Add a Special Eye-Pleasing Effect With Wall Tile

If you want to go back to discover the origins of ceramic tile, you would have to go back over forty centuries ago. Ceramic tile was used by ancient civilizations as an artful addition to display sculptures and pottery. Because of the long lasting quality of ceramic tile, it is no wonder this is the most popular tile used today.

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 thinking about your choices, rest assured that wall tiles are available in a large assortment of designs, colors, patterns and materials. Just to mention a few of the materials, these tiles are available in glass, cork, granite, marble, slate, metal, limestone, porcelain and ceramic. With all the varieties of size, shape and styles your choices are limitless.

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.

For those of you who are not the handy man type, there are professional tile installers in locations close to you.

You have the choice of ceramic or rustic stone, due to the fact that these walls will not be walked upon. Recycled glass is another choice to think about. 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. Also because these tiles won't be walked on, you can go with metal tiles which 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.

From hand painted art to modern technology the final product can be presented in many forms. To give you some examples, you have tiles that are not glazed which range in color from light sand to bright red brick. China clay, China stone, flint and white lead are among some of the plain glazes offered. Manufactures make different colors by adding ground metal oxides.

Mosaic tile has recently risen in the ranks of popularity. 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 homes built today, the largest demand is for porcelain tile. 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. There is one slight setback with porcelain and that is it is difficult to cut.

If your choice of tile is marble, remember marble tile is extremely porous and will need scheduled maintenance. In order to keep marble tile stain resistant, you will have to reseal it every 12 to 24 months. This is especially true for marble tiled bathrooms because of heat and steam.

If you are intrigued by the natural beauty of granite tile, be forewarned, because of its weight granite tile has a tendency to slide down the wall when installed.

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.

For those of you who would like to know about cost, the range in prices is as diverse as the variety of styles. 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.