Floor and wall tiles for the home are some of the most prolific building materials you will buy. There are so many types, sizes, styles, colors, textures, finishes, price ranges, classifications, manufacturers, country origins, that it can be a challenge to weed through the good and come out with the ones best suited for your new home. It can be daunting, but it can also be fun! Here are tips to make the selection and purchasing experience more satisfying.
Choosing tiles when there are so many options, can be a big challenge. But it can also be fun, especially if you are armed with tips on how to go about it smartly. Photo is from one of the display halls in Mozzaico, Quezon City, Philippines.
Top Five Tips for choosing great floor and wall tiles.
TIP #1. Know what you are looking for. This is the most important factor so I'll get into this in greater depth.
What is your application - indoor, outdoor, high traffic, low traffic? Bathroom, bedroom? What kind of look do you prefer e.g. formal and elegant or casual and relaxed? What kind of feel - warm, cool, formal, casual, elegant, laid back? Polished and glazed tiles should be for indoor use as they can be very slippery when wet and used outdoors. Highly polished tiles are generally more elegant and formal. Glazed, semi-glazed, textured and rough finishes are generally more casual and relaxed. Bathroom floor tiles can be either polished or matte, depending on your preference. Shower floors are better with a matte finish as they are less prone to slipping, especially for the elderly who tend to lose their balance more easily.
Colors can determine warmth or coolness e,g. bright and blue-toned colors, even ivory and gray, are cooler; muted colors, earth colors, sand and beige colors are warmer. Patterns can also reinforce the mood, whether formal or relaxed.
What look and feel do you want to create? Formal or relaxed, classic or contemporary, cool or warm? Photo is from one of the showcases at theMozzaico showroom, Quezon City, Philippines.
The tile material makes a difference. Porcelain tiles have lower absorption than ceramic tiles, at only 0.1% to 0.4%, are stronger and more dense, and are also more expensive. So make sure you won't make a snap purchase because of a good price only to find out you got ceramics rather than porcelain. How to tell the difference? Ask a person in the store who is knowledgeable, and confirm through the box codes. Note that a number of manufacturers have "Ceramic" or "Ceramica" in their names, but actually produce both porcelains and ceramics. I'd recommend using all porcelains where possible, but it is okay to selectively use ceramics for wall tiles and low traffic, secondary applications, to save cost and allocate your budget to spend less or more as you please. For driveways and garage floors, there are specialty tiles that are thicker and homogenous, designed to carry the weight of cars. Preferably, use these to ensure good service life for your garage floor.
Tile sizes - bigger are better. For large floors, using 60 cm x 60 cm tiles or larger, will give a more premium look. They will appear cleaner as there will be less spaces between tiles, thus less visible grout, but they are more expensive per sqm. Using large tiles for a small area however, can shrink the appearance of a room. Bathrooms are an exception where large floor tiles are still good in a small area. Now if you talk about tiny mosaic tiles for walls, these are actually more premium and many times the price of regular tiles.
Mosaics carry a high premium, but can provide extreme class or elegance. Many bright and metallic colors are only available as mosaics. You can also get mosaics of popular images, like this Marilyn Monroe or an Albert Einstein, or even your own personal photo! This mosaic is for sale, as displayed at the main lobby of theMozzaico showroom, Quezon City, Philippines.
Having a general idea of what you're looking for, and knowing about different kinds of tiles, will give you more confidence in sifting through huge available choices. Photo is from Wilcon, Filinvest, Alabang, Philippines.
What about "tilespeak" or strange terms, like "stain resistant" and "nano coated" tiles? These refer to tiles that have very fine polished surfaces that more stringently prevent discoloration, and color or chemical absorption. "Double loading" refers to tiles where the surface color and design permeates deeper into the tile than just a few microns on the surface. You can observe this by looking at the tiles from the side, and seeing that the surface color reaches a a fourth or a third into the thickness of the tile. These are more expensive than conventional tiles. The advantage of this is that small surface chips will not result to unsightly marks that expose the base material of the tile. "Homogenous" or "full bodied" tiles have a uniform consistency for the material and color. In other words, the tile design and color are not just on the surface. These are more expensive than double loaded tiles as they are more sturdy, more expensive to manufacture, and thus are more premium.
Knowing these things, you can walk into a store with more confidence to look for the tiles that please you. But... be prepared to be flexible on your preferences as you see the many options available!
TIP #2. Look for a dealer where you are comfortable and has a broad selection.
