To Heat Or Not To Heat
Nobody likes stepping out of a warm shower onto cold tile floors in the dead of winter, or tip-toeing around your home because the ground…
Tile and Natural Stone Products Are Always a Fashionable Choice
There are so many varieties of tile offering almost endless choices in color, design, and the construction of the tile—making it hard to choose. You may also desire the unique qualities of natural stone, such as marble or granite—as they are one-of-a-kind pieces.
With so many options, you need the friendly experts at Malkin’s Flooring to guide you through the selection process.
You should also know that our pros will work on any size tile project. We can help you add a small decorative backsplash in a kitchen or help install a full bathroom with barrier-free showers—a great element for folks with aging parents that will also provide great future resale value. Rely on our expertise and great value for residents and businesses in the Southeastern Wisconsin area.
Porcelain Tile—The Fashion-Forward Choice
Porcelain tile is a common choice for bathroom floors and other areas where moisture can be an issue. Porcelain is a denser, less porous, and harder option that offers great stain and water resistance. Plus, it’s suitable for radiant in-floor heat to keep feet toasty on cool mornings.
Porcelain offers unmatched design versatility, as tiles can mimic natural stone varieties or draw inspiration from exotic locales with surfaces that evoke leather, fabric, or even animal prints.
Porcelain tile is a type of ceramic made of a very fine mixture of clays and minerals similar to those found in fine dinnerware. These special clays allow porcelain tile to be fired at temperatures even higher than ceramic tile, typically exceeding 2,400 degrees (F). The higher temperature results in a very dense tile, which provides the water-resistance.
Ceramic Tile—The Cadillac of Flooring Options on an AMC Pacer Budget
Many homeowners don’t consider ceramic tile for their homes due to the perceived expense or lack of durability. With the new technology, ceramic tile has become easier to maintain and much more affordable. If you have never considered ceramic tile before, you will be amazed at the variety of colors, patterns, sizes, shapes, and textures available.
Ceramic tile comes in a tremendous range of colors and designs for a sleek, luxurious look. Tile sizes range from tiny mosaic to large format and come in just about any shape imaginable. Currently, larger tiles (18-inch x 18-inch) are ideal as they make any room appear more expansive, and offer ease of maintenance and durability, so you have fewer problems down the road.
Clay-base ceramic tiles are an ideal choice for kitchens, baths, basements, porches, laundry rooms, and other moisture-prone areas. Floor tiles are extremely durable and do not require much maintenance.
Tile—Glazed or Unglazed?
Choosing between glazed or unglazed tile is a bit tricky, as it may come down to personal taste. Glazed tiles have special coatings that are applied to the body of the tile and then fired under tremendous heat so it acquires a sheen that becomes non-porous. This provides stain, scratch, slip, and fire-resistance, and it is also very easy to clean. These tiles, however, are more slippery when they become wet, so you may not want them on a bathroom floor.
Unglazed or natural stone tiles feature a matte surface and are more porous, so a sealant is needed to prevent stains from seeping into the pores of the tiles. At the same time, the color on the face of the tile is the same as it is on the back, resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic. Clean your floor with the hard surface cleaner recommended by the manufacturer.
Naturally Beautiful Tile Designs
At Malkin’s, we also offer natural products such as marble and granite, which are prized for their natural veins and coloring, so no two tiles or blocks look the same. They can be the show-stopper piece that highlights a new remodel or new construction.
- Marble—Marble is a natural product and is not made in a factory. For this reason, no two pieces of marble look the same and the veining is a natural characteristic in all marble. There are special marble sealants to help protect from staining of the face. Extra care should be used when cleaning, and no abrasives or acidic cleaners should ever be used. Please note, even colas, some juices, and ammonia may destroy your lovely marble finish.
- Granite—This is another natural stone, which can be used indoors or outdoors. While it is less porous than marble, we still recommend that you use a sealant to protect the finish from staining.
Grout—The Overlooked Element to the Tile Puzzle
An often overlooked part of any tile installation is the grout, as that is truly where most problems start with respect to stains or poor adhesion. Today, most grout is very stain-resistant and some of the epoxy grouts are stain-proof, so our experts recommend using the best to prevent issues down the road. Also, grout will change color slightly over time due to light and moisture exposure.
Please note that epoxy grout needs to cure for up to 12 days before it can become wet.
For ease of maintenance, Malkin’s can add a penetrating sealant to protect your grout and valuable tile investment.
