durability and limitless creative options.
We’ve gathered the most relevant information regarding kitchen tile installation so you can make a choice that best suits your needs and style.
Design
You will most likely spend more time in the kitchen than in any other room in your home. You want your kitchen to be functional and express your personality and be a place you enjoy spending time in.
Tile comes in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. There is no shortage of options for designing your kitchen with tile. It is easy to choose one pattern for the floor with a matching or complementary design for the kitchen backsplash.
Durability
The kitchen is a high-traffic area. In a typical kitchen, people coming in and out, food being chopped, heated and splashed, drinks being poured and spilled are all common occurrences. Tile can handle all of this without skipping a beat.
Tile is usually made of ceramic and is waterproof because of this. It is also heat resistant, though not heatproof. This means that hot plates and dishes will not damage tile as long as direct contact is minimal.
The smooth surface of tile makes it a breeze to clean compared to other surfaces such as granite, concrete, or wood. Tile has been glazed and can typically be wiped clean with a rag and simple cleaning solution and returned to its original sheen and color. Anyone with small children around can appreciate the need to be able to clean up a kitchen quickly, and tile allows for that to happen.
Cost-Effective
Tile comes in a wide variety of price ranges. One of the factors influencing price will be the size. Larger tiles will cost more, as will those considered smaller than the usual size. Because of their long life expectancy and incredibly low maintenance cost, tile remains a cost-effective option for use in both flooring and wall.
Popular Tile Options
As mentioned above, one of the major advantages of tile is the almost limitless choice of design options. Everything from size, color, and shape is customizable. These are just some of the more popular options available.
Mosaic
Mosaic tiles are small tiles typically sold in sheets. After installation, they appear as one solid sheet that can either be solid or display a pattern or image. Mosaic tiles have been around since the Byzantine Empire and have been used to create stunning works of art still around today.
Subway Tiles
Subway tiles have long been a popular choice for walls and backslash. The rectangular design allows for a wide variety of patterns. Mixing and matching different colors is another option that creates a great look while keeping the area behind your sink and stove clean and shining with a simple swipe.
With the right approach, subway tiles can also be an excellent choice for flooring. Be mindful that the smaller subway tile shape can give a floor a busier look, so it would be best to combine them with a simpler pattern on the walls or countertops.
Wood-like Tile
If you want to combine the best of two worlds, wood-like tile may be the right choice. Wood-like tiles make a great choice for flooring and combine the durability and easy maintenance of tile with the warm aesthetic of wood.
Hexagon Tiles
One of the most attractive and customizable options for kitchen tile installation is hexagonal or hex tiles. Hex tiles can be fitted together to create beautiful patterns of color or calming geometric designs, depending on the colors used.