Look for a dealer or store where you can stay comfortable and relaxed, has bright lights, and good ventilation. Poor ventilation can result to headaches. When this happens, just come back another day. Or look for other stores.
Look for a shop where you are comfortable and which has a large tile collection. Photo is from the large second floor of Mozzaico, Philippines, which has walls lined with choice tiles, and is classy and spacious that it's sometimes rented out for corporate events.
Porcelain tiles from China and Malaysia abound. Philippine tiles are also many. But also check fine tiles from Spain and Italy. Wilcon, Filinvest, Alabang, Philippines has broad selections from Spanish and Italian tile brands.
I personally like showrooms that have good air conditioning. When you're comfortable, you can take your time to look at the many tiles. Of course this assumes that dealer offers many interesting choices. If not, move in to another store.
It takes time to choose and really appreciate which tiles will suit you, and you'll likely need a second and third look, so being comfortable is important. For the smart buyer, allocate at least four months in advance of your requirement to start looking at tiles. This way you won't be in a rush to choose and end up compromising on quick decisions you may later regret, and instead have a more pleasant time in choosing.
Don't overlook mosaics! Don't brush them off thinking they are outdated or too expensive. Used choicefully, they can be very elegant and deliver a Wow! factor at a reasonable price. This photo is part of the mosaic collection at Mozzaico, Philippines.
TIP #3. Get as visual as you can.
Brands from Spain and. Italy have large display boards that have photos of rooms and settings where the tiles are used, then show the actual tiles. These are useful and give inspiration if how you can use the tiles in your own home, and which tiles will look good.
Display boards having photos of sample applications and the actual tiles can help inspire you in your selection process. Photos are from boards in Wilcon, Filinvest, Alabang, Philippines.
Look for a shop that has many tile showcases. If display boards inspire, showcases inspire even more! As when buying clothes, you want to see them fitted on a person or a mannequin. For tiles, you want to see them in an actual setting, which takes away more guesswork.
In Metro Manila, one company that offers very many tile showcases is Mozzaico. Here you'll see different kinds of rooms, with different kinds of tiles, with color variants of those tiles, so you can picture your own applications.
Look for many showcases in the shop. These give great inspiration for your tile selection process, and also let you have a fuller appreciation of your choices. In Metro Manila, Mozzaico, has one of the most, if not the most, number of showcase displays.
Mozzaico also specializes in tiles with "non-repeating" patterns that result to a natural, organic feel in contrast to repeating patterns that result to a synthetic and "manufactured" look. For tiles that have patterns of natural stone or abstract looks, this is very important. This is also why you will see tiles laid out in threes in Mozzaico, so you can see how sets will appear. Mozzaico can have up to eight tiles per variant, all of the same color shade and style, with slight but substantial nuances for that natural look. In contrast, many shops will just have one exactly repeating pattern per style of tile.
Using mosaics can deliver a very classy look, but you need to get the mix of colors, textures, tones and cuts right. Mozzaico shows a wide range of samples of tiles and mosaics that work.
And a final note on getting visual - Use a 3D design app or 3D rendering or 3D design visualization service for your specific application. . Provide your contact info in the comments (your contact info will not be published) if you want to avail of the design service.
Using a 3D rendering app or service can help you visualize your own application and give you confidence in your choices.
Two more quick tips.
TIP #4. Check pricing, stocks and returns policies.
Make sure the terms and conditions are agreeable. Pricing is normally flexible, so be sure to negotiate. Even Mossaico, which has scary high prices, will consider your volumes and offer competitive prices! Check how to handle returns or replacements in case they become necessary. If you are buying items on sale, make sure you have allowances in quantities, as stocks may get sold out and you could find yourself missing one or two tiles that cannot be supplied!
TIP #5. Ensure that tiles are good quality.
Buying from an established and reputable tile dealer and tile brand will protect you from this concern. To be sure, there are some tests you can perform: (a) lay four tiles in a square to check they have right angles and (b) lay tiles front to front and back to back to check against curvatures.
It's also good to choose tiles early, then order them close to when they will actually be used. So then if there are problems seen in actual usage, it is easier to get back to the dealer.
So there!
Equipped with these tips, I trust your tile-buying experience will be more fun and satisfying!
Happy tile-hunting!
PS. EXCEPT THE Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain. [Ps. 121:1, 3, 5.] It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of [anxious] toil–for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep. (Psalm 127:1, 2 AMP) Let's keep God in our house-building activities!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Choosing tiles when there are so many options, can be a big challenge. But it can also be fun, especially if you are armed with tips on how to go about it smartly. Photo is from one of the display halls in Mozzaico, Quezon City, Philippines.
