Wall tiles, their characteristics and varieties, methods of installation and choice according to various parameters.
Wall Tile Specifications
Tiles of various types react differently to changes in humidity, ambient temperature and exposure to chemicals that can be found both in the air and in household detergents. Therefore, when choosing a tile for a particular room, you should pay attention to the characteristics of the material:
- Heat resistance … Any building material used for decoration is affected by temperature changes. In the kitchen, they are usually insignificant, which cannot be said about the bathroom. Depending on the mode of operation in such a room, heat often alternates with refreshing coolness. Therefore, the temperature characteristics of the material for wall cladding are very important here and should be taken into account. High-quality glazed wall tiles can withstand temperatures up to +125 degrees.
- Tile quality … First of all, it is determined by its variety, which was already mentioned earlier. Now about its external characteristics: the tile should not have cracks, depressions, frozen bubbles, the inner side of the tile must have an even color. The surface of the product should be flat and not resemble the shape of a propeller. Chips at the edges of the tiles and their curvature are unacceptable.
- Strength and chemical resistance … For wall cladding, it is not at all necessary to choose thick and heavy tiles, which are particularly durable. The usual thickness of tiles on the wall is 3-4 mm, and with proper laying of the material, this parameter does not affect the resistance of the coating to mechanical stress at all. Another thing is to choose a tile that would be durable, not deteriorating from washing with household products. For this, there is its marking with the letters A, AA, B, C, D, which was described above. For bathrooms, for example, material of group AA is recommended, and tiles marked with the letter A are quite suitable for the kitchen.
- The size … The choice of tiles for this parameter depends on the area of the room and its design. In various collections, the size of wall tiles can be from 10x10 cm to 600x600 mm. However, square tiles have recently been losing their popularity, giving way to rectangular products with different side lengths: 200x400 mm, 200x300 mm, 310x500 mm, 200x250 mm. And this is only a small part of all possible sizes. It is the section of tiles of this format that allows designers to most clearly show their imagination, embodying it in facing coatings with amazing patterns and relief.
The choice of tiles for walls according to the purpose of the premises
Wall tiles are among those materials, the choice of which is carried out "once and for a long time." Therefore, before choosing a tile for a wall, it is important to take into account the functional purpose of a particular room:
- Bathroom, bathroom, shower … For the wall cladding of bathrooms, bathrooms, showers, pools or saunas, high requirements for moisture resistance are put forward. Therefore, for such premises, first class tiles should be chosen, taking into account its hydrophobicity index. In bathrooms, mosaic tiling is very fashionable.
- Kitchen … When choosing a facing tile for the walls of the kitchen, you should, first of all, build on the style of the interior and the color chosen. The cladding can be done not only in the "apron" area, but also on other walls of the kitchen. It will be the right step to lay wall tiles near the slab that have sufficient thermal and moisture resistance. In addition, it must be well cleaned without damage using household chemicals.
- Terrace, hallways and loggias … They are in the path of moisture, dust and dirt from the street entering the housing. Therefore, the most desirable cladding materials for the walls of these walk-throughs are ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware. They have excellent wear resistance and do not absorb dirt. Often, the wall cladding of the hallway is carried out only half of their height and ends with a decorative border. Loggias and terraces are decorated with light-colored tiles, imitating stone, wood or leather, for a sense of closeness to nature.
- Living rooms, offices and living rooms … It is possible that someone will find wall tiles in such rooms completely inappropriate. But when considering design solutions in fashionable art deco styles, a loft with ethnic motives or providing for the installation of a magnificent aquarium and a hearth in the form of a fireplace, you can understand that it is unlikely that you can create such an atmosphere without tiles.
- Bedroom … Luxurious bedroom interiors can be created with artful imitations of glass and metal, precious woods, natural stone, scuffed leather and textiles. Columns and ledges are effectively played up with wall mirrored tiles - it gives the space of the room a special charm and mesmerizing versatility.
