The 12 Different Types of Tiles, Explained by Pros (2023)

FAQs

How many different types of tile are there? ›

6 Main Types of Tiles.

Hard, dense, and solid, porcelain is resistant to most heavy stresses and can even be used in commercial environments. Be aware, though, that the hardness of porcelain can make it slightly more brittle than standard tiles, which means they can be more susceptible to cracking.

A porcelain tile should feel denser than a similar ceramic one and have consistent color throughout the tile. A water penetration test is the best way to tell the difference. If a tile soaked in water absorbs five percent or less of the water, it is most likely porcelain.

Tiles are manufactured furnishing materials commonly used to cover internal walls, ceilings and floors. They can be simple and functional or decorative and elaborate (such as mosaics). Tiles can be manufactured from a wide range of substances, both hard (e.g. ceramic, porcelain, stone, marble, clay, slate, glass, etc.)

ceramic tiles are the most common type of tile, and they come in many different colors, sizes and designs. Most ceramic tiles can be used on kitchen countertops, bathrooms floors or walls - anywhere that requires durability! Ceramic is easier to clean than stone tiles.

There are two types in ceramic tiles, porcelain, and non-porcelain.

Ceramic tile is impervious to heat and water, and when properly glazed, it won't stain. Proper sealant helps ensure grout won't discolor or stain, and large-format tiles cover a lot of area with minimal grout lines. Still most popular out west, ceramic tile is a solid option worth a second look.

What type of tiles are best for kitchen floor? Depending on the use of your kitchen space, either porcelain tiles or natural stone tiles would be the best tiles for a kitchen floor. Both of these options are hard wearing and durable enabling them to withstand considerable wear over time.

Known as the most durable type of tile on the market, porcelain is harder, denser, tougher, and less porous than ceramic tile. It also has a very low absorption rate, meaning it's virtually impervious to water damage, even after prolonged exposure.

How can you tell good quality tiles? ›

Drip water test. You can drip water on the back of the tiles, see the speed of infiltration after the water dispersed, generally, the slower the water absorption, indicating that the tiles density is greater. On the contrary, the faster the water absorption, the less the density, the better the intrinsic quality.

Ceramic tiles have a glazed protective layer on their surface that makes them impervious to water damage and stain penetration. This is why tile is so often used to floor bathrooms. They're also naturally resistant to humidity, making them ideal for flooring an area that is very hot or moist.

Class 3: Light to Moderate Traffic: Ceramic tile for residential floor, countertop and wall applications. The most common residential floor tile. The glazing on these tiles is most often very durable, and the strength of the tiles can handle the stress of most traffic areas.

How are ceramic tiles made? Ceramic tiles are made using natural red, brown or white clay. Firstly the clay is fired at a high temperature to reduce the water content, the glaze followed by the pattern is then applied.

Most tiles are made from clay or a mixture of clays and other materials, then kiln-fired and are considered to be a part of the larger classification called “Ceramic Tiles”. The tiles are then divided into two groups; porcelain tiles and non-porcelain tiles also known as ceramic tiles.

Tile. Ceramic Tile: At less than $1 per square foot, durable ceramic tile makes an excellent inexpensive flooring option.

For this reason, porcelain tiles are often considered the best tiles for the living room floor. Porcelain tiles are hardwearing, largely slip-resistant and extremely strong.

Look closely at the glaze: if it's chipped, you will be able to see the tile's white or tan base. This is a sure sign that the tile is ceramic. Porcelain tiles are sometimes, but not always, glazed. Most high-quality porcelain tiles will have a consistent color that goes through the top, body, and bottom of the tile.

Tile Countertops Can Last 100+ Years with Care

The last type of countertop to think about is tile. Good, strong tile countertops can last 100+ years, but only with proper care.

According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, quartz countertops are the best to go for when looking for an affordable countertop material that will give you a long service.