Top Five Tips for choosing great floor and wall tiles.
TIP #1. Know what you are looking for. This is the most important factor so I'll get into this in greater depth.
What is your application - indoor, outdoor, high traffic, low traffic? Bathroom, bedroom? What kind of look do you prefer e.g. formal and elegant or casual and relaxed? What kind of feel - warm, cool, formal, casual, elegant, laid back? Polished and glazed tiles should be for indoor use as they can be very slippery when wet and used outdoors. Highly polished tiles are generally more elegant and formal. Glazed, semi-glazed, textured and rough finishes are generally more casual and relaxed. Bathroom floor tiles can be either polished or matte, depending on your preference. Shower floors are better with a matte finish as they are less prone to slipping, especially for the elderly who tend to lose their balance more easily.
Colors can determine warmth or coolness e,g. bright and blue-toned colors, even ivory and gray, are cooler; muted colors, earth colors, sand and beige colors are warmer. Patterns can also reinforce the mood, whether formal or relaxed.
What look and feel do you want to create? Formal or relaxed, classic or contemporary, cool or warm? Photo is from one of the showcases at theMozzaico showroom, Quezon City, Philippines.
The tile material makes a difference. Porcelain tiles have lower absorption than ceramic tiles, at only 0.1% to 0.4%, are stronger and more dense, and are also more expensive. So make sure you won't make a snap purchase because of a good price only to find out you got ceramics rather than porcelain. How to tell the difference? Ask a person in the store who is knowledgeable, and confirm through the box codes. Note that a number of manufacturers have "Ceramic" or "Ceramica" in their names, but actually produce both porcelains and ceramics. I'd recommend using all porcelains where possible, but it is okay to selectively use ceramics for wall tiles and low traffic, secondary applications, to save cost and allocate your budget to spend less or more as you please. For driveways and garage floors, there are specialty tiles that are thicker and homogenous, designed to carry the weight of cars. Preferably, use these to ensure good service life for your garage floor.
Tile sizes - bigger are better. For large floors, using 60 cm x 60 cm tiles or larger, will give a more premium look. They will appear cleaner as there will be less spaces between tiles, thus less visible grout, but they are more expensive per sqm. Using large tiles for a small area however, can shrink the appearance of a room. Bathrooms are an exception where large floor tiles are still good in a small area. Now if you talk about tiny mosaic tiles for walls, these are actually more premium and many times the price of regular tiles.
Mosaics carry a high premium, but can provide extreme class or elegance. Many bright and metallic colors are only available as mosaics. You can also get mosaics of popular images, like this Marilyn Monroe or an Albert Einstein, or even your own personal photo! This mosaic is for sale, as displayed at the main lobby of theMozzaico showroom, Quezon City, Philippines.
Having a general idea of what you're looking for, and knowing about different kinds of tiles, will give you more confidence in sifting through huge available choices. Photo is from Wilcon, Filinvest, Alabang, Philippines.
What about "tilespeak" or strange terms, like "stain resistant" and "nano coated" tiles? These refer to tiles that have very fine polished surfaces that more stringently prevent discoloration, and color or chemical absorption. "Double loading" refers to tiles where the surface color and design permeates deeper into the tile than just a few microns on the surface. You can observe this by looking at the tiles from the side, and seeing that the surface color reaches a a fourth or a third into the thickness of the tile. These are more expensive than conventional tiles. The advantage of this is that small surface chips will not result to unsightly marks that expose the base material of the tile. "Homogenous" or "full bodied" tiles have a uniform consistency for the material and color. In other words, the tile design and color are not just on the surface. These are more expensive than double loaded tiles as they are more sturdy, more expensive to manufacture, and thus are more premium.
Knowing these things, you can walk into a store with more confidence to look for the tiles that please you. But... be prepared to be flexible on your preferences as you see the many options available!
TIP #2. Look for a dealer where you are comfortable and has a broad selection.
Look for a dealer or store where you can stay comfortable and relaxed, has bright lights, and good ventilation. Poor ventilation can result to headaches. When this happens, just come back another day. Or look for other stores.
Look for a shop where you are comfortable and which has a large tile collection. Photo is from the large second floor of Mozzaico, Philippines, which has walls lined with choice tiles, and is classy and spacious that it's sometimes rented out for corporate events.
