One of the most common wall tiles is ceramic. Ceramic tiles have been made by man over 4,000 years ago. They have been found in the pyramids, the ruins of Babylon , and ancient Greek cities. They displayed beautiful sculptures of that period of time.
Ceramic tile is made from a mixture of clays that are fired on high temperatures and then are generally glazed. They are used to add beautiful accents to your walls and your surroundings.
Wall tiles are more durable then any other wall covering. They are easy to clean, stain resistant to most acids, not effected by oxygen and easy to maintain. You can put wall tiles in any room that you need easily maintainable surfaces. They help create a sense of freshness and tranquility.
They are available in a wide range of design, color, materials and patterns. Some of the materials are ceramic, porcelain, limestone, metal, slate, marble, granite, cork and glass. There are many sizes, shapes and decorative techniques that are used for you're choosing.
Before purchasing the tiles you must measure and make certain you buy enough for your surface. Proper preparation makes it easy to install yourself. There are many professionals that can install the wall tiles if the "do it yourself " does not work for you.
You must make sure you have everything at hand before you start the project. This job does require special tools. For instance you will need a saw, tile cutters, nippers, trowels, spreaders, rubber float, and a leveling board. Professionals also apply tiles to walls using a thick bed of mortar.
Since your wall tiles won't be walked on you can use ceramic or rustic stone. There is also available recycled glass which comes in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. This is for the environmentally minded individual. Also in this same category you can purchase metal tiles in panels which is lighter. This material can also be hand painted or antiqued to match your decor, but please keep in mind that metal can be harder to install.
Anywhere you would like beautiful art on walls you can put up tile murals. They are especially attractive as a back splash in your kitchen above your counter or stove top. It can make any room in your home unique, special, and very comfortable.
Decorative techniques are used on tiles. Some examples are unglazed which the color can range from light sand to brick red. There are also plain glazes such as flint, white lead, china stone and china clay. These are all ground to make the glazes. They add ground metal oxides to form different colors. Last but not least there are mosaic tiles. These come in a variety of color choices. Yellow, blue, brown, black, turquoise, green and white are the many colors they come in. They are carved and cut into small pieces and placed close together into a prepared pattern. They are plastered and hardened into one large single piece.
Some other techniques are hand painted, carved, tube lining, modeled, and transfer printing.
Porcelain tile is very popular material used in today's homes. It is a newer form of ceramic tile. It is composed of fine porcelain clay that is fired at higher temperatures then ceramic. It is denser, less porous, and prone to take in less moisture and more stain resistant. .The downside is that it is harder to cut then ceramic. Porcelain is suitable for the indoors as well as outdoors.
Marble is more high maintenance and very porous. It needs to be resealed every 1 to 2 years depending on where it is used. For instance in a shower area where there is heat and steam.
Granite wall tiles are stunning and dramatic but very heavy. These can be hard to install because gravity takes over. They must be securely attached but once hung correctly they are very durable.
Cork is another durable and stable material. It is a pure material and it improves indoor air quality. It is elegant and sophisticated and brings warmth to your living quarters.
They take the visual essence of natural light and infused it with a multitude of colors using glass tiles. This method can add pizzazz and charm to your decor.
There is a vast difference in price range for the many different materials that are used in making wall tiles. You can find ceramic tiles priced between $1.00 and $5.00 per square foot. Depending on your style and budget glass tiles can be as high as $25.00 to $50.00 per square foot.
No matter what choice you finally make, wall tiles all produce the same effect. They inject color, interest and excitement to your life and home.
Author Bio: Barbara Tobiasz resides with her husband (Joe Tobiasz, Owner/Webmaster: http://www.wall-decor-concepts.com ) in the Chicago area, studied at the Art Institute and taught for the Chicago Public Schools. She has volunteered her services for many organizations with her creative expressions in the interior design field. Her hobbies include reading, taking long walks with her dog and working her magic turning ordinary rooms into creative works of art.
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