Laminate Flooring Tile, Laminate Flooring

Tiles are used to decorate parts of a home, such as ceilings, walls, and even tabletops or countertops. These manufactured pieces are generally made of stone, ceramic, glass, rubber, metal, wood, and a variety of other materials. Speaking of these, one of the most common places on which to install them is a floor. Tile flooring is not just to make the floors blend with the home’s design, but also to protect the floor and provide a durable surface.

Material

Floors, especially those that are often walked on, need thick and durable covering. Any tile for the floor is commonly made of stone or ceramic. Some common examples of those made of stone are marble, limestone, slate and granite. Spilt liquids can stain natural stone surfaces, but regular application of sealant can prevent stains. Polished stone tiles can become slippery if wet, but there are ways to make them slip resistant.

Tile flooring your home requires some thought; you need to determine which material goes with what part of the home. Rubber material is useful in places where you want the floor to be protected, such as in garages, gyms, sports studios, or pool decks. Ceramic or earthenware tiles are usually used indoors so as to avoid weathering. As for low porosity stoneware and porcelain stoneware, these are used outdoors.

Designs and Patterns

A great thing about tiles is that you can choose from a variety of designs and patterns to decorate your home. Tile flooring becomes a fun activity where you can let your creative juices flow and imagine what can go well with your home’s design. There are intricate, ornate designs for classic homes as well as simple, geometric patterns for modern homes. Apart from decorative ones, mosaic can also add patterns to your floor. They are comprised of miniscule pebbles or stones placed together irregularly.

Why Get Tiled?

There are many benefits to using tiles for floors. If you want to know why almost everyone spends money, time and effort on tile flooring for their home, here are a few reasons:

Easy Installation

Tile installation is a relatively easy process. Homeowners are more than willing to supervise the project, while other homeowners do the tiling themselves. While those made of stone require a bit more planning, there are interlocking tiles that allow homeowners to put them together without adhesive, like puzzles. Surfaces made of ceramic and similar materials only need grout for the finishing touch. As for the cost, this is a more cost-effective option in terms of tile price and installation fee.

Room for Creativity

Having tile flooring on your home can be an outlet for creative expression. This is not just about choosing the designs, though. You or your kids can paint on tiles, particularly ceramic ones. If you are bored with their plain colors, all you have to do is get a kit and paint on them. Whether you paint on paths that are often walked on or surfaces near the wall, you can leave creative marks on your home.

Cooler Temperature

A tiled floor is generally cooler compared to the surroundings. So if you live in a hot, tropical climate or if it is just summer, you can walk barefoot on the tile flooring.

Easy Cleanup

A tiled floor is very easy to clean up because there are no slits, pores or spaces in between where dirt can get stuck. Just sweep or mop away any mess on its smooth surface, and your floor is good as new.

Tiled flooring is both aesthetic and functional. With the proper material and your chosen design, tiles serve to add that final touch to any area of your home.

Larger sized ceramic tile floors are easier to install I think than using mosaic tiles. Larger tiles at 12″ by 12″ or 24″ by 24″ cover more area quicker and with a little care can produce an outstanding looking floor. Whatever the room is, all loose items must be removed including stoves, fridges, toilets and the like. Any loose flooring materials must be removed and the floor be made as level as possible using a floor leveling compound available at most larger big box stores. Once the floor is level you want to layout the tile pattern. Dry lay some tiles in an open area and try to keep a line cantered in the room.

Using the center line of the room (hallway, etc.) lay the tile outward to the walls. The goal in the layout is to have the largest pieces of tile against each wall. You do not want a ten inch piece on one side and a one inch piece on the other. Try to balance the piece sizes if at all possible without ruining the visual appearance of the tile grout lines when you are done. A four foot wide hallway for instance with two full 12″ file and two eleven inch pieces is fine after deducting the width of the grout lines. If it appeals to you visually it is OK as long as you avoid those little narrow pieces of tile.

Sometimes small pieces cannot be seen due to the room layout. Try to place them under the stove and fridge where they are out of sight. Once your layout is established, install the floor leveling compound in any areas that shrunk after the initial coat was applied. Many products can be applied down to a papers thickness making the floor very smooth and even. Remove any ridges left in the floor compound once it is completely dry. Sweep and vacuum the entire floor to assure there are no bits of debris left behind. This is the time to block off the room to all foot traffic except yours. Kids sneakers can carry small pieces of dirt and if left on the floor and not removed will surely crack the tile when stepped on later.

Vacuum the floor a second time. When you think it is perfectly clean it is not. Make the extra effort. Snap a blue chalk line on the center line of the closest grout line to the middle of the room. This will be your starting point for laying the tile. Using pre-mix tile adhesive or after mixing your own, spread some of the adhesive along side the chalk line for four or five tiles. Do not spread an area bigger than you can easily reach. Keep tile as close to yourself as you lay the new floor.

A helper can be a big asset and make the work go much faster by feeding you tile and adhesive. Using a 1/4″ or 3/8″ notched steel trowel will allow the tile to compress the adhesive and make a good tight bond to the back of the tile and provide full support at the same time. Any voids left under the tiles will cause a crack when stepped on. You may purchase tile spacers to help you make all the grout joints the same width. They are very cheap and are reusable. As you place each tile, place two spacers on each side of the one installed and the next tiles will slide right up against the spacers making a uniform grout space. You can purchase a rather inexpensive tile cutter or rent one if your doing only one room. Practice on one tile to get the hang of how much pressure you need to use to score the tiles and snap them.

