Posted via web from UK Tiles Review

Porcelain Tiles are known for their durability and are fantastic in high traffic areas such as kitchens. Porcelain is completely non-porous, which also makes porcelain tiles ideal for bathrooms and other wet areas.

View the comprehensive range and order your free sample Porcelain Tiles here.

You can go with the basic white bathroom tiles if you wish, and these can be a great look. Some like to have an all white bathroom, and that can look fresh and clean. Many more, however, love to have some color. You can get your bathroom tiles in many colors, or you can save the color for your shower curtains, window curtains, towels, and wash clothes. There are endless ways to add color, so it’s quite alright to get white tiles if that is what you want to have.

Installing your bathroom tiles can be something you do yourself, though some prefer to have someone else do it for them. If you don’t think you are very handy, or you simply don’t have the time to do it on your own, there are many qualified people who can do the job for you, and they can usually do it very quickly. When it comes to laying tile, you may have to cut some to get the room to look right, and many fear doing this wrong. However, if you want to do it on your own, find somewhere to learn. It won’t be that hard if you have instruction.

When choosing bathroom tiles, remember that you are making an investment that will last a long time. Tiles are generally durable, and you won’t have to worry about replacing them. That makes them a bargain. They are also easier to clean, even for those who might have hard water. Concentrate on finding the right colors and patterns, and choose something you know you can live with for years to come. Some like to remodel quite often, but most can’t afford to do so. That is why choosing something you love is important, but following trends might not be. Trends will come and go, but your bathroom will remain the same.

To help you choose the perfect tiles for your bathroom project, order a free sample from the comprehensive selection at UK Tiles.

You can also get some great tips by following the UK Tiles Blog.

When referring to tiles,most people tend to think of ceramics, but tiles are now made from a number of different materials:

natural stone
glass
cork
metal
wood
carpet
vinyl
plastic
cement

Natural stone tiles have become much more popular in recent times, due to the introduction of automated production techniques, together with the availability of surface treatments that enhance the practicability of the stone.

Glass tiles can interact with light to provide visual interest and colour that has real depth. They are often used as an accent tile, as part of a border or within a mosaic pattern, enhancing the overall design. Glass tiles are totally waterproof and highly resistant to scratching.

Cork tiles are not as common as they once were, but they display many unique properties that lend themselves to use in bathrooms. They provide a reasonable degree of insulation for both heat and noise, a soft surface that is very resilient and water resilient, together with a warm underfoot feeling. Tiles made from this extraordinary natural material are likely to have some slight variation in colour.

Modern alternative wall and floor coverings have been available for some time. However, tiles still appear to be as popular as ever and are the first choice for many rooms, particularly bathrooms and kitchens. Many of the waterproofed wall panels now available are styled to simulate tile or mosaic effects and vinyl flooring will quite often be designed to give the appearance of a tiled floor.

Although carpet tiles can be an ideal choice as a warmer covering in a bathroom, they are not they are problematic in areas that get splashed as they can retain water, even when protected by a special bath mat. A major advantage of carpet tiles over regular carpet is that any tiles that get dirty or damaged can easily be removed and either cleaned or replaced with a spare tile.

Bathroom vinyl provides a continuous waterproof membrane for a bathroom floor, but vinyl tiles do not. However they are easier to lay than a large, one piece vinyl floor. Either type of vinyl will require the underlying floor to be perfectly flat and smooth, otherwise any imperfections will show through to the surface.

To order your free sample from the comprehensive range of high quality natural stone and ceramic tiles, go to UK Tiles.

Antique(d) – A word used to describe various ageing and distressing methods applied to give a material a weathered effect. This method can often make the material more fitting to traditional surroundings. In different countries different methods are used to achieve the antique effect, therefore the appearance of antiqued stone will vary from source to source.

Brushed – Similar to antique, brushed stone has only slight surface texture and soft, rounded edges.

Calibrated – When the stone has been manufactured to a uniform depth.

Chipped – When the stone has been worked (usually by hand) to give the edges a rough ‘chipped’ appearance.

Filled – Filling stone is a process applied predominantly to Travertine. This is when the small holes on the surface of the material are filled with a similar coloured resin.

Honed – When the stone tiles are machine worked to give a smooth flat surface to the face of the stone.

