The choice of tiles for kitchen becomes a very important decision. Especially when it comes to choosing the best tiles for your kitchen floor, there are a lot of factors to consider. Everything from the size to the colour and labelling of the tiles becomes important.
The main selection factors for the kitchen tiles
To begin with, the main factors to consider when choosing a material are the following. The following can be seen among them:
- It is important to choose tiles with a matt or rough surface, as slippery material is highly undesirable. Installing glazed tiles, for example, can lead to injuries and bruises due to the high risk of falling.
- The next factor to pay attention to is durability. As you know, each tile has its own level of durability, as indicated by the markings on the material and packaging. Thus, to use for the floor tile class 4 or 5 according to the classification.
- Do not forget that the kitchen is an area with a high level of dirt and humidity. Household chemicals will therefore be used to clean the floor. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure that the tile surface is impervious to chemical attack, and that it is as waterproof as possible.
Shape and size of the kitchen tiles
When considering which tile is best for the floor, attention should be paid to the choice of tile shape and size, which actually depends on the type of laying.
The most popular shapes are the standard square and rectangular tiles. Hexagonal or octagonal products are less common.
Speaking of size, here the most popular are three types: 20*20, 30*30, 40*40, in addition you can often find variations of these sizes, for example 20.6*20.6 or 31.4*31.4.
Of course these are not all types of sizes, in some cases more or less large, but rather rare.
Also an important factor in the choice becomes the caliber. Features of production of ceramic products cause a discrepancy in the size of the tiles up to 5-7 millimeters. Therefore, sorting is carried out not by size, and calibration. Thus, even buying a tile 30*30 size, you need to pay attention to the manufacturer and caliber.
In some cases, the size of tiles with a declared size of 30*30 may vary from 29.5*29.5 to 30.5*30.5. It is the calibre that accounts for this discrepancy.
Colour and tone of the kitchen tiles
When talking about which tiles are best for the kitchen, the selection of colour should also be taken into account. It is often noted that even tiles of the same gauge from different batches differ in shade. Thus, the colour of a tile can be either darker or lighter. When selecting and purchasing tiles, it is therefore advisable to check the colour shade.
But let’s focus more directly on the selection of tiles, which design to pick up. Here, however, much depends not only on the owner’s preferences, but also on the characteristics of the room:
- If the kitchen is small, light tones will work well here, which will help to visually increase the space. Dark tiles, on the other hand, can make the kitchen look smaller and more minimalist. But in this case you need to compensate for the dark floor with light-coloured objects.
- It’s also important what side the kitchen windows are facing. If they face north or west, the best thing would be a light colour floor. Looking east or south, bright colours or cool, saturated shades would also work well here.
- Another answer to the question of which tiles to choose for the kitchen would be to choose tiles with a neutral pattern or a single colour finish. By the way, this option will be a good choice for decorating the floor in the general stylistics of the room minimalism or high-tech.
But in addition we should not forget about the natural texture. Coverings in natural colours as well as textured tiles in the form of wood or stone are becoming very popular.
Tiles that don’t fit in with the overall décor
Specialists recommend that you fully develop the kitchen design, and then under it is chosen tile, its colour and pattern. It is best to match all the elements of the kitchen with the tiles, mainly pay attention to the countertop. It must be in perfect harmony with the floor covering.
Conclusion
So, having read our tips and recommendations, you’ll be able to decide for yourself which ceramic tiles to choose for the kitchen. But nevertheless, one more small tip, never hesitate to ask questions to the kitchen tiler, consult on every detail, and only then you will be able to choose a tile that will last for many years.
