3 Types of Kitchen Tile
There are many different types of kitchen tile to choose from, and each adds something unique to your kitchen décor. The variety of colors and types of kitchen tile give you many options for appearance, durability, and cost. Kitchen tile can be used for floors, walls, backsplashes, and countertops, depending on the type of tile and your needs.
Decorative ceramic tile backsplashes look beautiful with stone finish countertops such as Corian, granite, or soapstone. They work especially well on backsplashes because of their durability, and because the grout is less likely to stain on a vertical surface than on a countertop.
Type 1 - Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is made from clay, talc, or other naturally occurring minerals. The clay is then fired in a kiln at an extremely hot temperature. Because the tiles are fired at such a hot temperature, they are extremely good heat conductors, and will not burn when hot pans and pots are placed on the countertop. There are a variety of colors and textures available for ceramic tile, and you can order customized ceramic tile to match the style and design of your kitchen.
Mosaic tiles are an excellent way to use ceramic where the tiles are arranged to create a pattern or a mural on your kitchen wall or floor. These can be purchased premade or painted DIY after purchase. Ceramic kitchen tiling is a solid choice for kitchen remodeling projects because it provides excellent durability and because the heat resistance makes it ideal for countertop applications.
Type 2 - Porcelain Tile
Porcelain tile is extremely scratch and chip resistant and makes an excellent material for kitchen remodeling. Porcelain kitchen tiles can be made to look like a variety of materials, including stone because the texture is smooth and the production is uniform. If you are looking for a backsplash or countertop that is affordable and give a faux stone finish, porcelain tile may be the right choice for you.
Unfortunately, porcelain does not have the same heat resistance as ceramic tile, and so may warp or chip over time if hot items are placed directly on its surface.
Type 3 - Glass Tile
The cost of glass kitchen tiles used to be quite prohibitive, but it has come down in the last several years. Glass tiles work very well for creating borders around other types of tile, or for creating mosaics. Using remaindered glass set in concrete to create tiles has been an eco-friendly tiling trend of late, and can give a unique appearance to your kitchen.
The light reflective qualities of glass make it ideal for accent work that brings out the shine and color of your kitchen décor. Glass is not a good option for countertops, as it is not as shatter and scratch-resistant as ceramic or porcelain tile Glass is used almost exclusively in vertical tiling applications.
Whichever option you choose, kitchen tiling will add something special and unique to your kitchen. Try using a variety of remaindered tiles or making your own concrete-set glass tiles for a particularly unique kitchen tiling project.
