How to choose a floor tile for the kitchen: features, views and interesting ideas

Tile used for a long time as a floor covering in premises of different purposes. It is popular for a variety of reasons, among other things one should always highlight the attractiveness of appearance, durability and strength, which elevates this finish to the rank of one of the leaders among the flooring materials for the kitchen. This can not be called an accident, because the tile is ready to last more than 50 years, and if necessary, some areas can be repaired on their own, therefore, experts recommend purchasing the material before starting work with some margin.

Due to the fact that the coating can be exposed to moisture and aggressive substances under these conditions, the finish should not only perform an aesthetic function, but also be easy to care for, do not react with chemicals and show durability. In order to understand how to choose a floor tile for a kitchen, you should consider its varieties and get acquainted with the main advantages and disadvantages, this will be discussed below.

Varieties of tiles for the kitchen

Visit the store, you can choose a floor covering for the kitchen from a wide range. Classify the tiles can be on different parameters, among others, you should highlight the composition and texture. In conjunction with these features the tile is divided:

• On ceramic;
• Made of granite;
• Floor tiles.

When choosing a material from granite, you get a finish, which in appearance will resemble natural granite and show high mechanical stability. Such a tile is produced from basalt crumb and clay by pressing.

Classification by manufacturing method

Before choosing a floor tile for the kitchen, you can also consider it by the way of production, the technology can be:

• Pressed;
• Extruded.

It is important to decide not only what floor tile to choose for the interior design of the kitchen, but also pay attention to the technology of manufacturing the material. The first variant involves the production of a tile by pressing a plastic mixture, which has among the ingredients a charge and clay. The tile is fired and cut into products at the next stage. As a result, it is possible to get a finish that is resistant to temperature and moisture, and also practical. Extruded tiles are made of a plastic mixture, which after molding is fired and cut into individual elements.

Select by surface type

The tile can also be subdivided according to the type of surface, it happens:

• Unglazed;
• Glazed.

If you also use kitchen tiles on the floor, how to choose a design is important. For example, the last variety of tiles listed above has a smooth surface with a glossy vitreous coating. The material is moisture resistant and durable. In matters of moisture resistance, unglazed tiles are inferior to glazed tiles, but it does not slip and creates good friction.

Recommendations for selection in view of common features

If you are thinking about the question of how to choose a floor tile for the kitchen, then you should pay attention to the following features:

• Marking;
• style;
• the size;
• Colour.

As for the shade, it can correspond to general interior solutions. Some consumers choose a tile in such a way that it matches the countertop of the kitchen unit. You need to decide on the size of the products. If the area of the kitchen is quite large, then the tile must have impressive dimensions, because a small tile looks in such cases is not very attractive. It is important to pay attention to the degree of durability and strength, because heavy objects can fall to the floor.

Additional advice on choosing

Quite often real estate owners are wondering how to choose a floor tile for the kitchen. Usually the following sizes are used for this: 30x30 or 50x50 cm. It is important to pay attention also to the way of ceramics production. Different technologies make it possible to obtain a dense vitrified or porous surface. The more pores on the back of the product, the more water will absorb the tiles. You can determine this visually: a surface with a large number of pores is rough, but the same property will promote better penetration of the adhesive and a more reliable adhesion of the finish to the surface.

For the aesthetic parameters the type of enamel is responsible. Glazed tiles have waterproof and hardness properties. Due to the fact that the kitchen floor will be exposed to various negative influences, which is especially noticeable in areas near the sink, refrigerator and stove, it is important to choose a tile with high mechanical and chemical characteristics. Among others - the resistance to bending, which by European standards is measured in MPa. Choose unglazed tile, which has a resistance to bending of 27 MPa or more.

An important criterion is hardness

If you are wondering how to choose a floor tile, then you should pay attention also to hardness. According to the European classification, the described finish is classified into 5 categories. To finish the floor in the kitchen, you should buy ceramics, which belongs to the third and fourth grades. A very important factor is also the degree of resistance to temperature changes, acid and alkali resistance. If you want to make a floor that meets international standards, then you should choose a tile whose acid and alkaline resistance corresponds to class B.

