Tiling 101

Thinking of adding a simple update to your home? Whether you’re looking to retile your backsplash, or wanting to add a tiled element to your staircase, tile is a great way to incorporate design and colour into your home.

The type of tile you use for a project can be dependent on many factors, two of the most important things to consider before picking your tile are your budget as tile costs can range from $2 per square foot to $40+ per square foot and the location (ie. will it be getting wet? is it in a high traffic area? is it going on the floor (slip-resistant) or wall?).

Let's dive into the different type of tile:

Wendy Rose Gould From Real Simple rates ceramic and porcelain as the two most popular tiles because of their durability and styles, as such they are the most ideal tile for high traffic areas. 

Ceramic tile is extremely durable making it great for high traffic areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, it is also very easy to install making it a favourite for DIYers.  

Porcelain tile on the other hand is a little trickier to install but does offer a much more natural look. Gould interviewed Tony Castellano, a senior merchant for home depot, who said "the appeal of porcelain comes from its ability to emulate natural stone, brick, or wood—and without any of the maintenance,”

Mosaic tiles are tiles that measure under 2 inches in both length and width according to home stratosphere, and are popular for backsplash, and small rooms. Due to their small size, they are often used to create patterns and can be great as a feature.  

Granite Tiles are another great high traffic tile as its made from dense and hard igneous rock and come in a wide range of colours and styles. As they are a natural product, the veining and speckles can vary. Granite tiles are a great alternative to marble as it comes at a much lower price point!

For low-traffic areas, you can opt to use other materials such as marble, cement and natural stones - but keep in mind, these materials do require more upkeep. 

Marble is one of the most elegant materials and comes with a much higher price tag. Since the material is more porous than others, marble requires more upkeep and is more susceptible to screeching and staining.  

Natural stones such as limestone and travertine are great for lower traffic areas as they are more susceptible to cracking. These types of stone work well for feature walls and fireplaces but should be kept away from water as they are porous and can stain, as explained by Real Simple.

If you're planning on installing your own tile, check out this video on how to install tile and make sure you do your research beforehand as different tile require different adhesives and applications.  

Now that we’ve discussed how to choose your next tile, check out some of these awesome ways to add tile into your home.  

Fireplace

A fireplace is the centrepiece of the room, and what better way to make it stand out than with tile. Whether you’re looking for a sleek modern look or a rustic natural look, tiling your fireplace is a great way to make it stand out.  

Photo: Chase Daniel

Kitchen Backsplash

Kitchen backsplash is a great way to add finishing touches to your kitchen. Mosaics are a great option here as they add lots of character!

Photo: Wallpops

Shower

Showers require tiling, but why not use this as an opportunity to add a wow factor to your bathroom by using a herringbone pattern to make it shine. 

Photo: Mckimm

Staircase

Adding tile to your staircase is a great way to instantly add character to each step. I love the antique tiling on this staircase.  

Photo: Hello Lovely Studio

To check out more ways to incorporate tile into your home, click here or contact me!