Which tile to choose on the floor of the kitchen?

Despite the large selection of materials for flooring in the house, tiles remain unrivaled. And in this article we will talk about which tiles to choose on the floor in the kitchen, so as not to be disappointed in the choice.

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The main types

The reason for such a great popularity of this particular type of coating is a wide variety in color, size and material of manufacture. So, to choose a tile on the floor in the kitchen, the following materials are suitable for you:

1. Ceramics - made from natural materials such as clay and minerals.
2. Porcelain tile - also made of natural materials, differs from the first option in higher performance
3. A natural stone.

Important! There are also other types of tiles, but they are not suitable for laying in the kitchen and will not be considered here.

We will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each type of coating.

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Ceramics

Ceramics has long been an excellent building material and has been used in various areas of building arrangement. If you want to choose a tile on the floor in the kitchen of this particular type, you will definitely not be mistaken, and even save relatively.

Benefits:

1. A variety of styles and colors.
2. Variable surface texture.
3. Wear resistance - both for mechanical and temperature differences.
4. Refractoriness - this characteristic is acquired at the time of manufacture.
5. Immunity to moisture.
6. Also a plus can be considered its natural origin without the intervention of synthetic materials.
7. The variety of tile sizes allows you to choose the floor tiles that are right for you.

disadvantages

Like any material, ceramics have their drawbacks, which are as follows:

1. High thermal conductivity - this means that in the cold season, the floor will not be very warm. This is solved by the arrangement of warm floors.
2. If water gets on the surface, the floor becomes very slippery, which is dangerous.
3. The installation of ceramic tiles can also be considered a drawback, since certain skills are needed to work with it.
4. Ceramics is a rather fragile material - during installation and transportation it can be damaged.

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Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain tile has recently appeared on the market as a more expensive version of the usual tile. How appropriate is the purchase of such material for the kitchen?

Benefits

The advantages of this coating are undeniable. Among them:

1. Durability.
2. Resistance to moisture and temperature changes.
3. High strength.
4. Immunity to mechanical and chemical influences.
5. Simple care.
6. Environmental friendliness.
7. Large selection of colors and sizes.

disadvantages

Among the disadvantages of this solution:

1. The complexity of installation.
2. A fairly hard surface, which means that if dishes fall on it, it will certainly break.
3. On stoneware stains and stains are very noticeable.
4. Very difficult transportation.
5. As in ceramics, high thermal conductivity and when water gets in, the floor becomes slippery. The second point is being solved by acquiring collections with increased slip protection, but the price of such a material is, accordingly, more expensive.

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A natural stone

Natural stone is considered the most durable and durable. They use materials such as marble, granite and slate for the manufacture.

Benefits

The most famous advantages of such material are:

1. Long service life.
2. High wear resistance.
3. Strength.
4. Resistance to changes in temperature and moisture.
5. Ability to recover from damage.
6. Care that does not require much effort.

Minuses

Among the disadvantages:

1. Great weight.
2. Low resistance to acids - and they are found in many products in small quantities.
3. Color change due to moisture.

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Characteristics

In order to choose the floor tiles for the kitchen correctly, you need to know what characteristics to look at in the store. Let's consider them in detail.

Wear resistance

The service life of the flooring depends on the wear resistance. This characteristic shows how strong loads this or that coating will withstand.

Wear resistance classes are divided into 5 categories and is denoted by the acronym PEI:

1. PEI I - this species has the smallest wear resistance and is used only for wall decoration.
2. PEI II - this type of coating is more stable than the previous one, it is used in those rooms where they will walk barefoot or in slippers.
3. PEI III - this type of coating is intended for installation in any room except the kitchen.
4. PEI IV - a high degree of strength of this material is used for decoration of premises with a high degree of attendance.
5. PEI V - material with this marking has the highest degree of wear resistance. It is used for decoration of shops and premises with the highest attendance, or where there are large mechanical loads.

Important! From all of the above, we conclude that tiles labeled PEI IV and PEI V are suitable for the kitchen floor.

