Tiles have long been used as flooring in rooms for various purposes. It is popular for many reasons, among others it is necessary to highlight the attractiveness of appearance, durability and strength, which elevates this finish to the rank of one of the leaders among floor materials for the kitchen. This can not be called an accident, because the tile is ready to last more than 50 years, and if necessary, some areas can be repaired independently, so experts recommend purchasing material before starting work with a certain margin.
Due to the fact that the coating under the mentioned conditions can be exposed to moisture and aggressive substances, the finish should fulfill not only an aesthetic function, but also be easy to care for, not to react with chemicals and exhibit wear resistance. In order to understand how to choose floor tiles for the kitchen, you should consider its varieties and get acquainted with the main advantages and disadvantages, and this will be discussed below.
Varieties of tiles for the kitchen
After visiting the store, you can choose a wide range of kitchen flooring. Tiles can be classified according to various parameters, among others, the composition and texture should be highlighted. In conjunction with these features, the tile is divided into:
- on ceramic;
- made of porcelain stoneware;
- floor tile.
Choosing material from porcelain stoneware, you get a finish that in appearance will resemble natural granite and show high mechanical stability. This tile is made of basalt chips and clay by pressing.
Classification by the method of manufacture
Before choosing floor tiles for the kitchen, you can also consider it by the method of production, the technology may be:
It is important to decide not only which floor tiles to choose for the interior design of the kitchen, but also pay attention to the manufacturing technology of the material. The first variety involves the manufacture of tiles by pressing a plastic mixture, which has a mixture of clay and clay among the ingredients. The tile at the next stage is fired and cut into products. As a result, it is possible to obtain a finish that is resistant to temperature and moisture, as well as being practical. Extruded tile is made of a plastic mixture, which, after molding, is fired and cut into individual elements.
Selection by surface type
You can also subdivide the tile according to the type of surface, it happens:
If you will also use kitchen tiles on the floor, how to choose a design is important to decide. For example, the last type of tile from the above has a smooth surface with a glossy glassy coating. The material is moisture resistant and durable. In terms of moisture resistance, unglazed tiles are inferior to glazed tiles, but they do not slip and create good friction.
General recommendations for selection
If you are thinking about how to choose floor tiles for the kitchen, then you should pay attention to the following features:
- marking;
- style;
- the size;
- color.
As for the shade, it can correspond to general interior solutions. Some consumers choose a tile in such a way that it matches the countertop of the kitchen set. It is also necessary to determine the size of the products. If the kitchen area is quite large, then the tile should have an impressive size, because a small tile does not look very attractive in such cases. It is important to pay attention to the degree of wear resistance and strength, because heavy objects can fall on the floor.
Additional selection tips
Quite often, property owners wonder about how to choose floor tiles for the kitchen. Typically, products of the following sizes are used for this: 30x30 or 50x50 cm. It is important to pay attention also to the method of ceramic production. Different technologies make it possible to obtain a dense vitrified or porous surface. The more pores on the back of the product, the more water the tile will absorb. You can determine this visually: a surface with a large number of pores is rough, but this same property will contribute to better penetration of the adhesive and more reliable adhesion of the finish to the surface.
Enamel type is responsible for aesthetic parameters. Glazed tiles are waterproof and hard. For the reason that the kitchen floor will be subjected to various negative influences, which is especially noticeable in areas near the sink, refrigerator and stove, it is important to choose a tile with high mechanical and chemical characteristics. Among others - bending resistance, which by European standards is measured in MPa. Unglazed tiles should be selected with a bending resistance of 27 MPa or more.
An important criterion is hardness.
If you wondered how to choose a floor tile, you should also pay attention to hardness. According to the European classification, the described decoration is classified into 5 categories. To finish the floor in the kitchen, ceramics should be purchased, which belongs to the third and fourth classes. A rather important factor is also the degree of resistance to temperature extremes, acid and alkaline resistance. If you want to make a floor that meets international standards, you should choose a tile whose acid and alkali resistance corresponds to class B.
Interesting ideas
Before choosing a floor tile, you must determine what style the room will fit. Among them are the following:
- classical;
- Art Nouveau;
- minimalism;
- country.
As for the classic interior, for him tile should be chosen in such a way that it matches the natural and restrained style. The ideal solution is brown, beige or white tile. You can purchase material in imitation of marble, wood or stone.
If you still do not know how to choose the right floor tiles in the kitchen, then you can consider the modern style. In this case, all restrictions are almost completely removed - you can choose the cladding of any plan. The coating can be monophonic or have bright neon colors. But still, it should be selected for the surrounding interior. Fans of minimalism should get a simple tile that does not have color splashes and unnecessary decor. To do this, you can choose black, gray or white. Making a kitchen in a rustic style, the coating should be made similar to the classic. In this case, light shades are preferred.
Additional recommendations for choosing tiles taking into account the wear resistance class
If you, too, are among the consumers who decide the question of which floor tiles to choose for the kitchen, then it is especially important to pay attention to the wear resistance class of the coating. This determines the strength of the material. A low-quality coating is not always able to bear the shock. After that, chips and cracks remain on the surface. If you want to eliminate unpleasant consequences during the operation of the floor, it is important to find out to which class of wear resistance the tile belongs. This will also determine how long the base will withstand abrasion, fading and mechanical damage.
The first class of wear resistance includes tiles, which can only be used for infrequent walking and only without shoes. This material is the most vulnerable among others. In those areas that will be rarely used and are part of residential buildings, tiles of the second category can be laid. Material of the 3rd class is suitable for rooms that will be actively used. In public places, tiles of the 4th class are usually laid. The most resistant and durable is the decoration of the 5th class, it can even be used for industrial premises.
What degree of wear resistance to choose
If you wondered how to choose a floor tile, you should read the tips on this subject. Specialists claim that the tiles of the first group are perfect for bedrooms, bathrooms and rooms with low traffic. For residential premises, you can use the tiles of the second group, but this finish is not suitable for corridors and kitchens. Tiles of the 3rd category can be laid in kitchens, loggias and in corridors. In trading floors, ceremonial hallways in entrances and offices, tiles of the 4th category are usually laid. For restaurants and shops suitable finish 5th category.
Additional recommendations for choosing tiles based on the material
If you do not know which tile is best for the kitchen, practical tips should be read. Having become acquainted with them, you can understand what is important when choosing to pay attention also to the material. The simplest solution is ceramics. It is suitable for the kitchen, but for rooms with heavy workload, it is better to find another coating. If you still decide to use ceramic tiles to finish the floor in the kitchen, it is important to prefer less porous products, because otherwise they will not have such good performance.
One of the strongest materials is porcelain stoneware; it has a unique hardness. In this case, the porosity is almost zero, so the finish is waterproof, fireproof and even frost-resistant. The secret of porcelain stoneware lies in the use of granite chips and a special technology of baking. Design is usually realistic and almost complete imitation of natural materials.
When repairing a home, the owners quite often decide on how to choose ceramic tiles for the kitchen. Among other solutions, the market offers stone, which is based on marble and granite. Such materials are highly decorative and durable, but are quite expensive, so they remain the privilege of wealthy people. Instead of natural stone, you can choose a similar coating of artificial porcelain.
Conclusion
Before making a purchase, you should definitely consider the main characteristics. What tiles to choose on the floor in the hallway, they will understand. However, the recommendations here are the same as in the case of the kitchen. For the entrance, it is better to use a coating of the 3rd category of wear resistance. Such material is strong and rude enough. But for the hallway, it is important to choose also this type of finish, the surface of which will be rough, because the floor can get wet, which quite often becomes the cause of slipping.