Polished – When the stone tiles are worked to achieve a high gloss finish to the face of a tile.

Riven – When blocks of stone are split to achieve an un-even, natural finish to the face of the stone. This is particularly common with sandstone and can provide a more traditional feel.

Tumbled – A process which provides round soft edges to a tile. This is a common feature of Travertine.

Uncalibrated – When there is a slight variation in the depth of a tile.

Veining – A term used to describe natural mineral lines found in stone.

UK Tiles

UK Tiles

Porcelain tiles will vary in price depending on quality and strength. They can be produced to emulate many different natural stone effects, making them an ideal alternative to natural stone tiles for someone on a slightly tighter budget. Porcelain tiles are essentially a unique type of ceramic tile which are fired for longer at higher temperatures, making them much stronger than standard ceramic tiles and harder than granite tiles, too. Porcelain is a completely non-porous material, which makes it the perfect tiling material to be used in areas which require a high standard of hygiene, especially wet rooms such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry areas and utility rooms.

Porcelain tiles are available in glazed, double-glazed, unglazed and full bodied varieties. The cost of the tiles is determined by the materials used, the manufacturing processes and the country of origin. The main differences between natural stone tiles and porcelain tiles lie in the practicality of porcelain, which does not require any special sealants during installation and very little maintenance after the material is installed. This makes porcelain an ideal material for bathroom and kitchen floor tiles. Porcelain floor tiles will also perform superbly in any other area which receives high domestic use.

UK Tiles

UK Tiles

Limestone is a sedimentary stone which is commonly quarried and used in the UK as a building material, although limestone tiles are imported from many areas worldwide, predominantly India, Israel and Turkey. Limestone Tiles are one of the softest stone tiles and should not be used in any area which receives heavy traffic. The colours of Limestone tiles are mainly earthy tones of greens, blues, greys, creams, beiges and dark browns, Limestone is also a popular stone tile for bathroom areas.

Granite is an igneous rock which can be found all over the world including most of mainland Europe, but granite stone tiles are predominantly imported from India and China. Granite is known for having varying colours and patterns within each variation of the material and it is also known to provide stunning black tiles. Granite stone tiles are often used in contemporary, luxurious environments but they are also being more commonly used in kitchens, where the owner wishes to match their stone tile floor to their kitchen countertops.

Travertine is actually another form of Limestone, but due to its distinctive appearance and nature of the material it is commonly regarded as a unique material. Travertine tiles come in a variety of dark and light, beige and yellow tones. They are also produced to several different finishes including honed, filled, unfilled and tumbled. Travertine tiles have become very popular in recent years for residential kitchens and bathrooms.

Marble starts life as Limestone which is then crystallised by immense heat and pressure. Marble tiles come in a multitude of colours and patterns which are created from the minerals and chemical elements in the stone. Some of the most popular marble tiles are white, many of which originate from Carrara in Italy. Marble tiles are one of the hardest wearing stone tiles and are commonly used in commercial areas such as shopping centres and corporate offices. They are also popular in high-end residential developments which require classical apparel.

UK Tiles

UK Tiles

When considering the type of material to use, as well as thinking about the kind of look you are aiming to achieve it is important to consider the practicalities in regards to the environment the stone tiles are being used in. Do you require a hard wearing tile, a tile which can withstand frost and do you require a tile which can be cut easily enough for awkward laying areas.

Another important aspect to consider is the finish of the material. There are two common finishes for stone tiles, polished and natural. A polished effect gives the tile a high-gloss reflective finish and this is common in marble and granite stone tiles. A natural finish gives the tile a matt, non-glossy finish, this is common in limestone tiles and also makes the tiles less slippery under foot compared to polished material. Most stone tiles have a honed finish which is a term used to describe how the face of stone is ground down to the same level, where as some stone tiles (often slates and sandstone) can have a riven finish which is where the surface is left with its natural riven texture. The edges of natural stone tiles can be sharp or softened, again this varies with the material.

When dealing with a natural stone vendor, it is important to ensure that the stone tiles you purchase all come from the same quarried batch, if they are all to be laid in the same area. It also a good idea to check the companies back ground and history in order to avoid dealing with a business which may not supply with you with consistently high quality material.

UK Tiles

UK Tiles