When the repair starts at home, it is most difficult to choose materials suitable for the style of the apartment. Many are faced with the question of how to choose tiles on the floor in the kitchen. Today, the market offers a wide range of tiles from different manufacturers, types and sizes. It is difficult for a modern consumer to navigate in such an abundance of offers. To choose the appropriate option, you need to study the characteristics of the models and only then buy the right amount of material.
Why should tiles be preferred?
Ceramic flooring in the kitchen is a good idea. Such a coating will look beautiful from an aesthetic point of view. Plus, it is environmentally friendly. The use of tiles implies ease of use. It is easy to wash, clean, you can not be afraid to spill water on the floor.
Another undoubted advantage of floor tiles is that in the event of a water leak, the risk of flooding the neighbors is minimized. Tiles, unlike wood floors, do not allow moisture to seep in and go to the lower floors.
Using floor tiles, you can create a unique design in the kitchen. Due to it, it is possible to emphasize the color of furniture favorably. Designers often play in contrasts, especially if they work in an apartment with young families.
Can tiled floors be combined with floors from other materials?
The tile is harmoniously combined with all materials. You can make a smooth transition from the kitchen to the corridor, where the floors from the tiled modules go into a laminate or parquet board. Some make the floors in the kitchen and in the corridor from one type of tile, and the floors in the remaining rooms are left from the laminate. A combination with parquet or linoleum is acceptable.
What characteristics should you pay attention to when choosing a stove?
Before choosing a tile on the floor in the kitchen, it is worth spending time studying its characteristics. It is very important. Many people want to find inexpensive tiles on the kitchen floor, while forgetting about its quality. Coverage should last more than one year. Do not chase only the design of floor tiles in the kitchen. It is important to choose products from well-known manufacturers so that cracks and chips do not appear during operation. The following important characteristics are usually indicated on the packaging:
- To what class of wear resistance does a ceramic coating belong? It is necessary to buy tiles not lower than 3rd, even better if it is the 5th grade of wear resistance. Belonging to a particular class is determined according to generally accepted GOST. The higher it is, the more the tile will be resistant to mechanical damage. It will last a long time without any complaints. If there is a glazed layer on the tile, then its wear resistance only increases. The most durable coating for the kitchen floor is porcelain stoneware, professionals call it "eternal".
- What is the slip resistance of the coating? This parameter is very important for the kitchen, the safety of movement should be above all. Therefore, the most optimal coating option is a tile with a friction coefficient of 0.75.
- Resistance of ceramic tiles to a chemical environment. Floor tiles must be resistant to the use of various cleaning products, since the floors in the kitchen are most contaminated. It is better to choose class A or class AA.
- What is the absorption coefficient of water for this coating, or porosity. Experts say that porous tiles absorb moisture better. In the kitchen there is always an excessive amount of moisture, so you should choose a low-porous version of ceramic tiles. Such a coating will not absorb liquid and crack with time.
- Ceramic tiles should not fade over time. On the packaging, manufacturers depict the sun, this is a guarantee that the color of the coating will not fade during operation. Such a tile is not afraid of ultraviolet.
Pattern selection
Many people when choosing the color of the floor in the kitchen prefer dark tones in the hope that the floors will not be easily soiled. People mistakenly believe that against a dark background, inevitable pollution will not be evident. It turns out exactly the opposite: a light tile for the kitchen is much more convenient to use than a dark one. The dirt on it is not as striking as many people think. Plus, the white floor tiles in the kitchen look quite impressive.
Some prefer exclusively porcelain for the kitchen floor, but it has few colors in stock. Such a coating looks solid. A novelty in the market is edged porcelain stoneware.
Fans of floor tiles for the kitchen with a pattern buy a tile that is coated with a special glaze. It looks bright, but over time chips may appear on such a coating.
Pros of floor tiles in the kitchen
People who have long laid tiles on the kitchen floor, note more advantages in use than cons.
These include:
- Floor tiles can withstand temperature changes.
- It tolerates increased humidity in the room.
- Tiles are not afraid of any kind of pollution. It is easy to wash off splashes of fat from it during frying.
- Possibility of cleaning agents when cleaning, which contain aggressive chemical elements.
- The tile is not afraid of mechanical damage, even if you drop any thing on the floor.
- It is impossible to “erase” it, as is the case with other floor coverings.
- Floor tiles look good in kitchen design.
Minuses
The disadvantages of using tiles are negligible, but they are present:
- This material practically does not retain heat. If people prefer underfloor heating, then it will be quite expensive. This coating cools very quickly.
- Some types of tiles are slippery, they are not recommended for use in apartments where there are small children. If such a tile has already been laid, it is better to walk on it with slippers on rubber soles. But there is a way out of the situation. You need to purchase tiles with a frosted finish. In this case, the floor surface will be a little rough, which is not the case with glazed tiles. This view will be very slippery.
What are the sizes?
