Welcome to the World of Tiles: A Look at the Different Types and Costs
Tiles are important items used not only to provide surface furnishing to floors and walls. They also serve in accessorising the look of the entire household. No residential or commercial project will be complete without the help of tiles. These items are highly favoured because of the aesthetical and functional contributions they deliver to every edifice.
Tiles do serve as protective coverings to the floors and walls in your home - starting from the facade going straight to the living room then to the kitchen and dining areas. Your bathrooms and bedrooms show much beauty with the presence of these overlays. At an overall viewpoint, tiles are considered as one of the most favourite materials to provide beauty to your kitchen and bathroom renovation as well as your home construction.
Basic types of tiles
Welcoming you to the world of tiles means giving you an idea of the different types found under the decorative material. The classification presents an idea of how each of the subcategories is made and why they are favoured. Take a look at the following basic types of tiles.
- Ceramic tiles. This is perhaps one of the most popular choices amongst all types of tiles. It is made out of the combination of sand, gypsum and shale. These three items form into clay. Bisque is utilised in order to shape the clay and form the ceramic tiles. The higher the temperature in the bisque, the more durable the output will be. Since the output is kind of porous, glazing is usually needed. The glaze adds up to the beauty of the output. From there, the ceramic tile is formed into different designs and colours.
- Quarry tiles. Traditionally, this type of tile is made out of materials from quarrying operations such as mining and excavation. This is the reason why it got such a name. With the conventional technique in producing quarry tiles, there are three processes involved namely cutting, grinding and polishing. Nowadays, manufacturers make use of the extrusion method to process a glasslike material that turns out to be as hard as stone. This type of tile is highly favourable as flooring materials but not for kitchen countertops or any other surfaces where food preparation is being done.
- Stone tiles. Basically, most stone tiles are made out of granite. Therefore a lot of manufacturers sell these materials as granite tiles. These materials have been given much recognition in the market and were in fact noted as the winner for the competition on kitchen design sweepstakes. The cognisance extended to the tiles was not enough to overlook its disadvantages. It is porous thus it needs polishing from time to time. It cracks easily and cannot withstand high temperature. Despite all these however, natural stone stands out to be a good choice. Because natural stone is variegated - meaning it has different colour patches - these tiles have the capability to provide innate accents to your home.
Costing for the basic types of tiles
You have already looked into the processes involved in each type of basic tiles. Apart from knowing where these materials are used, it also pays to know how much you will have to spend if you choose a particular subcategory. Below are ideas on the cost of these tiles.
- Ceramic tiles. These are actually considered as the most cost effective solution for a home project that involves these decorative materials. It does not necessarily mean that all ceramic tiles are sold very cheap on the market. You may find more expensive ones but you may haggle with the price depending on the number of pieces you purchase. A square foot of ceramic tiles may cost anywhere around £3.05 to £9.15 plus you have to pay about £3.66 to £4.88 per square-foot installation.
- Quarry tiles. These tiles are said to be cheaper than both ceramic and stone. You only have to pay around £2.09 per square foot of materials. As for installation of these tiles, you need to allot at least £2.44 for each square foot.
- Stone tiles. These tiles are considered to be one of the most expensive choices in the world of tiling. Apart from granite, these are available in different varieties including marble and travertine. The cost of the tiles range from £4.27 to £12.20 for each square foot whilst you have to pay an additional cost of installation ranging from £3.66 to £4.88 for each square foot.
Knowing all these facts about tiles will help you choose the kind to use in your home. If you are looking at price without sacrificing the functionality and aesthetical value of your homes, the choice will depend on the characteristics of the tiles. If you are working on a tighter budget, you may consider the cheapest option. Just make sure that you check on the tiles regularly.