Moisture resistance

This characteristic is measured in percent and is divided into 3 classes:

• Grade 1 (0.05%) - this characteristic is inherent in porcelain stoneware and is able to withstand large loads in terms of moisture.
• Grade 2 (up to 6%) - this class is designed for installation on the floor, so it is with this moisture resistance class that you should choose a tile for the floor in the kitchen.
• Grade 3 (up to 10%) - this type is intended only for installation on walls, where the influence of moisture is the smallest.

Resistance to chemical damage

This characteristic is also marked. It is designated by the letters AA, A, B, C, D. Tiles with the letters AA and A are most resistant to damage by chemicals. Therefore, it is precisely this labeling that you should choose, because you will mount it in a room where aggressive substances are often used.

Material safety

An important factor is the safety of the tile. The most important thing in safety is the coefficient of friction of the tile, because as you know, this material in itself is a rather slippery element and is dangerous.

Tiles are divided by this criterion into 4 categories:

1. Maximum safe - coefficient over 0.75. This tile is suitable for the most humid rooms.
2. Relatively safe - 0.39-0.74. This type of tile can also be placed in the kitchen and in other rooms.
3. Dangerous - has coefficient values ​​from 0.19 to 0.39.
4. Very dangerous - the coefficient value is from 0 to 0.19.

Important! Before choosing a tile on the floor in the kitchen, it is very important to pay attention to its technical characteristics. This will not only help you maintain the longevity of the coating, but also protect your life.

Varieties of Tile Coating

This type of flooring is glazed and matte. Due to the nature of production, the second type is significantly inferior in quality to the first, since it is processed at high temperatures.

Glaze does not allow moisture to penetrate inside, making it more durable at the same time.

Important! The roughness inherent in some types of tiles is not always desirable. This is due to the fact that a large amount of dirt remains inside, which is very difficult to clean and wash.

Varieties

Like some other materials, tiles are divided into several varieties:

1. The first grade has less than 5% of the marriage.
2. The second grade has less than 20% of the marriage.
3. The third grade is the most inexpensive and low-quality coating.

Important! Each of the varieties is marked with its own color. The first grade is red, the second is blue, the third is green.

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Design and Sizes

Not least is the design of the tile. In order to choose a tile on the floor in the kitchen, you need to focus on the general design solution of the room. The visual space of the room also depends on the color of the material:

Light tones are suitable for small kitchens - they visually expand the space, make the room brighter.

For spacious, you can choose contrasting collections with bright, saturated colors.

The size of the tiles plays a big role:

1. Small pli visually reduces space.
2. For original decorative solutions, use a polygon coating.
3. And in order to make the kitchen luxurious, stone tiles will perfectly suit you.
4. The ease of installation also depends on the size. The more, the easier.

Important! You can make the styling more original by arranging it in an unusual way or by combining several types.

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Apron tile

The working wall is also mainly made using tiles and is called a kitchen apron. To figure out which tile to choose for the kitchen on the apron, the following recommendations will help you:

1. The wear resistance of such a material should be PEI I and PEI II.
2. Moisture resistance is the same as for floor tiles.
3. Resistance to chemical attack - AA or A.
4. The most optimal size for an apron is 15x15 cm.

Important! It is necessary to calculate the number of tiles not only considering the dimensions of the material itself, but also the dimensions of the seams between them.

5. You can choose a glossy, matte and embossed surface.

Important! The glossy surface looks more spectacular, but any drop of dirt is visible on it, it needs to be wiped often.

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General tips:

1. Often, as a solution to the kitchen, manufacturers make tiles of the same style for the floor and apron. This is great for those who redesign completely.
2. When buying, take 10% more coverage than estimated. When transporting, laying, some materials may be damaged and will have to be replaced.
3. When buying tiles of different designs, make sure that it matches the declared size, because a difference of even 1 millimeter can significantly affect the size of the seams and do not look very good.

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Stock footage

When choosing a tile for a kitchen, remember that the key to a good purchase often depends on the customer’s attention to technical details. Take your time, look on the Internet, ask friends - you will definitely choose a product that suits you.