Decorative Tiling: What, Where and How?
Tiles don’t have to be plain, dull or matching. Both individual decorative tiles and decorative tiling patterns made from plain tiles have been used to make homes and businesses more beautiful since Roman times. In the ruins of Pompeii, you can still see ancient tiles arranged in mosaics, bands of colour and painted with plants and flowers.
What is Decorative Tiling?
Mixing tiles of different colours, sizes, shapes or materials to make a pleasing effect is known as decorative tiling. In some cases, single decorative tiles, often painted with a scene, flowers or animals, will be included in a wall of plain tiles. Bands of coloured tiles are also popular, and you’ve probably seen both these looks in bathrooms.
The enormous variety of tiles available means that decorative tiling can be as unique as your home. It’s a great way to update a period home while still retaining its character, and can also look incredibly modern. From natural limestone tiles to pillar box red processed stone, tiles can suit any décor.
Where can Decorative Tiling be used?
Decorative tiling is used all around homes and businesses, from bathroom to kitchen, floors to ceilings. Bathroom walls, kitchen splash backs and floors in busy areas are particularly popular.
Today, the range of tiles available makes it easy to create an ultra-modern look or to match a style to a period building. At Surrey Marble and Granite, we specialise in stone tiles. Thanks to advanced cutting and processing techniques, there are more different types and colours of stone available than ever before. From the subtle hues of natural limestone tiles to the poster-paint bright shades of processed stone, we’ve got stone tiles for every occasion.
How Do I Choose the Right Stone Tiles?
Stone tiles are thin slices of stone, cut and polished. Most stone tiles are suitable for most applications, as they are typically as thin and light as clay tiles. This means that the right stone tiles are usually the ones that suit your style and budget. However, its best to discuss the details of your situation with an expert. Issues to consider include:
• Weight – depending on the type of wall or counters already in place, weight can sometimes be an issue
• Water proofing – unsealed natural stone, such as limestone tiles, absorb water so should be sealed for use in a bathroom
• Food safety – most natural and processed stone is food safe, but in some cases the choice of sealant or cleaners may be affected
• Upkeep – stone is an incredibly hard, durable material but highly polished finishes require extra care so may not be ideal for high traffic floors
If you’ve got any questions, you can contact us today. If we can’t answer your question immediately, we can arrange a consultation with one of our expert stone workers.