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Posts Tagged ‘Ceramic Tiles’

Bathroom Flooring Tiles gained immense popularity in recent years by home-makers. One of the most exciting things about these panels is how nature ‘sculptured’ each stone for millions of years transforming it decorative and appealing. The following quick article reveals the most updated information about these unique stone-tiles.

Quick introduction

Bathroom Flooring Tiles redecoration is created by fixing together similar naturally polished stones attached onto a fixed size (usually 12′ x 12′) mesh backing. One thing is sure: most of these tiles are originated from one part of the world – that is the exotic Indonesian islands. What are the most popular applications? Here are some of them: Floors, walls, kitchens, bathrooms, showers, swimming pools, patio flooring, and much more.

Main advantages

Using this simple solution definitely brings various advantages:

* Can be used inside as well as in the outside.
* Can be used for dry surfaces as well as wet surfaces such as shower flooring or as a sink backsplash.
* It can easily be adjusted to very small / narrow surfaces where other fixed size tiles such as conventional ceramic tiles can’t.

Important tips!

* In order to maintain these natural stones properly, it is recommended to apply sealants every two to three years.

* If you want to enhance the color of the stones transforming it glossy or matte finish, use natural stone color enhancer right before applying the sealer.

* Make sure the surface you are about to tile is flat, clean, dry and free of contaminants.

There are probably many other advantages provided by this simple redesigning method simply because any average and unprofessional home-maker can do it easily by him/herself.

Bottom line

It is considered as one of the best tiling choices for the average home-maker due to the fact that Bathroom Flooring Tiles can be quickly installed with minimal required technical skills, and at low cost. As mentioned earlier installation is quite easy, however, it is advised to keep the above tips once you decide on installing these panels.

Incoming search terms:

• antique moroccan tiles

Floor tiles can provide a practical, hard wearing covering all around the home but in colder climates their use tends to belimited to bathrooms, kitchens and hallways. The advent of underfloor heating might see their use expanded, as one of the perceived issues with floor tiles is that they are colder under foot.

While the installation of wall tiles is sometimes limited to certain areas of the bathroom, floor tiles tend to be used to cover the whole of the room. It is possible to limit floor tiles\’ use to areas likely to get wet (outside a shower cubicle or next to a bath) but in general it usually looks better if the whole floor has one consistent finish.

The appearance of the finished floor will depend on the tiles chosen, and there is a huge choice available. Darker colours can make a dramatic statement while lighter colours will keep the room feeling airy. The material that the tile is made of is also an important consideration. Ceramic tiles can usually be used in most circumstances but natural stone tiles are not always suitable for use in wet rooms. Many stone tiles require sealing before use and careful cleaning after use but luckily there are a whole host of ceramic equivalents which can prove more practical in most instances, but it is always worth checking with your tile supplier prior to purchasing to ensure their suitability. Another feature that you might wish to look for when choosing a floor tile is its non-slip characteristics. Many smooth, glossy or glazed tiles can be very slippery underfoot especially when wet, so suppliers will always have tiles with raised patterns moulded or cut into the surface to aid with grip.

Wet rooms can use floor tiles to make one, complete, waterproof surface for the whole room, turning the entire space into a showering area. For this type of application it is vital that the correct materials are used for creating the floor. The substrate and location of the room can dictate which method is used to create the wet room floor. There are a wide range of ancillary products available to enable tiles to be used as a wet room floor. These include floor panels that help with creating the correct falls to ensure the shower water gets ducted away, tanking materials to help ensure a completely waterproof area, special adhesives and grouts that are designed to cope with the demanding environment. Tiles can also be used for the floor inside a smaller shower area such as an enclosure or cubicle – effectively creating a shower tray made out of floor tiles. The same provisos will still apply regarding suitable substrates, adhesives and falls to ensure the floor remains waterproof.