Are tile countertops coming back in style? ›

Kitchen tile countertops may be considered outdated by many homeowners. But they are making a comeback. Kitchen tile countertops were popular in the 70s and 80s. Even though people prefer a modern, minimalist style, tile countertops are making their way into the spotlight again.

Ceramic or Porcelain

One of the most durable, and most popular tile for kitchen floors or walls. Ceramic tiles are man-made from natural materials – in this case, clay – and baked to a finish. They are available in a wide variety of styles, shapes, colors, and patterns.

For the floor area, it's actually going to make the kitchen look larger with tile that is at least a 12 x 12-inch square, which used to be the industry standard. Nowadays, a 12×24-inch tile is even more common and standard of a floor size. You can go even larger than that!

– Simply put: no! Among tile options, porcelain stands out as a very strong and durable choice. It's denser than its ceramic and vinyl counterparts, although not quite as hard as some natural stones (such as quartzite).

While both ceramic and porcelain are less expensive than most renovation materials, their price differences are due to their density differences. Porcelain tiles are therefore more expensive than ceramic tiles.

Durability: The density of porcelain tile makes it more durable than ceramic tile while being less subject to wear and tear. This makes it more suitable for commercial use as well as in the home. Water Resistance: Porcelain tile is almost impervious to water compared to ceramic tile.

Because they are stronger, tiles with a thicker thickness are less likely to break or crack than tiles with a thinner thickness. Because durability of porcelain floor tile is important in preventing cracks and damage, you may want to choose thicker porcelain tiles for flooring, especially in high-traffic areas.

Ceramic Tiles

You can experiment with ceramic bedroom tiles to create contemporary or modern looks with a huge variety of designs. They are moisture-resistant so cleaning them is very easy. Another virtue of ceramic tiles is that they naturally stay cool, so they are THE bedroom tiles in hot and humid weather.

Floor tiles will last for many years so it is best to choose a neutral colour that will stand the test of time. The amount of natural light in your room may determine whether your floor tiles need to reflect light (lighter colours) to make the room feel larger or if a darker colour will suit.

Grade is the numerical ranking that reflects tile quality. Grade 1: Highest quality. Recommended for walls or floors. Grade 2: Similar to Grade 1, but with slight imperfections.

Should floor tiles be darker than walls? ›

As a general rule of thumb, it is best for a bathroom floor to be a darker shade than the accompanying walls and ceiling. However, if your personal preference dictates, you can choose to be adventurous and go against the grain in this regard.

Unlike other materials that are graded, the tile grading system does not indicate the quality of the tile, it just categorizes the tile by its ideal usage. For example, tile with a PEI grade of 1, which is the lowest, can last for years and look gorgeous when it's installed as a decorative wall tile.

TILE is a commonly used acronym that stands for task, individual, load and environment; four factors that should be taken into account before performing a manual handling job.

Mosaic tiles are usually small square tiles about 2 inches by 2 inches or smaller, going down to about ½ inch by ½ inch, and are produced in a wide range of colors and materials. Because of their small size, mosaic tiles are very versatile and can be used to create a range of patterns including borders and murals.

Your Tile uses Bluetooth technology to make a connection with the app on your device. Once the Tile is within Bluetooth range and the connection is established, it relies on the GPS location services of your device to update the location information in your app. The Tile itself does not have GPS location services.

As a rule, floor tile is typically 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick. Wall tile tends to be thinner and available in squares (3 inches to 6 inches). Mosaic tiles are usually the smallest tile, available in 2-inch squares. The most popular and readily available tile sizes are (in inches) 12 x 12, 16 x 16, 12 x 24 and 18 x 18.

Tile that is 24 inches square is the biggest tile you will find on the residential consumer market. These tiles are so large that they lend a grand, stately look to many residences. This tile is almost always used as floor tile.

Grade 1: These tiles are considered the softest and are more likely to scratch easier than the other grades. They should be regularly maintained to ensure longevity. However, grade one tiles are typically the least expensive and are perfect for making beautiful walls and backsplashes.

