For most kitchens, tile flooring is a typical choice because of its resistance to water, stains, durability, and resilience. Moreover, it is visually pleasing and your kitchen flooring ideas will thrive, as you look through the huge array of colors, shapes, and styles available. You can either choose stone, ceramic, or porcelain tiles for your kitchen. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are more or less the same since both are clay mixtures burnt at very high temperatures so as to come up with a tough, resilient product. They can both be glazed or unglazed, but aside from that, there are some other vital variations.
Porcelain
This material has sand fused into the clay mixture and is made with pressure and heat so as to produce a tile that is less porous, denser, and tougher when compared to ceramic. Since your kitchen experiences, high traffic, this tiling option is perfect. It is also hard enough for outdoor applications under any climate. Glass porcelain tile has a glass-like veneer applied during the firing phase so as to come up with a colored surface. Unglazed porcelain has color added to the clay mixture so that the color and pattern goes all the way through the tile. Scratches and signs of wear are not visible on unglazed porcelain. You should also keep in mind that porcelain tiles are difficult to install so you may require the help of a professional installer.
Stone
These tiles come from natural stone such as travertine, marble, slate, granite, and limestone. Most stone tiles are porous and require refinishing with a quality stone sealer every two to three years. Polishing and honing is possible with stone tiles. However, you need to keep in mind that polished stone surfaces get slippery when in contact with water even though the polishing allows the full beauty of the stone to shine through. Honed stone tiles have more traction but have a less exciting look.
Ceramic
So as to unmistakably differentiate it from porcelain, people refer to ceramic tile as non-porcelain at times. It is softer compared to its porcelain counterpart and glazed so as to create a resilient surface in practically any color. Because of its softness, it is easier to cut and install. Even though its porous levels are higher than those of porcelain, the glazing creates a waterproof surface.
Even with their beauty, tiles are very intolerant surfaces. Any delicate dishes or glasses dropped on them will simply break. Tiles reflect sound as well so you can expect your kitchen tiles to contribute to a noisy setting. However, with the help of mats and rugs, you can get rid of that problem. Maintenance is a must for tiles as well. Even though ceramic tiles are long lasting, the grout between the tiles can get dirty as time goes by. Grout sealer used on a regular basis can take care of that problem though. Look for tiles that are slip-resistant as well since water is common in your kitchen.
