Benefits of using tiles
Among the advantages of choosing a material, the following points should be noted:
- Strength of the material.
- Easy to install tiles. You can start working on your own with only minor construction skills.
- Fungus does not form under the tiles (if the installation rules are followed).
- Tiles allow you to hide defects and irregularities on the walls.
- A wide range of models of all colors, sizes and textures.
- The tiles are resistant to moisture, so wet cleaning is not difficult for the housewife.
A wide price range can also be considered a plus, because this parameter is often the main one for buyers.
Multi-colored or patterned
Of course, tiles can not only imitate other materials, but also have their own unique design. Patterns and designs on tiles can be very diverse: from modern geometric compositions to traditional crafts. The modern range of tiles makes it possible to lay out a beautiful pattern on the floor in any style, for every taste!
Disadvantages of Practical Choices
However, using ceramic tiles also has its disadvantages:
- When purchasing ceramics with a plot pattern, the master must follow the sequence of laying the modules.
- The need to cut tiles to lay difficult places.
- Finishing wall panels requires a large amount of consumables.
- When using mosaic tiles, large gaps are formed between adjacent elements in which dirt can accumulate.
For some types of ceramics, preliminary preparation of the walls is necessary (primer, putty, leveling).
Under wood or parquet
Wood-effect floor tiles are another hit in recent years. Natural wood is very difficult to use and very expensive. The tiles are much stronger, do not require special care, are not afraid of chemical influences and are durable. As for appearance, high-quality wood-look tiles are almost impossible to distinguish from the “original” at a glance. Wood-grain flooring will add warmth and coziness to the kitchen.
Choice of colors
The design of kitchen wall tiles is an important parameter that should be approached with special care. It has long been known that the optimal color combination can create the desired visual effect.
The choice of color depends on the personal wishes of the owner, the chosen interior style, and the size of the kitchen space. Possible options:
- Light shades are perfect for small spaces and combined rooms (for example, studio apartments). These can be cream, pale blue tones.
- Dark tones (black, dark brown shades) are used as a contrasting color (for example, to visually highlight a white set).
Also a common option is the use of mosaic tiles or tiles with a stencil pattern. Such models are successfully combined with modern interior styles - Loft, minimalism and eco-style.
Expert advice
Tiles are a very durable material, and the costs of purchasing and installing them are quite high, so before purchasing the material it is better to take the advice of experienced finishers:
- It is necessary to buy tiles only after the kitchen design has been fully thought out and its color scheme has been determined. The material can complement other decoration or furnishings, match tone-on-tone or contrast with them.
- You shouldn’t trust even professional calculations too much. During the renovation, something will definitely go wrong (the tile will break, a piece will fall off, it will be cut incorrectly), so a small supply of tiles (10-15% of the total need) will definitely find its use.
On the other hand, online store calculators can produce an error in the other direction, providing customers with excess meters of goods offered. In this case, the store has every right not to accept back material that is not needed.
- The tiles must be checked before paying. There are cases when a perfectly flat package contains tiles with chipped edges.
- The size of the tile also plays an important role. Small tiles will avoid a lot of waste, but will create too many joints, and a room decorated with small objects will look too difficult to perceive. Large tiles (especially with a pattern) will visually reduce the space and will not be an effective way to save: some of the rectangles will have to be cut, and using small pieces will be quite problematic.
Relief tiles will more readily collect dirt and carbon deposits, and will be more difficult to clean. Therefore, it is better to stick to smooth materials.
Glossy tiles will bring more light into the kitchen, but water droplets and stains are clearly visible on them. Accordingly, you will have to wash it more often. Matte tiles will be a more pleasant finish in this regard.
Methods for attaching tiles to the wall
The quality of laying tiles on the kitchen wall largely depends on the technique used and the method of fastening. The following fastening methods are known today:
Cement mortar. The most reliable type of installation. Used for problem walls, in places where dampness and moisture accumulate. For optimal installation, the correct ratio of sand, cement and water is required, as well as the use of a special mesh for ceramic elements.
Use of special glue. Each type of tile requires the selection of the optimal adhesive solution to ensure reliable and durable fastening of the material.