It is better to decorate the walls of small rooms with glossy light tiles with mother-of-pearl. It is unpretentious to care for; dried water stains and soap stains are almost invisible on its surface. In addition, the light cladding visually enlarges the space. Dark glossy tiles are more difficult to maintain.
Design possibilities for wall tiles
Today, it is not particularly difficult to find tiles that fit the interior, made in any style. Modern technologies make it possible to order cladding material with photo printing, and the image can be taken from a personal or family archive.
Much earlier, wall cladding was done with tiles in standard white, blue and green shades. Now saturated bright colors are relevant: orange, sand, scarlet, sunny yellow. The ECO style is gradually coming into fashion, when the bathroom is decorated "under a tree", and such a tile texture also exists.
When choosing a tile, it is necessary to take into account the visual differences characteristic of different styles of its execution:
- Classic … Such tiles have a usual decorative pattern and a monochromatic range of colors. The surface of the products often imitates natural materials. Brick or marble are usually used as samples.
- Ethno-style … It is distinguished by the application of images on the tiles, denoting the elements of the culture of the peoples of the world. Ornaments, letters, hieroglyphs, totem masks, imitation of papyrus - all these visual ideas are considered ethno-style.
- High tech … Tiles in this style are special patterns, the use of crystal crystals, metal imitation, rust effect. In addition to all this, the high-tech style includes products containing reproductions of paintings and photographs.
If you want to use rich bright colors in the cladding, it is worthwhile for reasons of practicality; you should give preference to tiles with a relief or matte surface, for example, embossing under natural leather. Modern collections include many variations of mica-tinged items that are capable of creating a 3D effect.
Exclusive tiles will suit well-to-do buyers. The surface of the exclusive tiles is decorated with designs created by renowned artists, architects and designers. Such products can be seen only in special stores or made to order.
Wall tile laying methods
Many home craftsmen most often choose the parallel traditional laying of tiles on the walls, completely disregarding the fact that with the right size and layout of products, you can simultaneously decorate the interior aesthetically and hide all possible flaws in the walls.
Therefore, the following tips may come in handy for you:
- In large rooms, it is recommended to lay large wall tiles; in medium and small rooms, a small format of products will be appropriate.
- The mosaic allows you to hide the protrusions of the complex relief of the walls. Bright tiled panels, decorative vertical or horizontal stripes will visually make the room wider or the ceilings - higher.
- Wall cladding with tiles can be done in a standard or seamless way. If it is necessary that the wall pattern be solid and not interrupted by grouting, the second method and rectified ceramics should be chosen: such a tile does not have rounded or beveled corners.
In addition to the parallel laying of the material in a checkerboard pattern, ornaments, lines, a kaleidoscope, with separation by friezes or borders, there are other methods:
- Diagonal styling … It visually masks the non-parallel arrangement of opposite walls in narrow hallways and bathrooms, and the use of light or glossy tiles allows you to create the illusion of an increase in the volume of the room.
- Deck laying … This method is often used to imitate brickwork cladding. The material for it is an elongated rectangular "hog" tile. When laid vertically, it looks very impressive, especially in the case of imitation of solid wood tiles.
- Herringbone tile installation … This is a spectacular, but rather complex type of cladding, involving a combination of the two previous methods.
- Carpet laying … A fragment of a certain size or a panel is selected on the wall as the center of the composition. Along its perimeter, approaching the middle, framing stripes are laid, consisting of multi-colored tiles of various sizes, including borders. The result of the work is a beautiful pattern that resembles a wall hanging.
- Modular grid … It is better to use it, like carpet laying, as the main accent on one of the walls of the room. A small composition is made from tiles of various sizes, shades or textures. Then it is repeated with further diagonal or parallel tile layouts, forming a mesmerizing picture. The rest of the walls are recommended to be monochromatic using background ceramics.
How to choose a tile for a bathroom - watch the video:
Choosing any tile in the store, you should be aware that it is produced in batches. The same tile in each of them can vary greatly in color and size. Therefore, you cannot buy material from different shipment lots for the same room. Reconciliation can be done by marking on the packaging. It indicates the date of manufacture of the product. Good luck with your choice!
