All You Need to Know About Tile
Types of Tile | Selecting Tile | Tile Installation
Tile is becoming a more popular floor covering choice for a number of reasons:
- Creates a rich, elegant style for any room
- Design options are limitless
- - Colors and finishes range from rugged earth tones to stunning metallic and glass tiles.
- Grout, the color filler applied in the space between the tiles, can contrast or coordinate with
the tiles or nearly match the color. - Practical: tile’s durable surface is stain resistant and won’t fade or burn.
- Tile is moisture resistent, so it is exceptionally easy to keep clean.
Natural Stone Tile Tile can be cut from natural stone, such as marble or granite, offering a distinctive and beautiful look. However, natural stone has its disadvantages:
- It’s porous, so it stains easily;
- It can be very fragile and will break more easily than porcelain; and
- It is very expensive.
Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is the oldest known flooring material. It has been made the same way for centuries: a mixture of clays and other natural materials that are mined from the earth, shaped, colored and fired at high temperatures.
Various clays are blended to a fine powder and pressed together to form the body of the tile. The pressed clay body is then dried to reduce the moisture content. In the case of glazed tile, one surface is coated with a colored glaze made from a glass derivative called “Frit”. The glaze is permanently fused to the surface of the tile by firing in kilns at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, forming a finished product that is hard, with an impermeable surface.
Porcelain Tile
Porcelain is a form of ceramic tile made from a very fine mix of clay and minerals – far different from regular ceramics – formed under extremely high pressure and fired at higher temperatures than standard ceramic tile. The result is a material that is stronger and more durable than standard ceramic and very resistant to moisture and stains.
Superior porcelain tile is especially resistant to scratching, staining and fading, and it never needs sealing. Through-body porcelain tiles are colored throughout the entire tile, so there is little danger of color loss due to wear.
Porcelain represents the best overall value in tile because it is:
- Available in various styles and faithfully replicates natural stone;
- Non-porous (unlike standard ceramic tile or natural stone);
- More durable and stain resistant than natural stone; and
- Significantly more affordable than natural stone.
Selecting tile boils down to aesthetics and practicality. There are unlimited design possibilities. But before choosing a style, the homeowner should consider where it will be used (floor or wall, inside or outside) in order to ensure that the tile selected is appropriate.
Glazed, Smooth Tiles
Glaze is a surface coating made from a glass derivative and comes in finishes from matte (dull) to high gloss (shiny). Generally, the lower the sheen, the better the grip (or slip resistance). Less glossy surfaces are also less likely to reveal scratches.
The main benefits of glazed tile are more color choices and stain resistance. The downside to glazed tile is that it can chip. Higher gloss, smooth surfaces are also more slippery, so they shouldn’t be used in high traffic areas.
Unglazed Tiles
Unglazed tiles are better suited for high traffic and wear areas because they are more durable than glazed tiles and chips are less noticeable. Texturing also increases slip resistance. A downside to unglazed tiles is that they often contain nooks and crannies which can make cleaning more difficult.
Room Size
Room size helps determine tile size. As larger homes have become more popular, so have larger tiles. Larger tiles tend to visually expand a smaller area, and unify a larger area. From a design standpoint, larger tiles also mean fewer grout lines and a more tailored, less busy look.
However, in a small room, using a larger tile could result in numerous cuts and use of partial tiles, which can detract from the desired look.
Grout Color
Grout color is one more opportunity for the homeowner to define their style:
- Matching the tile color creates a more seamless floor.
- Complementing or accenting the tile with a shade slightly different from the color of the tile adds depth to the tile design without creating a bold outline.
- Using a contrasting color emphasizes the pattern created by the tile.
Approximately 75% of the cost of tile can be attributed to the installation IF IT IS DONE PROPERLY. Of course, there are many contractors who will gladly cut corners in order to reduce the price, but the homeowner pays in the long run.
Sub-floor Preparation
When installing tile, the condition of the sub-floor is critical. Tile has NO ability to flex or adjust for irregularities, so the sub-floor must be flat, firm and structurally sound.
Over Concrete – Typically, tile is installed over a concrete slab. With older concrete surfaces, uneven surfaces and stress cracks are common problems. A leveling compound can be applied by the installer on the job site to repair minor cracks or uneven surfaces. More significant cracks in the concrete must be repaired prior to installing ceramic tile. “Vertical” cracks, where the floor is at different levels, can not be fixed. In such case, carpet would be a better option.
Over Wood – On upper floors or main floors over a basement, the most common sub-floor is wood. Ceramic tile should NEVER be installed directly over wood. Hardwood moves with changes in temperature, causing the tile and grout to break. Consequently, whenever installing ceramic tile over a wood sub-floor, the installer should first install a cement backerboard and then install the tile over the cement backerboard. This ensures a level and clean surface on which to install the tile.
Buyer’s Tip: Watch out for installers who cut corners by using backerboard made of plywood or particleboard, which will break down if exposed to moisture.
Cutting the Tile – Straight cuts are made either with a power wet saw or by scoring and snapping the tile. Curved or finished cuts can be made with tile nippers (like a big pair of nail clippers), a tile saw (cutting and snapping small sections at a time), or a carbide rod saw.
Setting the Tile in Mortar – The mortar is mixed and spread on a section of the backer board or concrete sub-floor. This process is sometimes called “combing” due to the criss cross pattern used to increase adhesion. Tiles are then pushed into the mortar and leveled.
Buyer’s Tip: Some installers cut costs by using mortar that is rigid, causing the tile and grout to break with the natural movement of the sub-floor. Problems also arise if mortar is not spread evenly, leaving gaps under the tile (which can then break when walked on) or if the installer uses a trowel that is smaller than specified, resulting in less mortar over a larger area, which reduces tile adhesion.
Adding Grout – For applications in which there is 1/8″ or less between tiles, “un-sanded” grout should be used. For plans that call for wider grout line, a sanded grout with a little more bulk will better bridge the larger gaps.
If there is less than 3/8″ of space between the tiles (which is usually the case), grout is basically mixed and wiped on. The semi-liquid grout finds the lowest point and automatically fills in the spaces between the tiles. Once hardened, the excess grout can be cleaned from the tiles.
Sealing Tile & Grout – Tile made from natural stone MUST be sealed with a stain sealant. Ceramic and porcelain tile does NOT need to be sealed. However, ALL GROUT lines must be sealed.
Grout can only be sealed after it has cured, which can take up to seven (7) days. That’s why many customers seal the grout themselves. It can be done using a sponge and bucket and does not take a great deal of time.
Quarter Round Molding
Quarter round should be applied around the perimeter of the baseboard to finish off a tile installation. Quarter round molding is available in both paint and stain grade so that the customer can match the baseboard.
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