Why choose tile over other floor and wall materials available?

Easy Care

 Easy Care is one of the main reasons why so many designers, builders, and architects choose tile for their creations. They want their customers to be happy and comfortable in the homes they design-and the ceramic surface of tile resists stains, and makes cleaning up sticky or greasy messes easy.

Health Concerns

 Health Concerns are addressed by the fact that tile presents an inhospitable environment for the development of germs and bacteria. These organisms simply cannot find a moist place to grow. Tile is the obvious choice for any room that will have water exposure. In addition, the nature of the surface of glazed tile repels electrically charged dust particles, reducing the need for the cleaning that other surfaces demand.
 

Return on Investment

Return on Investment is important when you are considering any enhancement to your home or office. Tile is an excellent investment for many reasons. First the reduced repair and maintenance costs add to the value of your home. Tiles long life means less replacement cost due to the wear and tear damages suffered by other surfaces. Porcelain or Ceramic tile is a better choice due to its lower cost per square foot calculated over time.

Earth Friendly

Earth Friendly is an accurate description for tile since its primary ingredients come from the earth itself. Unlike sheet vinyl and many carpets, tile is free of chemicals such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC.) Tile is offered in green alternatives which include recycled materials in the manufacturing process.

Ceramic Tile

The description Ceramic tile has come to be used as a generic name for all types of tile. Actually, a ceramic tile is composed of clay which is combined with water and various minerals. The tile is formed in either a mold or by hand into the size and shape desired, and then processed to a solid product by applying heat. The result is a fairly porous product which is usually sealed with a glaze which is fired again to create a glass seal. This glazed surface gives the tile its color, pattern, and surface.

A glazed ceramic tile surface is one of the easiest to clean, due to the fact that it will not absorb oils, odors, or bacteria and is quite durable when properly installed and maintained.

Porcelain Tile

Porcelain tile is formed by pressing light colored clay that contains kaolinite which has few mineral impurities. The pressed tile is then fired at much higher temperatures than ceramic tile resulting in a very strong, dense, break-resistant product. This high firing process allows porcelains tiles to be made in very large formats that would be impossible to achieve in traditional ceramic tiles. Porcelain tends to remain unaltered over time, and is resistant to chemicals, abrasion, and everyday wear. It lends itself well to interior and exterior floor and walls. It can be produced to closely resemble stone finishes and even natural wood.

Both types of tile have their positives and negatives from a consumer point of view. Porcelain is much stronger than its ceramic counterpart, but conversely, porcelain’s dense, hard body makes it slightly more difficult to cut and shape, so special tools are required to accomplish a finished look which can make installation more difficult for the average DIY customer.

Both ceramic and porcelain tile are excellent floor and wall coverings and you can be sure that a beautifully designed and installed tile job will increase the value of your home or office and will serve you well for a very long time.

Glass Tile

As early as the 4th century, Byzantine craftsmen used small glass mosaic tiles set at slight angles to the wall, so that they caught the light in different ways and elevated mosaic art to a whole new level.
Today, glass tiles are used to achieve a dramatic unique effect to home decor to a degree that is simply not achievable using conventional tiles alone. Glass tile supplies vibrant color along with easy care and is effective in both large and small spaces.

Glass tile, with its endless variety of shapes, sizes and colors is perfect for kitchen or bath back splashes and for dramatic shower walls.

Natural Stone

 Crafted by nature, no two pieces of natural stone are ever alike. The variations in color, veining, porosity and hardness are the elements of its beauty. Here are the key points to consider when purchasing natural stone: The veins, lines, color variations, and crystal inclusions are not imperfections, but rather a part of the natural beauty of stone.

Because no two pieces are alike, the sample of natural stone that you see in the showroom may have different veining and some color variations. You can request that a current stone sample be ordered for you so you can see what is currently being mined. Natural stones vary in hardness which means they vary in their resistance to scratching. Stone is very dense, but it is also porous, requiring periodic sealing with a penetrating sealer. Regular care and maintenance are critical to maintaining the beauty and performance of natural stone.