Tile Basics

Porcelain is a very durable tile. With porcelain, you are able to imitate marble, travertine, and other stone patterns. You are able to choose from a variety of patterns, colors, and textures. Porcelain is nearly impossible to stain or scratch. 

Ceramic is a very common choice among home owners. This tile isn't too slippery, as well as being water and stain resistant. As far as cleaning goes, you are not limited to what you can use. Color and pattern choices are plentiful, giving you lots of room to fit your specific style. 

Marble, travertine, and limestone are quite similar. Cleaning these tiles is not as easy as the past two kinds, since you cannot use just any household cleaner, but with a little research and care, it is far from impossible. These tiles are very versatile, as they look great in a kitchen, bathroom, shower, or even a patio. Marble, travertine, and limestone do not have the same endless color options as porcelain and ceramic, but there are many earth tones and neutrals offered. You do run the risk of etching with this tile, especially when placed in a kitchen.

Granite is another tile option. It's extremely durable and does not etch. In addition to it’s indestructible nature, staining this tile is nearly impossible. Maintenance of this stone is minimal. Polished granite will need repolishing, but the frequency of this care is dependent on the wear. Less used areas will not require the same amount of upkeep as high traffic areas. It is recommended that you apply a sealer to your granite tiles, to further ensure you get your moneys worth. Since no two slabs of granite are alike, you have thousands of unique tile patterns and colors to choose from. 

Vinyl tile is your inexpensive option. With this tile option, you are susceptible to scratches, tears, gouges, and stains. You also have to be careful with cleaning, since many cleaners will leave a film. This attracts dirt. The benefit of vinyl would be it is cost effective and it works well in almost any room. 

Contrary to what you may think, glass tile is sturdy and comes in a large selection of shapes, sizes, colors, and transparencies. This type of tile is typically textured when used as a floor tile to prevent slipping. With glass, you can have uniform shapes and sizes or you can choose to have them irregular in shape and size to create a unique look. 

Something to remember with all tile is that you must maintain the grout. With people constantly walking on it, it can become dirty quite quickly. Make sure to keep up with your cleaning so that it doesn't get out of hand.