Tiles are becomingly increasingly popular and can
be used in almost any area of the home. Traditionally,
tiles have been used in laundries, bathrooms and
kitchens but they can also be used around the swimming
pool, in outdoor areas, in garages, and bedrooms,
to name a few. Tiles are low allergy and low maintenance,
and come in an almost infinite range of styles,
colours and materials.
Choosing Your TilesThere are a few things to consider when choosing
your tiles, with the most obvious being the style,
finish and colour. Look at where the tiles will
be and how they will be used. When selecting colours
and designs, take inspiration from existing areas
of your home or engage the services of a design
professional to help you choose what is best for
you. Remember to take into account the tiles’
wear rating and safety. In wet areas, you may
require tiles that have some slip resistance to
them. Glazed tiles are waterproof but can be slippery
so they may need to be coated for additional safety.
Unglazed tiles are porous so they should be sealed
in order to minimise staining and residue build
up.
It is important that the area to be tiled is measured
accurately so there are enough tiles to complete
the project. Buy extra tiles in case of breakage
during the laying process and also so that you
have spares in case a tile chips or breaks in
the future. it is almost impossible to match new
tiles to your existing ones. Less visible areas
such as in the pantry and under the refrigerator
should be tiled last in case of a shortage of
tiles – this will minimise the effect on
the aesthetics of the pattern.
In wet areas especially, the area underneath
the tiles should be waterproofed by a professional,
whether it is a tiler, plumber or waterproofing
specialist. Waterproofing is necessary so that
water does not seep behind the tiles and cause
structural damage to timbers or other problems
such as rising damp.
Finally, it is acceptable to use floor tiles
on a wall, but wall tiles should never be used
on a floor as they are simply not strong enough
to handle the extra loads.
Types of Tiles
There are several different types of tiles
to suit all applications. Some common tiles are:
CeramicCeramic tiles are made from clay
and can be glazed or unglazed. Many different
finishes are available and tiles come in a range
of sizes
Terracotta These tiles are unglazed and
as such must be sealed if they are to be used
in areas of heavy use. Terracotta tiles are usually
available in earthy tones.
Mosaic Mosaic tiles are small tiles made
from stone, glass or ceramic and are set into
a base to create patterns and designs. They are
popular in bathrooms especially.
Marble and graniteThese are very durable and low
maintenance. If these tiles are polished they
may become slippery in wet areas.
Porcelain Porcelain tiles are fired at
very high temperatures and as such are impervious.
They come in a glazed or matte finish and can
be used both indoors and outdoors.
Quartz These arw very durable and available in a
wide range of colours.
LimestoneThese arw popular for floors but needs
to be sealed as it can be porous.
Tiles also come with ratings that are designed to
convey the durability of the tile and system is
ranked from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and
5 being the strongest. Rating 1 tiles are suitable
for lightly used areas such as ensuites, where the
user is likely to be bare-footed or wearing soft
shoes. Rating 2 tiles can be used in residential
areas where heavy footwear is not worn and that
are not heavily used. Tiles with Rating 3 can be
used in areas such as kitchens and corridors. Rating
4 tiles can stand more use and as such are recommended
for heavily used areas in the home such as entrances
and common walkways. Rating 5 tiles are the strongest
of all and are most commonly used in commercial
situations.
What Tilers Do
Tilers perform a range of tasks including:
measuring area to be tiled
laying out tiles
preparation of surfaces
laying tiles using the correct adhesives
cutting tiles using special tools
ensuring that tiles are correctly spaced and levelled
prepare and apply grout as well as remove excess
grout
cleaning and polishing tiles
applying waterproofing to necessary areas
Hiring a ProfessionalA professional will help your tiling project
to run much more smoothly. Before hiring a professional,
first ask to see details of their qualifications
and experience, and ensure that they hold the
necessary insurances. Also obtain at least three
written quotations, so that you can get a general
idea of how much the project will cost.
Check the professional’s references, and
inspect their previous work if at all possible.
Make sure that the professional is able to complete
the project within a satisfactory time frame,
and that you feel comfortable with them. Finally,
ask if they will provide a clean up service once
the project is complete
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