The earliest use of decorative tiles was found in Egypt, around 4000 BC. A breakthrough in tile production technology took place in Mesopotamia in the 9th century BC and is associated with the invention of glaze.

Ceramic tiles are porous, meaning they have very small “holes” (pores) along the surface. These pores can absorb small amounts of liquid. So, it's more accurate to say that ceramic tiles are water resistant. As long as spills aren't left to sit around regularly, the tiles should be just fine.

Who invented tile? ›

The actual origin of ceramic tile is clouded in the mists of history. While most experts believe that the first ceramic tiles were fired in Egypt, others point to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and China. In either case, by the 1000 B.C, the technology had been well-established in several parts of the world.

The first reference to its use appears to be in the first decade of the 20th century. By contrast the use of tiles goes back a very long way. Some form of ceramic tile has been in existence for more than 25,000 years.

6 Main Types of Tiles.

The earliest use of decorative tiles was found in Egypt, dating from about 4000 BC. Tiles were also made by the Assyrians and Babylonians. The Romans and Greeks also favoured decorative tiles; you'll find examples of beautiful tile work in mosaics, murals and more.

Whether it's ceramic, porcelain or natural stone tile, this versatile floor and wall covering is available in a variety of colors, sizes and textures. Certain types of tile such as marble are great for creating a luxurious master bath, while others such as slate work better in high-traffic areas.

Tile. Ceramic Tile: At less than $1 per square foot, durable ceramic tile makes an excellent inexpensive flooring option.

Known as the most durable type of tile on the market, porcelain is harder, denser, tougher, and less porous than ceramic tile. It also has a very low absorption rate, meaning it's virtually impervious to water damage, even after prolonged exposure.

Vitrified Tiles

These are processed in order to make them more durable and resistant to scratches, stains and acid spillage than any other tiles. You will have a range of colours to choose from in this variety of tiles, and they are suitable for the walls as well as the floors of all kinds of spaces.

While ceramic and porcelain tiles work best for shower floors, they are also a good fit for shower walls thanks to their waterproof and non-slip qualities when glazed. In fact, ceramic and porcelain tiles are found on tons of shower walls in U.S. homes.

For this reason, porcelain tiles are often considered the best tiles for the living room floor. Porcelain tiles are hardwearing, largely slip-resistant and extremely strong.

What is the best grade of tile? ›

Grade is the numerical ranking that reflects tile quality. Grade 1: Highest quality. Recommended for walls or floors. Grade 2: Similar to Grade 1, but with slight imperfections.

Ceramic Tiles

You can experiment with ceramic bedroom tiles to create contemporary or modern looks with a huge variety of designs. They are moisture-resistant so cleaning them is very easy. Another virtue of ceramic tiles is that they naturally stay cool, so they are THE bedroom tiles in hot and humid weather.

– Simply put: no! Among tile options, porcelain stands out as a very strong and durable choice. It's denser than its ceramic and vinyl counterparts, although not quite as hard as some natural stones (such as quartzite).

You may also scratch the surface of a ceramic tile to ensure it is of good quality. Look out for chipped edges and uneven surfaces. The best way to check the quality of ceramic tiles is to put them on a levelled surface. If the tiles have some curvature or are warped, they won't lie flat.

What type of tiles are best for kitchen floor? Depending on the use of your kitchen space, either porcelain tiles or natural stone tiles would be the best tiles for a kitchen floor. Both of these options are hard wearing and durable enabling them to withstand considerable wear over time.

Durability: The density of porcelain tile makes it more durable than ceramic tile while being less subject to wear and tear. This makes it more suitable for commercial use as well as in the home. Water Resistance: Porcelain tile is almost impervious to water compared to ceramic tile.

Colours such as beige, cream, whites and light shades of grey and blue are great choices. For bathrooms, you should consider creating an airy and open feeling. For this, choose neutral coloured floor tiles in light shades.