Porcelain tiles from China and Malaysia abound. Philippine tiles are also many. But also check fine tiles from Spain and Italy. Wilcon, Filinvest, Alabang, Philippines has broad selections from Spanish and Italian tile brands.
I personally like showrooms that have good air conditioning. When you're comfortable, you can take your time to look at the many tiles. Of course this assumes that dealer offers many interesting choices. If not, move in to another store.
It takes time to choose and really appreciate which tiles will suit you, and you'll likely need a second and third look, so being comfortable is important. For the smart buyer, allocate at least four months in advance of your requirement to start looking at tiles. This way you won't be in a rush to choose and end up compromising on quick decisions you may later regret, and instead have a more pleasant time in choosing.
Don't overlook mosaics! Don't brush them off thinking they are outdated or too expensive. Used choicefully, they can be very elegant and deliver a Wow! factor at a reasonable price. This photo is part of the mosaic collection at Mozzaico, Philippines.
TIP #3. Get as visual as you can.
Brands from Spain and. Italy have large display boards that have photos of rooms and settings where the tiles are used, then show the actual tiles. These are useful and give inspiration if how you can use the tiles in your own home, and which tiles will look good.
Display boards having photos of sample applications and the actual tiles can help inspire you in your selection process. Photos are from boards in Wilcon, Filinvest, Alabang, Philippines.
Look for a shop that has many tile showcases. If display boards inspire, showcases inspire even more! As when buying clothes, you want to see them fitted on a person or a mannequin. For tiles, you want to see them in an actual setting, which takes away more guesswork.
In Metro Manila, one company that offers very many tile showcases is Mozzaico. Here you'll see different kinds of rooms, with different kinds of tiles, with color variants of those tiles, so you can picture your own applications.
Look for many showcases in the shop. These give great inspiration for your tile selection process, and also let you have a fuller appreciation of your choices. In Metro Manila, Mozzaico, has one of the most, if not the most, number of showcase displays.
Mozzaico also specializes in tiles with "non-repeating" patterns that result to a natural, organic feel in contrast to repeating patterns that result to a synthetic and "manufactured" look. For tiles that have patterns of natural stone or abstract looks, this is very important. This is also why you will see tiles laid out in threes in Mozzaico, so you can see how sets will appear. Mozzaico can have up to eight tiles per variant, all of the same color shade and style, with slight but substantial nuances for that natural look. In contrast, many shops will just have one exactly repeating pattern per style of tile.
Using mosaics can deliver a very classy look, but you need to get the mix of colors, textures, tones and cuts right. Mozzaico shows a wide range of samples of tiles and mosaics that work.
And a final note on getting visual - Use a 3D design app or 3D rendering or 3D design visualization service for your specific application. . Provide your contact info in the comments (your contact info will not be published) if you want to avail of the design service.
Using a 3D rendering app or service can help you visualize your own application and give you confidence in your choices.
Two more quick tips.
TIP #4. Check pricing, stocks and returns policies.
Make sure the terms and conditions are agreeable. Pricing is normally flexible, so be sure to negotiate. Even Mossaico, which has scary high prices, will consider your volumes and offer competitive prices! Check how to handle returns or replacements in case they become necessary. If you are buying items on sale, make sure you have allowances in quantities, as stocks may get sold out and you could find yourself missing one or two tiles that cannot be supplied!
TIP #5. Ensure that tiles are good quality.
Buying from an established and reputable tile dealer and tile brand will protect you from this concern. To be sure, there are some tests you can perform: (a) lay four tiles in a square to check they have right angles and (b) lay tiles front to front and back to back to check against curvatures.
It's also good to choose tiles early, then order them close to when they will actually be used. So then if there are problems seen in actual usage, it is easier to get back to the dealer.
So there!
Equipped with these tips, I trust your tile-buying experience will be more fun and satisfying!
Happy tile-hunting!
PS. EXCEPT THE Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain. [Ps. 121:1, 3, 5.] It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of [anxious] toil–for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep. (Psalm 127:1, 2 AMP) Let's keep God in our house-building activities!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
These are such a great idea. you are very creative
ReplyDeleteTerrazzo Tile | Terrasso Tile | Cement Tiles
Learning the language in buying tiles would really help you have the right set of tiles for your flooring. Here in the Philippines most of preferred tiles used in homes were ceramic tile for they are much cheaper and have quite the commendable life span. I'll checkout a tiles shop in the Philippines for my tile needs.
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