A long time ago, in fact, thousands of years ago acient civilizations used
ceramic tile to create art. Today ceramic tile is by no means a forgotten art.
With modern technology this tile has become the most commonly used tile of all
time.
Constructed from multiple types of clay, ceramic tile is baked in
an oven at high heat and before the process is finished a glaze is applied.
These beautiful tiles will add an artful accent to your walls and enhance the
atmosphere of your surroundings.
For those wanting timeless beauty as
well as low maintenance, the answer to this scenario is wall tile. If you are
wondering about the advantages of wall tile, you will be pleased to know that
they are easy to clean, resistant to most harmful stains, oxygen has no effect
and the appearance of being new is easily maintained. If the room calls for
surfaces that are easily kept up, then wall tile is your solution. These tiles
will establish an ambiance of style and comfort to any wall on which they are
placed.
If you are wondering about your choices, wall tiles come in a
large variety of materials, patterns, colors and designs. Just to mention a few
of the materials, these tiles are available in glass, cork, granite, marble,
slate, metal, limestone, porcelain and ceramic. Your choices of size, shape and
decorative styles are only limited to your imagination.
Always be sure,
before you go to buy the tiles, that you properly measure the surface of the
wall to make sure you purchase enough tile to complete the job. By properly
preparing the walls you will make the application of the tiles an easy
do-it-yourself installation.
Before you start installing the tiles, be
prepared with the proper tool for the job. You will need special tools. Among
the tools that you will need are a leveling board, rubber float, spreaders,
trowels, nippers, tile cutters and a saw. Just so you know, professional
installers always use a thick bed of mortar when applying tiles to a
wall.
If you are not the do-it-yourself type, there are professional
contractors in your area willing to do the installation for you.
You have
the choice of ceramic or rustic stone, due to the fact that these walls will not
be walked upon. Another option available to you is recycled glass. This type of
glass tile comes in a variety of colors with sizes and shapes that abound. If
you are going green for the environment, this would be a step in the right
direction. Because these tiles are on the wall and not on the floor to be walked
upon, you have the option to use metal tiles that are lighter in weight. No
matter what material you choose, you have the choice to have these tiles hand
painted, antiqued or matched to any color of your choosing. One thing you should
know is that installing metal tiles may be a bit more difficult.
If you
are looking for an extremely artful appearance to your walls, you might want to
go with a tile mural. These tile murals come in a wide assortment of themes and
are especially attractive when used as a kitchen backsplash on the walls of your
kitchen between the cabinets and the counters. Tile murals will also add
something special to any room of your home, supplying a unique and comfortable
touch of elegance to your decor.
There are many forms of decorative
applications when tiles are constructed. Just to name a few, there are unglazed
tiles that come in colors from light sand to red brick. Some of the plain glazes
available are China clay, China stone, white lead and flint. Manufactures make
different colors by adding ground metal oxides.
Mosaic tiles are also
very popular. The varieties of color choices are white, green, turquoise, black,
brown, blue, and yellow, just to mention a few. These mosaic tiles are carved or
cut into shapes and placed in a prepared pattern on a mesh backing.
Other
artful forms of the wall tile finished product are transfer printing, modeled,
tube lining, carved and hand painted.
Now we will take a look at
porcelain tile. In contemporary homes, porcelain tile has become the most
popular. It is the modern version of ceramic tile. Fired at higher temperatures
than ceramic, porcelain tile is the product of much finer porcelain clay. Its
density is greater, it is less porous, prone to take on less moisture and more
resistant to staining than ceramic tile. Because it is quite difficult to cut,
porcelain tile can be a bit more work to apply.
If you are planning on
using marble tile which is very porous, prepare for the maintenance involved.
About every one to two years or so, you will have to reseal marble in order to
keep it stain resistant. This is especially true for marble tiled bathrooms
because of heat and steam.
If the stunning and dramatic look of granite
tile is in your future, be forewarned that because of its weight, it is
difficult to install because no matter what you do this tile wants to slide down
the wall.
Another elegant look is cork tile. Cork tile will give you
durability and stability along with improved air quality and produce a
sophisticated comfort zone to the room.
Infused with a variety of colors,
glass tiles take the visual aura of natural light. These tiles add a special
eye-pleasing effect to the room.
When it comes to cost, the price range
for wall tile is as wide as the tile styles offered. If your budget is limited,
you will still be able to find beautiful wall tile for between $1.00 and $5.00
per square foot. For those who have more to spend wall tile can be as costly as
$25.00 to $50.00 per square foot and more.
In the end, no matter what
your final decision is, wall tile will produce a dramatic effect that will elate
a vision of enduring magnificence to any room in your
home.
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Barbara Tobiasz studied at the Art Institute. She
has volunteered her services for many organizations with her creative
expressions in the interior design field. Her hobbies are reading, taking walks
with her dog and working her magic turning ordinary rooms into creative works of
art. For more Wall Tile information go to: http://www.Wall-Decor-Concepts.com
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
