How To Choose And Maintain Tile

Find the right flooring material for your entryway, kitchen, bathroom and more, including ceramic, slate, mosiac and stone tile options.

In this article:
Stone
Slate
Marble
Ceramic tile
Glazed tile
Unglazed tile
Quarry tile
Mosaic tile

Stone

Description

• most commonly used stones for flooring include slate, marble, granite, sandstone and bluestone
• available in geometric or irregular shapes
• an expensive flooring material with a hard and noisy character
• solid and earthy in appearance but can be cold underfoot if the floor below is unheated
• installation must be in a cement bed or on to a concrete subfloor

Uses

• because of its expense and weight, stone is used mainly in smaller areas of the home such as entrance ways, halls, around fireplaces and in kitchens
• when considering stone as a possible flooring material, the floor on which it will rest must be able to adequately support the load or overstressing of structural frame may result

Maintenance

• requires little maintenance, minimal sweeping and mopping
• very durable, although any cracks or chips may be difficult to repair

Slate

Description

• dense, fine-grained stone with a slightly rippled surface
• colours: dark grey (most common), purple, green, green-purple, black, blue-black
• surface finishes: clear stock (solid colour throughout), ribbon stock (darker bands are predominant)
• moderately expensive

Uses

• most appropriate in main living areas or as an accent
• take caution, is slippery when wet
• not advised for bathrooms

Maintenance

• highly durable and stain resistant
• regular sweeping and occasional wet-mopping, joints may require scouring
• can scuff in high traffic areas

Marble

Description

• smooth and opulent stone that is usually veined
• certain marble veining allows for creation of specific patterns (slide slip, end slip, book match, quarter match or diamond match)
• available in slabs (up to 40” square) or tiles (1/2” thick and between 8” to 12” square)
• available in almost any colour, most common: black, brown, grey, rose, blue, white
• most common types with own specific markings: dolomite, travertine, onyx, serpentine, calcite
• surface finishes: polished (glossy, high gloss) and honed (satin, smooth with little or no gloss)
• most expensive of all floor coverings

Uses

• anywhere a formal or elegant character is desired: principal bathrooms, dining rooms, entrance hallways
• can be used as an accent with other flooring
• only a contractor should install large slabs; tiles can be laid easily, although the tiles themselves are difficult to cut
• take caution: slippery when wet

Maintenance

• regular cleaning and polishing
• moderately durable but varies depending on type
• frequent resealing required to prevent staining and scratching

Ceramic tile

Description

• once relegated exclusively to bathroom use, ceramic tiles are now welcome in all areas of the home
• versatile and available in a huge array of colours which makes them appealing for use in kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, utility rooms and entrances
• water- and stain-resistant
• bring relief from hot weather in the summer
• cold to the touch and potentially a source of discomfort in the winter
• high gloss and glazed tiles are especially slippery when wet
• prices are moderate to expensive with the most costly being those with multi-colour glazes and textured surfaces

Uses

• because of their slippery nature, unglazed or non-gloss ceramic tiles with roughened surfaces should be used in high-moisture areas

Maintenance
(see types of ceramic tiles below)

Glazed tile

Description

• high-fired, dust-pressed clay available in square, rectangular and hexagonal shapes
• most common sizes are 6” by 6” to 10” by 10”
• floor tiles are thicker than ceramic wall tiles because they must withstand harder wear
• surface can be glazed (colour derived from glaze), semi-glazed or matte
• tiles with dull or matte finish are most appropriate for floors as they are less slippery when wet than tiles with glossy finishes
• available in a wide variety of colours and patterns
• are cool to the touch can be uncomfortable in colder climates unless floor below is heated
• reinforcement to carry weight of tiles may be required when installing on wooden floors
• backs of tiles will be brownish owing to extra firing
• moderately expensive

Uses

• in wet areas where sanitation is important, around showers or bathtubs
• choose a product that ensures adequate traction for use in wet areas
• used in entrances, kitchens, bathrooms, around fireplaces and as an accent
• should not be used in bedrooms

Maintenance

• sweeping and occasional wet-mopping
• resistant to water, heat and most household chemicals
• hard wearing and difficult to stain
• glazed tiles are water resistant, but grout is not and should be sealed

Unglazed tile

Description

• colour is mixed into clay to give tile its surface colour
• shapes and sizes like glazed tile
• finishes are usually dull

Uses

• any living area is appropriate
• unglazed tiles not appropriate for areas that will get wet, especially for areas leading to the outdoors

Maintenance

• regular damp-mop and occasional scrubbing of grout
• more durable than glazed tiles, maintains colour longer
• unglazed are water permeable and should be sealed to prevent water absorption
• stain easily and should be sealed

Quarry tile

Description

• are unglazed, unpatterned tiles made from natural clay available in earth tones of brown, red or yellow
• are hard and dense in duller colours than other ceramic tiles
• most economical of all ceramics
• usually square or rectangular, but also irregular shapes
• usually larger sizes of 6” and 8” squares
• noisy and cold

Uses

• used mainly in country interiors
• kitchens, bathrooms, halls anywhere that will receive hard wear
• excellent in leading from indoors to outdoors
• appropriate for patios

Maintenance

• most durable of ceramic tiles
• easy to clean, mainly sweeping
• resistant to dirt, moisture, stains, freezing and abrasion
• are very porous and may require a stain-resistant sealer

Mosaic tile

Description

• small tiles measuring between 1” to 2” for squares and 1” by 2” for rectangles
• also available in hexagons
• available in glazed or unglazed finishes
• available in 12” by 12” sheets for ease of installation

Uses

• most commonly used in bathrooms
• also in entrances and kitchens

Maintenance

• very durable
• damp-mopping and scrubbing of grout in sufficient