Dramatic Approach To Atmospheric Conditions - Wall Tile

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2008-09-02 Word Count: 1047 Category: Home & Family

Ceramic tile was introduced over 3,985 years ago when the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Babylon and Greece used ceramic tile not as a floor or wall covering, but as a display for works of art. Over the centuries ceramic tile has been passed down generation to generation. Its uses have become more widely adapted, but it is still the most common tile in use today.

Made from a mixture of clays, ceramic tile is then fired at extremely high heat and in most cases given a glaze. These beautiful tiles will add an artful accent to your walls and enhance the atmosphere of your surroundings.

If you are looking for durability as well as beauty, then wall tiles are the best way to go. 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. If you take the time to prepare your walls you will make the do-it-yourself installation much easier.

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. For those of you who are environmentally conscious, this is the way to go. 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. 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 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 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 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 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.

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.

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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: www.Wall-Decor-Concepts.com