Tile And Stone

There are so many applications for tiles and stone, no more are they just for kitchens and bathrooms, you can use them on your fireplace, walls, boot rooms, backsplashes, showers, and floors. They can be rustic, classic, modern, large, small, honed, polished, rough, smooth, glossy, or matte, natural, fieldstone, matted mosaic, sealed, grouted, or not. The options are endless, but there are a few things that you should know before you start shopping for your project.

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Tiles made from certain materials are better used for specific applications. Not all tiles can or should be walked on, not all tiles can go outside, and not all tiles can be used in high moisture areas. There is a tile for everything but not all tiles are made for everything.

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Porcelain

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Porcelain tile has become the standard now.  It has sand added to the clay mixture and is made with heat and pressure to produce a tile that’s harder, denser, and less porous than regular ceramic tile. It’s a good choice for high-traffic areas, kitchens, and bathrooms. It’s tough enough to be used outdoors in any climate if it is installed correctly.

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Glazed Ceramic

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Regular ceramic tile is softer than its porcelain cousin and glazed to create a hardware surface in virtually any color. Because it’s softer, it’s easier to cut and install. Although it’s more porous than porcelain, the glazing creates a surface that’s impervious to kitchen spills and splashes.

Stone

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Stone tiles are made from natural stone including slate, granite, limestone, travertine, and marble. Most stone tiles are porous and need to be sealed with a quality stone sealer every two to three years.

Stone can be polished or honed. Polished stone surfaces are slippery when wet, but the polishing lets the full beauty of the stone show through. Honed stone tiles provide more traction but have a less vibrant look.

 

Glass

 

​Glass tile has a cool, sophisticated look. The reflective surface of glass returns light and brightens the kitchen. Colors in glass tile tend to be especially strong, and they never fade. Glass is naturally non-porous so it never needs to be sealed.

Tile and stone can bring a whole new look and feel to your home. Choosing between the types is best done by determining the overall design you desire. Contact Birch Hill Interiors & Co for more information.