5 Things to Keep in Mind While Choosing Floor Tiles
The flooring of the house is as important as its structure. Apart from being functional, it can enhance the look of the home in several ways. Thus, special care has to be taken when it comes to flooring. One of the most appropriate and widely accepted flooring materials is tiles.
However, when it comes to choosing tiles for your home, it may be hard knowing where to start. Here are some key factors that you should keep in mind.
Functionality
Every room or space in the house is built to serve a specific purpose. Hence, the tile must match the needs of the space.
For instance, bathroom is the only space in the house which faces a maximum amount of water. Many people use tiles on bathroom walls as well. Usage of water-resistant/non-porous tiles in bathrooms is highly recommended.
Use light or neutral tile colours as they make your bathroom look spacious and elegant, whereas when it comes to the living room, you can choose anything from ceramic tiles and vitrified tiles, based on the interiors and furniture.
Kitchen is one of the spaces that witness high-traffic and low maintenance; hence, the floor tile used in this space should be one that is durable. It should also be one that is easy to maintain. Choosing a scratch-resistant tile is a wise idea.
Size and shape
As much as the design and finish, the size of the tiles can also impact the appearance of the space. Apart from being durable, glazed vitrified tiles come in many sizes and can be a good option for flooring.
Colour
Colour of the flooring plays a crucial role in accentuating the look and feel of your home. A colour that works for one room may not necessarily be the ideal one for another room. For instance, light coloured tiles create a spacious and airy feel. Lighter hues like cream and pastel floor tiles can create an illusion of space and are preferred for indoors.
Whereas, dark-coloured tiles make a smaller space look even smaller. They are suitable for outdoors. However, one can choose chocolate brown, navy or burnt-coloured floor tiles if the kitchen space is a large enough.
Finish
The finish of the tile is equally important. Stone tiles work well for exteriors, while glossy tiles look great indoors. Wood finishes are recommended in the bathroom and kitchen as they not only provide a warm feel to the entire space; they are slip-resistant as well.
Spacing
Once you’ve decided the type, colour, pattern, size, and layout of your floor tiles, it’s time to install them correctly to have the maximum impact.
The spacing of the floor tiles can influence the overall appearance and thus, it is necessary to keep spacing in mind before you have them laid. Grout comes in a range of colours, allowing one to be playful. However, using a grout that matches the floor tiles will be advisable.
This article is contributed by AV Mallikarjuna, Assistant Vice President- Sales, Vitero Tiles for RoofandFloor.