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Tile flooring: Everything you need to know

 
When it comes to style and versatility, tile is second to none. These floors look just as good in the living room or bedroom as they do in the kitchen and bath. Tiles add a "wow factor" to any floor. They are durable, easy to clean, waterproof, and relatively affordable, especially since you can mix and match to create various designs and price points.
 

Tile texture

 
Texture is trending in 2021, and you’ll see everything from ceramic stacks, encaustics, and sculpted looks to pebble and beach sand mimic. More than an exciting design feature, texture also increases traction. A tile's slipperiness level is labeled on the box as "Coefficient of Friction or COF." For residential use, you want a minimum number of .50, and for commercial, it’s .60. If a smooth, glassy surface is a concern, select a tile with texture.
 

Inkjet technology

 
This advancement allows intricate patterns, like the highly realistic wood-look tiles, to be created. Not long-ago designs were done by hand, which was a painstakingly long and not accurate method. Inkjet is likened to a computer printer with several jets that can spew ink simultaneously.
 
 
 
 
 

Be sure to get the right grades and levels for your installation

 
They might all look similar, but they all have different grades, strengths, porosity levels, and traction that can impact an installation. Check box labels and tell your flooring pro exactly how you plan to use them. For example, porcelain tile is sturdy, heavy, weather-proof, and completely impervious to water whether or not it's glazed. It is ideal for the kitchen, bath, or any busy room and patio, decks, and pools.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Still others, such as 4 X 4 ceramic squares, are best for moderately busy rooms and are waterproof only when glazed, while subway tiles should be used mainly in low foot traffic areas, such as bedrooms. Other ceramic tiles include terra cottas and mosaics, and while glass tiles aren’t technically ceramic, they play an essential part as floor accents.

It’s easy to get distracted by all the colors, designs, shapes and sizes but the right tile will look and perform well for decades. Talk to our flooring experts to find the right one for you and get your free tile flooring estimate. Visit the Floor-Mart showroom in Cape Coral, Florida, especially if you live in or near Cape Coral, FL, LaBelle, FL, Estero, FL, Fort Myers, FL, Fort Myers Beach, FL, North Fort Myers, FL, Sanibel, FL, Naples, FL, Bonita Springs, FL || Punta Gorda, FL.