As a long time Port St. Lucie tile contractor, most of my tiling work has been setting ceramic tile, with porcelain tile being set to a lesser degree. That trend has changed and porcelain is now the most popular tile. I believe that popularity is based upon the perception that porcelain is a higher quality tile when compared to ceramic tile. That perception is basically wrong. Ceramic vs. porcelain tile in Port St. Lucie’s homes is a contest for respectability; Ceramic tile gets short changed.
When considering bathroom floor tile and wall surfacing, ceramic or porcelain tile is the obvious best choice. It is simply a no-brainer. The only characteristic of tile I have ever heard mentioned as a reason to avoid it is that it is “cold.” Well, here on Florida’s Treasure Coast, that characteristic is most appreciated.
Tile is an appropriate material for every surface in a bathroom. Whether it’s for dry floor areas, shower floors and walls, tub surrounds, or wainscot, you can’t go wrong with tile.
When the bathroom is ready for an update, look to the year’s trends to define your style. When you’re ready to start designing a bathroom that’s perfect for you, take a look at both cutting-edge and traditional tiles for your bathroom remodel.
Bathroom Tile Ideas.
You can’t go wrong with the classics. For instance, consider a favorites like white subway tile and white marble. Transitional tile has a lot of classic elements but a twist in the details makes a difference. Try longer, larger tiles in combination with more traditional shapes for a transitional update.
Or, turn to something fresh and new like grey stone tile or a glazed ceramic in any number of shades of grey. The demand for these shades in tile is huge so the selection is better than ever.
Want the look of hardwood flooring with the durability of tile?
Consider installing wood look tile flooring. It is stronger, more durable and will outlast hardwood.
Large format porcelain tile laid in herringbone pattern.
Porcelain is the strongest and most durable tile material. It has a longer life span than any hardwood floor. The benefits to having a tiled floor over a hardwood floor are significant.
Wood look plank porcelain tile flooring has become one of the hottest trends in residential flooring in 2015. New production technologies are blending artisan technique with ink jet printing technology to provide looks never before achieved.
Wood Look Plank Porcelain Tile.
With the advancements in manufacturing processes,we now have wood look plank tile designs infused on porcelain tile. The major supplies of these new products are the state-of-the-art factories of Spain and Italy. The rest of the world’s tile manufacturers are scrambling to catch the trend and get a piece of the action.
Certified Porcelain Tile Labeling – a Game of Branding.
For St. Lucie County homeowners, the “Certified Porcelain Tile” labeling on a box of tile certifies little of particular value.
Porcelain Tile Installation.
That label insures only that the tile has been tested by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the tile has a water absorption rate of 0.5% or less. The label insures nothing more that that. As St. Lucie County’s temperature almost never gets below freezing, that certification is of no value for any tile installation done here, either indoors or outdoors.
While the ANSI A118.4 Dry-Set Cement Mortar specifications have served as the standard for residential tile installation for several years, many past complaint mortar have improved their capabilities beyond that ANSI standard. So, a new ANSI specification had to be established to distinguish standard performing mortars from high performing mortars. Thus, in 2013, came the birth of the new standard known as “Improved Modified Dry-Set Cement Mortar – ANSI A118.15 .” This new standard provides another level of classification for thin set mortars.
When installing tile over newly poured concrete, how long should I wait before installing ceramic tile?
The industry standard is 28 days between concrete pouring and installing ceramic tile. Increasingly tighter timelines make it difficult to adhere to that schedule, so alternate solution are being employed.
One successful system consists of a liquid membrane, with crack-isolation properties, that can be applied over concrete that is just three days old. The membrane is followed by a quick-setting mortar that allows tile or stone to be installed the same day.