Interesting ideas

Before selecting a floor tile, you must determine which style the room will fit into. Among them, it should be noted:

• classical;
• Modern;
• minimalism;
• Country.

As for the classical interior, for it, the tiles should be chosen in such a way that it corresponds to a natural and restrained style. The ideal solution is a brown, beige or white tile. You can purchase the material in imitation of marble, wood or stone.

If you still do not know how to choose the right tile for the kitchen floor, then you can consider the Art Nouveau style. In this case, all restrictions are almost completely removed - you can choose the veneer of any plan. The coating can be monophonic or have bright neon colors. But still it should be selected under the surrounding interior. Lovers of minimalism style should purchase a simple tile that does not have colored impregnations and unnecessary decor. You can choose black, gray or white for this. Decorating the kitchen in a rustic style, the coating should be made similar to the classic. In this case, preference is given to light shades.

Additional recommendations for choosing a tile with regard to the class of wear resistance

If you also belong to the number of consumers who decide which floor tiles to choose for the kitchen, then it is especially important to pay attention to the wear resistance class of the coating. This determines the strength of the material. A low-quality coating is not always capable of carrying a stroke. On the surface after this, chips and cracks remain. If you want to eliminate the unpleasant consequences during the operation of the floor, it is important to find out which class of abrasion resistance the tile refers to. This will also determine how long the base will withstand abrasion, fading and mechanical damage.

The first class of wear resistance is tile, which can be used only for infrequent walking and only without shoes. This material is the most vulnerable among others. On those sites that will be used rarely and are part of residential buildings, you can lay the tiles of the second category. The material of the 3rd class is suitable for premises that will be actively used. In public places, tiles of the 4th class are usually laid. The most stable and durable is the finish of the 5th class, it can be used even for industrial premises.

What is the degree of wear resistance?

If you are wondering how to choose floor tiles, you should read the tips on this matter. Experts argue that for bedrooms, bathrooms and rooms with low attendance is excellent tile first group. For living spaces, tiles of the second group can be used, however such finishing is not suitable for corridors and kitchens. Tiles of the third category can be laid in kitchens, loggias and corridors. In the trading halls, the front doors in the entrances and offices are usually laid tiles of the 4th category. For restaurants and shops fit the finish of the 5th category.

Additional recommendations for choosing a tile taking into account the material

If you do not know which tile is best for the kitchen, practical tips need to be read. Having become acquainted with them, you can understand what is important in choosing to pay attention to the material as well. The simplest solution is ceramics. It is suitable for the kitchen, but for rooms with intensive loads it is better to find another cover. If you still decided to use ceramic tiles to finish the floor in the kitchen, it is important to choose less porous products, because otherwise they will not have such good operational qualities.

One of the strongest materials is porcelain stoneware, it has a unique hardness. In this case, the porosity is almost zero, so the finish is waterproof, refractory and even frost-resistant. The secret of granite is the use of granite chips and special baking technology. Design is usually characterized by realism and almost complete imitation of natural materials.

When repairing a house, owners often quite often decide how to choose a ceramic tile for the kitchen. Among other solutions, the market offers a stone that is based on marble and granite. Such materials are highly decorative and durable, but are quite expensive, so they remain a privilege of wealthy people. Instead of a natural stone, you can pick up a similar coating of artificial porcelain.

Conclusion

Before buying, be sure to consider the main characteristics. What kind of tile to choose on the floor in the hallway, they will allow to understand. However, the recommendations here are the same as in the case of the kitchen. For the hallway, it is better to use a coating of the 3rd category of wear resistance. Such material is quite strong and rude. But for the hallway it is important to choose another type of finish, the surface of which will be rough, because the floor can get wet, which often becomes the cause of slipping.