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 There are so many different looks, textures and patterns that every home can have a completely unique tile profile. |
There’s tile found in almost every home, whether it’s in the foyer, surrounding the bathtub or detailing the kitchen backsplash.
And with an array of colours, patterns and styles, there’s a different tile for every personality — but picking the right tile for each application takes some know-how.
That’s why we asked the experts: What should I know before deciding on tiles for my home?
“If you want to go low-maintenance with your tile floor, go with ceramic or porcelain,” says Mark Sawitsky, inside sales representative at Euro Ceramic Tile. “If you want a unique look, a natural stone — marble, travertine, slate, granite — is basically a one-of-a-kind item you can never duplicate.”
In addition to looks, however, consumers must always be on the lookout for quality.
If you go cheap, it’ll crack, Sawitsky says. “You really get what you pay for when it comes to tile.”
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Natural stone is typically more expensive and can require more maintenance than porcelain or ceramic.
“The closest you can get to no-maintenance is ceramic, because you can’t clean it incorrectly. With stone, if you clean it incorrectly, you can ruin it,” Sawitsky says. “You should also seal grout because it’s very porous, and the same goes for natural stone — it’s porous, so it has to be sealed.”
Sealing doesn’t equal shiny, though. Matte, gloss and enhancer seals are all available, and each lends a different look to one’s floor.
However, adds Lucas MacElwain of City Tile in Calgary, flooring isn’t the only place homeowners use tiles.
“We do a lot of backsplashes and feature walls,” he says. “In the front entry, one tiled wall can be very visual — tile has a lot more life and character than a wallpaper or a dark paint.”
And in the kitchen, tile lends both form and function.
Rather than worrying about water damage to drywall, MacElwain recommends installing a full-height backsplash in an eye-catching, durable tile.
“It’s a very personal preference and there’s no [one] thing that’s better than anything else — if it’s sealed and there’s enough care, you can use stone for any application,” he says. “Stone, glass and a combination of stone and glass are really moving, and we’re still doing a lot of mosaics.”
However, in the bathroom, homeowners typically change it up.
“To be creative, a lot of people are going different in their kitchens and bathrooms,” MacElwain says. “People are using large-scale porcelain, 12-by-24 and larger, and we’re mixing glass with porcelain and stone with porcelain, as well.”
And despite these trends, he says, there are so many different looks, textures and patterns that every home can have a completely unique tile profile.
“It adds depth and character and it’s a really nice feature.”