Traditionally, ceramic tiles are the most popular for the finishing work in the washroom and bathroom. Such material is distinguished by excellent workmanship, it is durable, strong, is not afraid of significant temperature changes and has an attractive appearance.
Let's talk in more detail about how to choose the right high-quality ceramic tiles, and competently carry out repairs that will delight the owners for many years.
The advantages of ceramic tiles
Today, on sale in specialized stores, you can find dozens, if not hundreds, of varieties of ceramic tiles, which differ in their appearance, characteristics, manufacturers, surface texture and a number of other parameters.
Before you go to the salon and make a purchase, see the photo of the tile here, this will allow you to pre-approve some of the models for discussion on the spot.
The advantages of this finishing material include the following:
• complete environmental friendliness;
• available assortment of choice;
• resistance to aggressive household chemicals;
• ease of maintenance of the coating;
• reliability and durability of materials.
You just need to remember that the performance characteristics of such a material, its durability and attractive appearance will largely depend on the specific tile manufacturer and their adherence to the entire manufacturing technology of such a coating. Today, the most popular are Spanish and Italian brands, whose products are made using the most modern technologies, differ in their texture and have an original design.
Available assortment of choice
Before you directly purchase ceramic tiles in the bathroom, you should familiarize yourself with its varieties. It is on the type of such material that its durability and performance will depend.
Bikottura is produced using a special technology, this material is subjected to two firing, after which it is covered with protective enamel on top. Such tiles will be resistant to aggressive detergents, but they will not be as reliable as they should be. Bikottura is recommended to be chosen for wall cladding, but more durable varieties of this material should be laid on the floor.
Clinker is a widespread type of ceramic tile, which is made using modern technology, which allows you to get a durable and low-porosity material. The only drawback of such a coating is the nondescript design and the limited choice of clinker colors.
Monocuttura is a high-strength variety that undergoes a single firing to provide excellent strength and can be used as flooring.
Porcelain stoneware has excellent strength, scratch and abrasion resistance. Porcelain stoneware can imitate a variety of natural stones, including marble and granite, the surface has a barely noticeable roughness, which allows it to be used in the bathroom for laying the floor.
Decoding of designations on the label
You can get the necessary information about the performance, property and purpose of ceramic tiles by carefully studying its label. For example, wall-mounted material has a black pictogram with a white palm print. If the tile is intended solely for laying on the floor, it will have a black pictogram with a white symbolic image of a shoe print. Also, from the information encrypted on the label, you can get data on the thickness of the tile and its ultimate strength in bending, abrasion resistance and resistance to chemicals.
One of the most important indicators of this material, especially when choosing a covering for laying on the floor, is the resistance of the tile to abrasion. For a kitchen or bathroom, a coating that has a strength rating of AA will suffice. But it is not required to overpay for a special reinforced tile that has undergone several firing procedures. The coating has a high cost, since it is specially designed for premises with high throughput.
Cover design
Most homeowners, when choosing a bathroom tile, first of all pay attention to its design. Professionals recommend that you initially decide on the manufacturer, your repair budget, and then select a specific collection of coverage.
Each collection has several models that differ in the following criteria:
• invoice;
• drawing;
• Colour.
In designer renovations, a combination of several color schemes from different collections is often used. However, it is extremely difficult for an ordinary homeowner to combine such tiles, designed in different colors and styles, therefore experts still recommend choosing one basic shade in which the entire bathroom or toilet will be decorated.
It is also necessary to remember about the permissible number of colors in the bathroom decoration. It is believed that if a combination of three or more shades is chosen, this visually overloads the room, introducing dissonance into the overall design style. Therefore, you should choose one or two shades of plumbing, tiles and furniture, which should be combined with each other.
The following color options are popular:
• Green is a classic solution for the bathroom, this color invigorates in the morning, setting in a positive mood.
• Blue creates a solid classic interior, however, it is problematic to care for such tiles, since even small dirt is noticeable on it.
• Red and its shades are exciting, but this color is only suitable for large bathrooms.
• Solid lilac is a great option for a bathroom in a girl's apartment. If you combine it with blue or red, then this is an excellent choice for a bathroom in a large family.
Selection criteria and recommendations
When choosing a tile for a bathroom, it is necessary to take into account the absorbency of this material. Determining it yourself is not difficult, you just need to look at the presence of pores on the seamy side. The fewer such defects, the stronger and more durable the repair will be.
A quality material should have a flat back side of the tile. Otherwise, it is extremely difficult to properly fill the existing voids with glue, this worsens adhesion to the wall, respectively, the quality of the repair performed is significantly reduced.
The front side of the tile should be free of bubbles and roughness, and the existing glaze should be applied efficiently and evenly distributed over the entire surface of the tile. You also need to remember that materials should be purchased from the same batch, allowing you to avoid garbage.
When choosing a finishing material for a large bathroom, preference should be given to light shades. The dark coating looks interesting when laid on the floor. You just need to remember that brown or black tiles will require special care, since stains and dirt will be especially noticeable on it.
Walls with a complex configuration are easiest to decorate with tiled mosaics. If you want to highlight any decor or individual areas, use bright colors to accentuate.
Many manufacturers offer entire collections of tiles, such ready-made solutions greatly simplify the choice, while the homeowner can pick up interesting panels and decorative elements for floor and ceiling cladding.
