How to Choose Tile

Installing new tiles in your kitchen and bathroom increases the house value significantly and that’s why many people install new tiles before putting their house on the market. The cost of tile installation varies drastically depending on many different factors; however, regardless of the investment, it always pays off in many folds. Many people make tile installation a weekend DIY project (yes, it is possible to install tiles in 48 hours) while some people hire professional help.

Whether you get professional help or opt for DIY project, it is your job to select the tiles. There are some obvious factors like size, color, texture, type and cost that play an important role here. Also, you need to consider the application as well; for example, a particular type of tile may good as a backsplash but might not be suitable for kitchen or bathroom flooring.

What Are Some Types of Tiles and How Much They Cost?

The actual cost of the tiles may vary from vendor to vendor yet we can make a pretty accurate estimate of the total cost of the project. Let’s talk about different types of tiles, their ideal uses and how much they cost.

Ceramic

Ceramic tiles are the most popular ones and they are easily available everywhere. These tiles are usually made by mixing clay, minerals and water. After putting them in high temperature, glass coating is applied to give it a scratch resistance exterior. Because of their cost efficiency, durability and easy availability, Ceramic tiles are suitable for DYI projects. Because of the manufacturing process, two different lots of Ceramic tiles may have slightly different color so you need to buy reasonably extra tiles for adjusting breakage and wastage. These tiles usually cost around $2 to $7 per square foot.

Glass

Glass tiles are more expensive than many of the other types of tiles. The advantages of using Glass tiles are its colorfulness, availability of lots of designs and colors, easy to clean surface and 100% water resistance that make them a suitable option for backsplash. However, they are not easy to install and you might need professional help to install them perfectly.  Also, you need to handle adhesive carefully because it would be visible from the front side. Glass tiles usually sell for $7 to $32 per square foot.

Stone

Just like ceramic tiles, Stone tiles are also very popular and they come in many different types like onyx, marble, sandstone, granite and others. The advantages of using Stone tiles are a wide range of types, colors and texture as well as many of their uses. For example, many people use granite tiles as countertop. However, Stone tiles are considered fragile when it comes to water and chemicals; you need to carefully seal the spaces between tiles. Stone tiles usually cost $6 to $15 per square foot.

Porcelain

Porcelain tiles are also made with the same process as ceramic tiles but they are treated with higher temperature. This technique increases their density and solidity. Because of the les absorbent surface, Porcelain tiles are suitable for backsplashes and bathroom flooring. Just like ceramic tiles, Porcelain riles are also easy to install and easy to maintain. Unfortunately, Porcelain tiles have the same issue of color difference as ceramic tiles. Also, because of less spongy exterior, you need to choose a suitable adhesive for Porcelain tiles. These tiles have similar price tag of around $2 to $7 per square foot.

Cement

Cement tiles are slowly getting obsolete because of the availability of better and more cost efficient options in the market. These tiles are handmade and that’s why they come with a higher price tag. No doubt they are beautiful butthey are hard to install and many of the professional tile installers don’t have any meaningful experience working with Cement tiles. These tiles do not respond well to detergents and other chemicals. Cement tiles cost around $7 to $19 per square foot.

How to Choose the Best Tiles for Your Bathroom or Kitchen?

Now you know different types of tiles, their price range, their advantages and disadvantages. Of course these factors play an important role in choosing the most suitable tiles yet there are many other factors you must consider here.

Understand Application Requirements

The actual application is probably one of the decisive factors in choosing the best tiles. As you know, some tiles are water resistant while others need careful maintenance, so tiles that would be a good fit for bathroom floor wouldn’t be necessarily good for backsplash in kitchen or for kitchen floor.

Understand Different Tiles

You need to understand the difference between types of tiles to choose the most suitable one. For example, glass tiles could be used for backsplash in kitchen and walls in bathroom but they are not a good fit for flooring. Similarly, stone tiles could be used anywhere while ceramics and porcelain tiles are suitable for flooring.

Consider Your Budget

Different types of tiles have different (and drastically varying) price tags. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are inexpensive but art ceramic tiles and tiles with custom designs could be expensive. It is better to set a budget first and then find a suitable tile around that number. For cost estimation, you can either use professional help (as many of the stores provide that for free) or you can do it yourself.

Consider the Existing Architecture

It is highly recommended to go with the flow instead of going against the existing architectural style of the house; and this advice goes the both ways. If the house is quite fancy then you need to spend money on tiling too because otherwise it would look odd.

Consider Your Lifestyle

You need to consider your lifestyle as well as the factor of convenience while choosing the tiles for your kitchen or bathroom. Although plain shiny tiles look good in store but they are too slippery and they would be dangerous especially for kids; so, create a balance between aesthetics and comfort.