Tiling onto wooden floors bring its own set of particular issues that need to addressed in order for the installation to be successful. Your tile supplier will be able to specify the exact steps needed to be taken for the products you have in mind but in principle it will involve securing or replacing existing floorboards and then overlaying these with a solid layer of suitable boarding, such as marine ply or a specific tile backer board. Flexible adhesive and grout will also be required as wood expands at a different rate to ceramic or stone, which could result in the tile cement working loose or the grout cracking. The boarding plus the tile itself can result in a floor that is stepped up from the level of adjoining rooms and can require doors to be altered to take this into consideration. Underfloor heating can also affect the choice of adhesive and grout required for fixing floor tiles as the temperature fluctuations can impart expansion and contraction forces that can lead to problems with adhesion and cracking.

Saint Tropez Boutique is proud to introduce to you the newly designed Moroccan tile, Moorish tile collection exclusively handcrafted in Morocco using organic clay and natural color pigments and glazes same way the Moors did for so many centuries ago.

Moroccan tile, Moorish tile is the new trend for kitchen backsplash tiles design, Kitchen floor tile design, Bathroom wall, floors, and shower. The Moroccan tile, Moorish tile collection comes in several Moorish geometric pattern mosaic tiles. Unlike the old days Moroccan mosaic tiles or Moorish tiles used to come loose mosaic tiles and a master Moroccan tile installer is the only person that can install them,the new line of Moroccan tile, Moorish tile by Saint Tropez Boutique comes in 12″ x 12″ pre-assembled or pre-mounted mosaic sheets for easy installtion by anyone, no experience needed to install this exquisite Moroccan tile.

The new collection of Moroccan tile, Moorish tile will add style, art, and piece of the Moorish history to your home.Warmth, simplicity and timeless beauty are the defining qualities of Moroccan tile. An ideal backdrop for everything from formal antiques to modern home design.

About Saint Tropez Boutique:

Saint Tropez Boutique is the exclusive dealer in California of custom handmade high-end contemporary and traditional Moorish architectural elements, Moroccan art, ethnic decor including Moorish tiles, Moroccan tiles, Mediterranean terracotta tiles, Spanish hand painted tiles, Moroccan ceramic tiles, zillij mosaic, antique Mediterranean tiles, Islamic tiles, Limestone tiles, Jali screens, Moorish lighting, Moroccan lanterns, Moroccan chandelier, Moroccan lamps, Moroccan woodwork, Moroccan furniture, Mediterranean wood doors, mashrabiyah, Moroccan wood lattice screens, Mediterranean architectural antiques, Moroccan tents, Arabian nights theme party rental and much more. Our mission is to save, protect, and promote the Moorish architecture  and Moroccan decorative art & crafts and to become the world leader in Moorish architecture, Arabesque design, Islamic art, Moroccan decor. Whether you are designing your home, hotel, restaurant, resort, Spa, yacht or restoring a Spanish colonial revival historic building, we will help you achieve your design dreams.

For more information, please contact us at:

Saint Tropez Boutique

Address:  25 Evelyn Way. San Francisco, California 94127 U.S.A

Phone:  (415) 513-5920

Fax:  (415) 871-2188

Email:  sales@sainttropezboutique.us

Web: http://www.sainttropezboutique.us

If you are thinking about remodeling your bathroom or kitchen, one of the things that you need to focus on is the material you will use. You can choose between marble tiles and ceramic tiles.

Ceramic tiles have become very popular for remodeling projects because they look good and they are versatile. They come in a variety of designs, textures and sizes. They can also be used to give a traditional look for a room and are suitable for floors, walls, countertops, baths and backsplashes.

The size of the marble tiles matters a lot when you are planning to renovate the kitchen or bathroom. Large ones will take a shorter time to hang but they usually cost more but some people think that small ones make a room look more elegant.

Apart from the size, you also need to think about the weight of the material you use for bathroom remodeling or installing some backsplashes in your kitchen. If you are using ceramic kitchen tiles, the weight of the materials should match the support on the wall.

