When you’re choosing kitchen floor tile, two things should be at the top of your mind: usage and appearance. Picking the right tile can ensure you’re able to enjoy a stylish and durable kitchen floor for years, while picking the wrong tile can lead to frustration, cost-overruns and even the need to re-do the tile installation in the worst cases. Fortunately, as long as you take these factors into consideration, picking the best floor tile for kitchens is fairly straightforward.
The Right Tile Type
Selecting tiles that are well suited to your space is a primary consideration. When it comes to kitchens, the best type of tile has a non-slip surface, is durable and chemical resistant, and has a low porosity.
Porosity describes the presence of pores — much like those on your face — which consist of tiny holes or gaps in the material that can absorb liquids and even odors. Tiles with a low porosity are best in a kitchen because they’re easy to clean and won’t retain odors or stains when you inevitably spill food and liquids in the course of cooking and eating.
Porcelain tiles are a great fit for kitchens, since they’re able to meet all the tile-type criteria you’re looking for. Porcelain can be glazed with a non-slip surface, is one of the most durable types of materials for tiles, and has a very low porosity so it will always be easy to clean.
Color Considerations
When choosing the best tiles for kitchen design, color is a top factor to keep in mind. The color of your floor can transform the feel of a kitchen in a variety of ways. Warm, earthy colors can make a kitchen feel inviting and comfortable, while cool or white-toned colors can make a kitchen feel clean and spacious.
However, remember that a kitchen is a working room, not purely decorative. While cool and white-toned colors can make the room feel clean, dark colors actually hide stains and dirt more effectively and are easier to keep looking clean over time.
Choosing the Best Texture
Decorative kitchen floor tiles can have a huge impact on the visual feel of a room. However, the texture of your tiles determines its performance in daily life. A high-gloss porcelain floor may look amazing, but it’s likely to get slippery when it gets wet.
Having nonslip characteristics is crucial for kitchen tiles, especially if you do a lot of cooking or simply have a kitchen that remains steamy or holds onto moisture throughout the day. For that reason, matte finish or textured tiles are usually preferable.
Grout Joint Size and Colors
Grout joint size describes how wide the visible joints between your tiles will be. The size of the grout joint has a big impact on the visual appearance of your kitchen, and it can also be colored to achieve your desired aesthetic. However, remember that grout is usually prone to looking dirty over time; so darker grout hides the inevitable stains more effectively than light grout.
Choosing the right floor tiles can transform your kitchen in both appearance and function. Come explore our decorative kitchen tiles for inspiration.
No matter what style you’re looking for, you’ll find it at Tiles Unlimited. We have Queens’ largest selection of tile and over half a million square feet in stock. To see more pictures of the tile collections pictured above please visit our galleries for Oxidized Metal, Elements of Nature, Parthenon and Reclaimed Wood.
Through Sept. 30, 2016, you can save 30 percent off all porcelain, ceramic and glass tile as well as the full line of Eviva bathroom fixtures. Please click here and here to get your coupons.