Many people wonder how to choose tiles on the floor in the kitchen of a suitable size. Often the tiles have the same design, but are presented in different sizes. It is believed that large floor tiles look more solid than the same tile of a smaller format. There are exceptions when choosing floor tiles for a small kitchen. In this case, large tiles will look ridiculous. It is better to stay on small modules, for example, the size can be 20 by 20 or 25 by 25 centimeters. Often buy floor tiles measuring 10 by 10 centimeters. In some small apartments mosaic looks good on the floor.
If the room area is small, then large formats will have to be cut very much, there will be waste during installation. The smaller form of the tile is easy to put in a small kitchen, there will be practically no waste. The most convenient tile formats will be 33.3 by 33.3 centimeters. Options are 40 to 40 centimeters. These formats are perfect for medium-sized kitchens, such as in brick houses or panel ninety series.
If a small kitchen uses a small format of floor tiles, then the room visually becomes larger.
Nowadays, a new type of tile is increasingly being used , which when laying does not allow seams. With this type of coating, tile dimensions do not affect the appearance of the room.
Floor tile shape
Today, the rectangular shape of the modules has become popular. It looks large-scale and helps to build the desired composition in the interior. For example, when the kitchen is narrow and elongated in length, then with the help of tiles of this shape it can be visually expanded. The result is a proportional room. The secret of laying is that the long side of the module is placed perpendicular to the elongated wall of the room. If the owners of the apartment want to make an unusual kitchen design, then it is better for them to choose a floor tile of a non-standard shape. There are multifaceted tiles with rounded ends. There is also a diamond-shaped form of modules on sale.
Other options
Small inserts that contrast with the basic color of the floor look beautiful. The masonry is gaining popularity. Often ordered floors that resemble small pebbles.
How to choose the color of the floor tiles?
Often people, before choosing tiles on the floor in the kitchen, are determined with color. The shade of the flooring plays a big role in the design of the room. Most often, a person chooses the color of the walls and furniture, and only then the color of the floor. Designers advise choosing the color of the floor, starting from shades of wallpaper and kitchen furniture. You should get a tone that takes an intermediate place between the primary colors. Usually floors make a little darker walls. Furniture is selected in this case in bright colors.
Designer's advice on combining tile tones and furniture
Based on the palette of the furniture set, designers give tips on the color scheme of the floor covering:
- If the kitchen is designed in white colors, then you can safely choose any color of tiles. White is in perfect harmony with all available shades. It is worth considering the nuance, how “cold” the shade of the white kitchen. For example, if white with a blue tint, then the floor tiles are selected with a shade of blue or in any other cold color scheme. If the shade of white is “warm”, closer to milk, then the modules can choose brown shades. Terracotta options look great.
- A green kitchen set always adds brightness and richness to the interior. Floors with a yellow shade are perfect for him, it is allowed to choose light shades of brown. This season, coffee-colored tiles are considered fashionable.
- For blue furniture, you can make the flooring white, with a blue ornament or inserts. In such a design idea, a light kitchen “apron” will be an interesting solution. You can lay it out with a mosaic of milky shades. The orange flooring will look unusual. People who prefer calm tones will like the sand-colored floor.
- Nowadays, burgundy kitchen sets are popular. Beige floors will suit them. It is allowed to take tiles of all shades of gray. The module of vanilla color will be harmoniously combined. On the dark tile, the dirt that has appeared will always be noticeable, so it is better to choose light shades or always monitor for stains and quickly eliminate them.
What colors do lovers of classics choose?
Lovers of classics most often buy kitchen furniture "wood-like". There are many solutions, from “dark oak” to “light ash”. Each option is unique and requires a special approach. The work of professionals is always complicated when there is a “wood-like” style in the kitchen space. This option is the most difficult to choose the color of the flooring, since you need to take into account the texture of the tree, its shade. Tiles with the addition of a pattern will look too bright, especially if the furniture has a pronounced ring ornament. It would be a mistake to put tiles “under the tree” if the kitchen furniture is already made in this style. The result is a dispute of textures and patterns.
What shades of the floor to choose for lovers of bright color schemes of kitchen furniture?
Yellow cuisine is considered rare, but nonetheless found. Furniture of this color is usually chosen by cheerful people. Designers argue that such a rich and vibrant color needs to be "muffled" with calm shades of the flooring. Combined with yellow, black looks good. Tiles of a gray shade will harmoniously look. It is acceptable to take a light turquoise tone. If people want to choose the color of the floor tiles that is consonant with the basic tone of the furniture, then you can stop at light brown shades or terracotta.
If the kitchen furniture is designed in gray tones, then the color of the floor should “enliven” the room. Tiles can choose bright colors and play in contrast. It is permissible to lay a tile with an ornament. All shades of yellow and orange will look great. The red coating will look bright. The gray color scheme will be diluted, and the room will take on a stylish look. Spanish floor tiles for the kitchen and the corridor will fit well into the interior.