Most of the ceramic kitchen tiles are available in square shapes but you can also find some rectangular ones. The rectangular ones are more suitable if they are used for backsplashes in the shower. If you are looking for something more exciting, try some triangular ones.

For bathroom remodeling, most people settle for white materials but this does not mean that you cannot have a variety of colors. For backsplashes in your kitchen choose bold colors and select your favorite color for the countertop. Make sure their colors coordinate well with each other.

The material you use can either be vitreous, semi-vitreous or non-vitreous. The bathroom and kitchen usually have a lot of moisture therefore non-vitreous ones are a great option. This will make it easier for you to clean up any spills without damaging the material. The non-vitreous type is also great for these areas because they can withstand heavy traffic.

Glazing on the material you use in your kitchen or bathroom can also help to reduce water absorption. To do this the material is coated with certain pigments and ground glass. If you want to use the glazed material in your bathroom, you should make sure it is rough to prevent slipping.

To create an interesting look in your home, you can use materials that have some mosaic designs on them.

When you are buying the materials, make sure you get them from a store that specializes in them if you do not mind paying a little more for them. If you are looking for cheaper alternatives, look for a bargain or hardware store. You can also try some online stores but this is not always a good option.

Planning and upgrading your bathroom or kitchen is not always an easy task. You are full of enthusiasm but are faced with lots of choices. The choice of ceramic tiles is bewildering. Usually colour, design and budget are the key factors affecting your choice. However I would add a further factor ‘technical performance’. Remember all tiles labeled as ‘ceramic’ are not the same. Indeed some natural mineral tiles such as slate or marble sometimes use the same terminology.

To most people tiles are tiles – aren’t they? Well no! You need to know there are at least 2 categories of ceramic tile; floor tiles and wall tiles. What makes them different is ‘technical performance’. They are both usually made of ceramic, they can both be glazed with a shiny surface and both can be highly coloured with designs. However they do not have the same technical performance in use!

Wall tiles

Wall tiles are usually porous (on the back) and have a highly glossy glaze finish on the face. This allows them to be hygienic, cleanable, and not absorb moisture on the face when exposed to wet conditions in bathrooms and kitchens. However in manufacture they are normally fired in a fast fire kiln in less than one hour. This means they have limited strength, abrasion and slip resistance.

Floor tiles

In contrast floor tiles are fired to a higher temperature usually with a special glaze coating. This gives a much increased strength, abrasion and slip resistance. Clearly this gives advantages when used under foot where stronger tiles are less likely to crack, scratch or wear out as well as resist slipping. Indeed a number of standards need to be met for tiles to be considered suitable for floor tile use. So choose wisely for your location. Floor tiles for floors, and wall tiles for walls!

Colour and finish

A second consideration is tile finish and colour. Although this is generally down to individual taste, for best slip performance floor tiles have a dull gloss or matt texture. Wall tiles can have a much wider range of textures and gloss but a smoother finish is usually more easily cleaned than a textured finish. Please be aware that although most tiles supplied in a box set are matching in design and colour they are not identical!

Quality

Probably the most important aspect of tiles is the quality of manufacture. This is not easy to assess. It means how strong are they? How long will they last? How flat are they (tiles warp during manufacture)? How easy are they to install?

Although most tiles supplied by reputable suppliers are manufactured to European standard BSEN14411 or American ASTM standard equivalents, it is not readily apparent by how much they exceed these standards. In Europe the CE Mark is a sign of quality adopted by tile manufacturers. Established brands like Marazzi or Porcelanosa are constantly pushing the boundaries to produce consistent products which exceed expectation in terms of quality, design and performance.

Summary

In summary, take a little time to choose the right type of tile for your job. Look for the CE marks or the BS standards on the packaging as a sign of meeting a quality standard. Use quality branded products if possible as often they give better performance in use and have been designed for ease of installation.