Tile
floors have been a popular decorating material for 7,000
years, plenty of time for tile to build an impressive record of
durability and versatility. And tile flooring takes to customized
designs, unique glazes, and special effects with ease.
Natural tile flooring, whether ceramic tile flooring or stone tile flooring, comes in many different forms, almost all of them hard-wearing and impervious to water, mud, and grease. All types of natural tile flooring connote luxury, stone tile flooring (granite tile, marble tile, or slate tile) and highly decorative ceramic tile, especially if it is hand-painted, can provide the ultimate statement in residential design.
- Ceramic Tile. For sheer beauty, it's hard to top ceramic tile. Most of the common ceramic floor tiles have either a glazed, or unglazed surface. The glazed tiles have a special ceramic coating that is applied to the body of the tile and fired under tremendous heat.
- Porcelain Tile. Porcelain tile is a type of ceramic made of a very fine mixture of clays and minerals similar to those found in fine dinnerware. These special clays allow porcelain tile to be fired at temperatures even higher than ceramic tile, typically exceeding 2,400 degrees (F). The higher temperature results in a very dense tile. And the denser a tile, the better it resists moisture.
- Natural Stone. Natural stone floors are no longer strictly for the outdoors. From sun rooms to foyers, living rooms to kitchens to baths, cut natural stone is being used to create stunning underfoot effects, define separate activity areas and set a mood.
- Granite Tile. Formed by volcanic action, this igneous rock bursts with distinction. Flecks of quartz, feldspar and mica give granite its own special character. Although a choice for many homeowners for use as a kitchen countertop, granite has become very fashionable as a flooring choice. Today, you'll find a variety of designer colors (actual stone colors) to choose from. One big advantage of this type of flooring is that many scratches can be polished or buffed out of it, whereas glazed ceramic cannot.
There are literally several 100,000 styles, colors and types of tile available. Let the flooring professionals at Great Floors review your needs, whether you're in the market for a simple kitchen backsplash or remodeling your entire bath. From natural surfaces, such as tumbled marble to metallic tiles to one-of-a-kind hand-painted masterpieces, we can match your needs to the right look and feel.
Here are additional links that may be useful for background information on tile and stone surfaces:
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