To prevent the formation of gaps between adjacent elements, putty or plastic layers are used between the tiles. Instructions on how to glue tiles to a wall in the kitchen can be found on any web resource for practical repairs.
Porcelain tiles
Porcelain tile is a relatively new material that is a more durable, advanced ceramic. Porcelain tiles are so durable and stable that they can be easily laid even outdoors, which means they will no doubt last a long time in the kitchen without any flaws! Porcelain tiles are not afraid of moisture, cleaning agents and fire. Thanks to improved production technology, slabs made from it can be simply huge in format: up to three meters in height. This will appeal to those who do not like tile seams that interrupt the pattern. The natural surface of this material is non-slip and matte. However, there are polished, glossy and structured options. With all these advantages, porcelain tiles have excellent aesthetic characteristics. In particular, it easily imitates more expensive and capricious materials such as natural marble or wood.
Types of tiles for the kitchen
Manufacturers of construction and finishing materials today can offer their customers a huge range of products. The most interesting types of ceramic tiles for the kitchen wall:
- Pressed tiles.
- Model without enamel.
- Glazed tiles.
- Clinker model.
All presented options differ in a set of positive and negative properties that determine the buyer’s choice.
Note!
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Kitchen apron design
Most often, ceramic tiles are used to decorate kitchen backsplashes. The area where food is prepared and dishes are washed requires regular maintenance using aggressive substances based on alkalis and acids.
Therefore, it is advisable to use ceramics for a kitchen screen, both in matte and glossy versions.
Glazed tiles
An excellent option for finishing the dining area. It has a stylish design and a pleasant glossy shine. Will highlight any interior style. The advantages of use include special strength, a smooth surface without a relief pattern.
The disadvantage is the high cost. Before carrying out repair work, you will need to carefully calculate consumables to avoid unnecessary financial expenses.
Dimensions and format
The optimal format of floor tiles for a particular kitchen depends on its area and layout. If the floors are small in area, then preference is usually given to small formats: up to 60x60 cm. If the kitchen is spacious or adjacent to the living room or dining room, it becomes possible to lay the floors with large-format tiles in order to minimize the number of seams.
Peculiarities
The tile has a number of distinctive features that make it stand out from other facing materials:
- Environmental friendliness;
- Fire resistance;
- Long period of operation;
- Water resistance;
- Strength;
- Resistance to mechanical stress;
- Reliability;
- Availability;
- Wide scope of application;
- A wide range of sizes, textures and other indicators.
The use of black tiles in the interior helps to embody the ideas of a luxurious, catchy and spectacular apartment design.
The basis of a successful design solution with the creation of a dark-colored floor is taking into account the area of the room in which an extraordinary idea is supposed to be implemented, maintaining color balance and selecting the right lighting.
When giving preference to black as a flooring color, you must act very carefully, because the wrong combination of colors and a frivolous approach to a design decision in relation to a particular room can lead to an undesirable result and turn the room into a rather dull, gloomy, cold and uncomfortable place.
To visually create space and achieve a feeling of freshness and cleanliness, following two basic rules will help:
- In a miniature room, black tiles should not occupy more than one third of the surface area. The best option for a small space would be to lay black tiles on the floor and partially finish the walls with them in combination with light colors.
- In a spacious room, black tiles can make up two-thirds of the surfaces. But even in a large space, it is not recommended to forget about the combined color ratio: if all the walls are black, then the floor and ceiling are decorated in light colors.
Features of choosing black floor and ceiling coverings:
- Horizontal and vertical alternation of colors will help stretch the floor in the right directions, and the diagonal will help increase the size of the room.
- To avoid reducing the surface area, it is not recommended to use large-sized material in the bathroom, laying it in a checkerboard pattern. A great find that will make the interior of this room cozier and more comfortable will be small black tiles.
- Checkerboard laying on the floor visually increases the area.
- Laying tiles in strips along the width will help to visually expand the room, and along the length - to stretch it out. Tangible volume can be achieved by diagonally laying stripes in contrasting shades.
- Laying ceramic tiles of two contrasting shades on the floor in a herringbone pattern will help to visually increase the space in the room.
Tile coverings may vary in color, installation method, and dimensions. In most cases, floor tiles measure 20x30 cm.
