Educating yourself with types of tiles, reputable installation companies and the tile installation process will assist in starting your journey to incorporating a beautiful new flooring addition to your home.
You can start by going to tile showrooms and looking at the variety and types of tiles available. Try not to limit yourself to just one type of tile. Instead, sort through the samples and pick three or four styles just in case one selection doesn’t fall within your budget when you are pricing out your selections.
This brings us to our next point. Call around to different home remodeling/tile installation companies. This will help you get a feel for the price range in which your tile selections fall under. Try to get the feel for each company by how helpful they are over the phone. Some tile installation companies will price quote you over the phone and some will not.
Choices for tile installation include:
Vinyl tile is known for its ability to ‘bounce back’ against the pressure that is used against it. Made for its ability to withstand high traffic areas, vinyl tile is preferred for use in healthcare facilities, grocery stores and retail establishments. Overall, Vinyl tile is durable, inexpensive and relatively easy to install.
Ceramic tile is a step above Vinyl tile. Prepared from fired clay, Ceramic tile provides durability, water-resistance and is the most affordable hard surface tile. This particular type of tile comes with the color and/or pattern on the surface of the tile not all the way through it. .
Porcelain tile is the most durable of the three. Although a bit more expensive, Porcelain tile is abrasion resistant, stain resistant and out performs the rest in durability and longevity. The non permeable surface is coupled with a style and color pattern that runs all the way through the thickness of the tile.
Marble and Travertine are two of the higher end products. Because of their porous nature, both require sealant to help protect from stains and other damage. Used to build ancient structures, these natural stones are durable and known for their longevity. Although more labor intensive to install and maintain, Marble and Travertine tile can be an excellent choice for any room in your home or business.
One last thing. Do your homework on thinset and installation techniques. Thinset is the glue like substance that holds the tile to the floor. The wrong kind of thinset or a bad installation could cause serious damage such as cracking and lifting if not installed properly.
I hope this information has helped in adding to your knowledge to the tile installation process. Good luck and happy tiling!