Not real hard and you will get the hang of it quickly. A pair of tile nippers (pliers) will help you chip away at a tile edge to fit against a pipe or odd corners and so on. Finish one area before moving onto another. Install all the cut pieces if you cannot access that area after the main full tile are laid. Work your way to the door so all the tile is 100% installed as you exit the room. Barricade the doorway very well. Anyone stepping on the tile before the adhesive dries will cause the tile to shift and heave thereby ruining the entire floor. Chopping out damaged tiles is no fun at all. In warm weather you can grout the floor the next day.

Most adhesive manufacturers say wait 24 hours but 18 hours in warm weather is usually OK. Starting at the farthest point from the door (assuming there is only one) install your grout using a sponge rubber float and pressing the grout down into the grout joints on a 45 degree angle to the joints. You want to fill the joint and leave it just very slightly concave. If you use the float in line with the joints you will see you are removing more grout than you want. Very quickly you will get the hang of it. Do a small area that again you can easily reach. After the grout is in, using a wet sponge with clean water and wrung out, wipe off as much excess grout as possible.

Do not carve out the grout in the grout joints. It is easy to do and once dry cannot be repaired without total removal. Proceed over the entire floor until all the grout is installed. After an hour or so of drying you will want to do a second cleaning with the damp sponge to remove all the haze that will quickly form on the tile. Use a soft cloth to buff the tile as you go and the final cleaning will be fairly easy. If more heavy work is to be done in the room, place some heavy cardboard pieces over the tile to protect them from damage. A good idea is wait two full days after grouting before allowing foot traffic back on the floor.

Pete

Your Friendly Building Inspector

Choosing a high quality grout sealer is tough if you are not a professional in the grout business. So how do you know how to choose a high quality grout sealer?

After exhaustive research, here are the things you should look for:

1) Choose a premium penetrating grout sealer

2) Choose a sealer that last a long time (10-15 years)

3) Get testimonials of people who are happy with it

There are basically two types of sealers: Penetrating and coating type sealers. Penetrating sealers not just provide a protective coating on the grout, but they penetrate the grout so the depth level of protection is high. Coating type sealers adhere only to the top layer of grout. This layer is very thin and provides protection only if that layer exist. Once that top layer wears, your grout is exposed to the elements. This can be prevented if the sealer is re-applied, 1-2 times a year.

This is not the case with penetrating sealers. Since the sealer has penetrated the grout, the protection last much longer, ranging from 5-15 times longer without reapplication.

Sealer life typically last 1-15 years depending on the type of sealer. Coating based sealers last 1-5 years. Penetrating type sealers typically last 5-15 years. Typically, the difference between sealers that last longer and ones that don’t is the concentration of polymers. The higher concentration of polymers, the longer the grout sealer will last.

Once you have your selection down to a few sealers, ask for testimonials and references of people who used this product. Ask them how they like the product and is it doing what they say it is. You’ll typically get 3 responses: Yes it works great, no the product stinks, or I don’t know. Obviously, stay away from the products that stink.

Choosing a premium penetrating grout sealer is your #1 decision when you have new grout or deep cleaned grout. This decision will effect you for up to 15 years. Make the wrong choice, you’ll be spending copious time regrouting or deep cleaning soon. Make the right choice, you’ll be enjoying clean grout for the next decade or two.

Renovating isn’t an easy task; no matter if you do it yourself or hire professionals to deal with it. High-traffic rooms need renovation from time to time as they are intensely used. If you do it properly and with the best materials, you won’t have any troubles for a very long time. Many homeowners have realized that remodeling means more than it used to. They now focus on substantial makeovers that are versatile and durable. Their investment is meant to increase the value of their home and offer their families peace and comfort for a long period.

If you think your kitchen doesn’t need any changes, you may want to do something about your bathroom. It is another hub in your home and needs to be properly equipped. If there are no tiles in your bathroom, it’s time to consider this option. In recent years, people have begun to like natural stones and now use them in as many places as possible. It’s the case in bathrooms where the stone is suitable not only for the floor, but also for the walls, sinks or tubs.

Nowadays, travertine is one of the most popular materials for bathrooms. It is a wonderful natural stone that comes in various colors and patterns. In the past it was used solely for gardens and terraces, but it is now a popular choice for indoor areas. The durability and ease of maintenance of travertine beats many other tile materials.

There are people who are still reluctant to buying travertine because of its porous surface. This aspect shouldn’t worry you. If you seal travertine tiles with a good sealant, water won’t get into them. It’s important to do this when you first install the tiles in your bathroom. Also, the small imperfections they may have can be fixed with grout. The beauty of travertine will truly transform your bathroom; any other small job that you may need to do in order to maintain the tiles shouldn’t be considered difficult tasks.

Experts say one should choose hone-finished or tumble-finished travertine tiles for bathrooms. They not only soften the overall appearance but can withstand spills like makeup and other beauty products. Travertine is very easy to clean and hardly shows water spots or soap scum. All you need to do is wipe it with soapy water and avoid using abrasive chemicals. Don’t forget to seal the tiles yearly and you’ll thus prolong their life. Travertine stone adds a unique touch to any home and this is why more and more homeowners find it extremely appealing.