By Paul Bianchina
When you're in search of a flooring material that combines strength and durability with timeless good looks, it's hard to beat all the virtues of ceramic tile. Ceramic tile is one of the oldest and longest-lasting flooring materials known - intricate ceramic mosaics on the floors of homes in Pompeii survived the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD - and one look in a tile showroom will give you enough colors, patterns, sizes and ideas to delight any decorator.
Ceramic tile is an appropriate choice for any floor in your home, but it's especially well suited for such areas as entryways, bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and other areas where high traffic and exposure to water and dirt might make other materials less practical. And, with a little patience and the right tools and materials, installing a ceramic tile floor can be a very rewarding and enjoyable do-it-yourself project.
There are four basic decisions to make when choosing ceramic tile for your floor: size, shape, color, and finish.
Size: Ceramic tile ranges in size from mosaics, which are approximately 1/4" square, to 12" x 12" squares and even larger. For floors, your best choice is typically in the 6" x 6" up to 12" x 12" sizes - the larger tiles look better on larger floor areas. Mosaic tiles are also a traditional choice for bathroom floors - the greater number of grout lines help make the tile less slippery underfoot - but are usually impractical in entries and other areas where constant exposure to dirt make all the grout lines difficult to keep clean.
Shape: Shapes include square, rectangular, diamond, hexagon, octagon, triangular, round, and others, and you can also have custom shapes made up for you. For a truly custom look using stock tiles, try blending two or three shapes in complimentary or contrasting colors. For example, you could use 12" x 12" tiles for an entryway, with a border of 4" x 6" tile around the outer edges. For floor tiles, just about any shape or combination of shapes is appropriate.
Color: You can find floor tiles manufactured in just about any color imaginable, from white to black and every shade in between, as well as the natural hues of slate, granite, marble, and other natural stone tiles. While browsing through the tile showroom, there will probably be a certain attraction to deep blues and vibrant reds, but for most homes it's typically best to stay with either neutral colors such as white, almond, or gray, or the natural stones. Remember that a tile floor is virtually indestructible and will last several lifetimes, so it's better to stay neutral and then add accent colors through the use of throw rugs or other furnishings.
Another tip about ceramic tile colors -- you'll typically find it easier to select your tile first and then match the color of carpeting, vinyl flooring or other materials to the tiles, rather than the other way around.
Finish: Ceramic tile is simply clay that's been shaped and fired (heated) to make it strong and hard. During the manufacturing process, most tile is covered with glazing material that is baked on, adding to the tile's hardness. Glazed tile is more water resistant and is easier to clean than unglazed tile, but it also tends to be more slippery when wet. For floors, your best choices are tiles that are glazed with a non-slip material, or quarry tiles, which are made from a mixture of clays and typically left unglazed; the unglazed tiles can be coated with a sealer to make them less porous and easier to clean. Another excellent choice - although more expensive - is any of the natural stone tiles such as slate or unpolished granite.
Ceramic tile can be purchased from specialty tile stores - which typically have the best selection and most knowledgeable sales staff - or from many larger home centers and some larger discount outlets. Most stores have sample boards that you can borrow and take home so that you can look at the tiles in the actual area where they'll be installed.
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