Home Improvement DIY

When choosing a floor covering for your home you need to make sure you don’t simply make your purchase decision based on what you like the look of. This is because each floor material has different properties and so are better suited to certain rooms in the home and not others. For instance you have to be careful about what you put down on your kitchen and bathroom floors because of water.

Types of Ceramic Floor Tiles

Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain tiles are made with clay dust that has been pressed; it is then fired in a kiln to a higher temperature than many other types of ceramic tile. The result is that they are suitable for high traffic areas and are very resistant to water. There is a wide of choice available, including a huge range of colours with a choice of a glazed or unglazed finish

Quarry Tiles

Quarry tiles are made from clay and are excellent for high-traffic areas. If laid down in the kitchen or bathroom you will need to have the tiles sealed to become water-resistant. The choice of colours is mainly earthy tones of red and orange but also include grey.

Terracotta and Saltillo

Terracotta is so-called because it means “dry earth” and was popular by Ancient Romans who used them in their villas. Tiles are ideal for a rustic homely feel and are made from clay which has been fired in a kiln. Terracotta is a porous material so should be sealed to protect it from water.

Saltillo tiles are basically the same as Terracotta tiles except that they are left to bake in the Mexican sun. They are also more porous than terracotta and as a result more difficult to clean, which makes it even more important to seal these tiles every year.

Sealing Terracotta and Saltillo tiles can involve many coats because it can take some time before the tile becomes saturated with the sealant. Wax sealers tend not to be so effective due to not soaking in very well. Instead look out for a water-based sealant which will soak in. Because the Mexican tiles are so much more porous you may find the need to apply several coats.

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