Information On How To Use Granite Tiles In Kitchens And Bathrooms

By Jeremy Pabloccis

Anyone who is thinking about materials to use on flooring and walls should think about granite tiles. It does not matter whether you are using them in a kitchen, bathroom or entryway. There are a few things that you need to know about the variety of sizes, shapes and colors that are available as well as where to find the best deals. Then, you can feel confident that you have made the best choice for the rooms in your home.

One of the first things you will need to decide is what materials you want to use for your kitchen or bathroom. The area that you will be using the tiles on will help to dictate whether you want to use marble, granite, ceramic or porcelain tiles. You may find that different materials also have different finishes which can change the look and durability of the tile itself. Durability is an important consideration since you do not want to be replacing chipped or broken tiles. Learning about the properties of different tiles is important to ensure you make the right choice for the area you are tiling.

If you want a flooring material that is almost universally durable and hard wearing, you may want to look at granite tiles above certain other tiling materials. This is because they are much harder and will stand up to a lot more activity than many marble tiles will. They are less porous than many marble tiles and this also goes a long way to making them suitable for use in a bathroom or kitchen.

One advantage of granite tile versus ceramic or porcelain tile is the coloring of the tile itself. It goes all the way through the tile rather than being limited to the top layer. If the granite tile chips the underlying color will not be bright white. This is often the case with tiles made from ceramics or porcelain which are only glazed on top with color. If you are someone who anticipates that a floor may take a certain amount of abuse, this is a definite advantage.

If you are looking at granite for a tiling material you may be surprised to find a wide range of colors and sizes. This makes them a very versatile choice for any room in your home. If you think that large tiles are not the right choice you can often find smaller tiles in the same color or shape that might be a better match for your home. You may also be interested in tiling an area using a variety of different tiles in the same area. This is rapidly becoming a very popular and trendy way to decorate your floor or walls. You may want to look for some professional decorating advice if you choose to do this.

When it is time to purchase your tiles you should look in home improvement centers and in home decorating supply stores. There are also websites that you can use to locate tiles in a range of materials. These can often give you a good savings but you may want to look at granite tiles physically before you make your ultimate choice. You also need to remember that with natural materials, the tiles can often range in color from tile to tile. This means that the look that you will get will not be totally uniform but it will be beautiful.

If you are installing tiles they are fairly easy to do yourself. You simply prepare the sub floor that the tiles will lay on. Make sure it is level since this can cause tiles to crack. It needs to be clean so that the tile adhesive can stick properly. Then, the tiles are laid down. If you are using sheets of connected tiles, the spacing is already predetermined. Tiles need to be placed with a small gap between them. This is where grout will go to seal the floor and make it durable. Once the adhesive has dried, you simply work grout over the tiles and force it down between them. The tiles are wiped clean and when the grout has dried, the tiled area is finished. You may need to cut around furniture or electrical outlets and wall switches. This can be done with special tile cutting tools that you can purchase or rent.

As you can see, tiles are easy to install. It is simply a matter of choosing which you want to use. Whether that means ceramic, marble or porcelain tiles is up to you. Your preferences and the area that they are being used in should always be your first choice rather than what is popular or trendy. - 33383

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