All Tiles For All Tastes And Purposes

FLOOR TILES ARE AN EXCITING FLOORING OPTION AROUND THE HOME

Usually, the first image to spring to mind when we think of tile flooring is a bathroom or kitchen floor, their use popularized thanks to their easy to mop and easy to clean properties in these wet, messy, busy rooms. But as living spaces become more flexible and we seek out simpler living solutions, people are turning more and more toward tile, and its potential uses throughout other areas of the home. From cement and stone to up and coming peel and stick floor tile options, consumers can find any aesthetic at any level of accessibility they require.

Tile is now widely considered a commonplace alternative to wood and carpet flooring, bringing a vast selection of colors and hints of texture. Indeed, wood look tiles are a popular choice, as are brick look and concrete look, their patterning adding extra depth to any interior space especially living room floors for added visual satisfaction. 

Neutral palette colors such as beige, ivory, taupe, and white are eternal favorites, added to in recent years by the increasingly popular trend of gray and its myriad shades. Brown is also a hard-working, well-loved color bringing in earthy warm tones that are complementary in many schemes. These hues all go hand-in-hand with our unsurpassable range of natural stone, and stone-look porcelain and ceramic tiles. 

All of these splendid neutrals can be found in our limestone, sandstone, basalt, quarry, granite, shellstone, slate, and soapstone options. With solid look color, and variegations ranging from refined and delicate to outright bold, you are spoilt for choice to express your individuality across your bathrooms, kitchens, entryways, and exterior patios.

The look can be as unique as you like. Our tiles come in a flexible range of sizes, enabling you to play around with layouts and patterns to maximize your spaces, and your own self-expression. Large format tiles have taken center stage in recent years and marble, Cantera, and dolomite with their feathery, dream like veining in gold, gray, blue, red, and green, have done much to accelerate their use, as desirable as they are for bringing a sophisticated, luxurious feel. 

FLOOR TILE TRIMS GIVE YOUR PROJECT THE PERFECT FINISH

Whatever tile you choose for your floor, it is important to remember that success lies in the details. Your floor tile need never simply abut a plain wall. There are so many options of tile trim to choose from to finesse your floor tile projects. 

Choose from a matching marble baseboard, cove base or built-up base to complete the look, creating union and harmony where the tile meets the wall, softening the harsher lines of tile with some traditional flair. Oftentimes there can be a small gap between the tile flooring and the base board, in these instances a quarter round trim will hide the gap and prevent the buildup of dirt and dust.

Floor tile also makes for unique, stairs or steps, indoor and out, with our tiles that are suited for outdoor use such as limestone, or sandstone, and can withstand freezing temperatures. Use our tread tiles for just the right size and fit, finished with stair treads for a smooth rounded edge with grooved grips for safety. If you are installing outdoor steps, why not frame them between a beautiful stone wall for a romantic walled garden feel. Finish off with one of our range of caps. Wall caps and column caps in coordinating stone, are just the thing to round off the rugged charm of raw stone. 

Our tiles are a great choice for any patio or outdoor project and are often used as pool surrounds. If this is your aim, don’t forget about our pool nose trim options that will allow you to incorporate a soft, round-edged frame to your pool, that is more tactile for pool users.

FUNCTIONAL WALL TILE AND FLOOR TILE TRANSFORMS INTO DECADENT SPACES

Tiling makes all the difference in your home or business space. Delineating spaces, and adding texture and color to separate zones, shows the perfect interplay of practicality and style. We have long since bid farewell to the limited choices and applications and can instead now embrace tiling with durability and longevity that also sits at the cutting edge of design. Transitions can be made between tile and wall or wooden floor with aptly chosen trims such as pencil liners or a jolly. Trims make it easier to integrate one scheme into another, creating seamless flow across walls, countertops, and floors.

Living spaces are increasingly appreciating the possibilities that tiling bring. Feature walls in brick, for example, are a popular option in living rooms, particularly to add a focal point, as a chimney breast might. Tiling is also popular for fire surrounds, with marble and mosaic tiles leading the fore. Marble and marble look tile is an incredible addition to family spaces thanks to its easy to maintain properties and majestic swirls of color. It is often the first choice of high-impact design schemes using large format tiles. 

Wall tiles in living spaces can be elevated with appropriate trims. For wall to ceiling tiling with a traditional bent, opt for molding and moldura to create a well-finished look. For half walls, complete the tiled section with a counter rail, chair rail, cane trim, or S-shaped ogee trim for a more traditional finish. The wall above can be painted or papered according to your preference and is an elegant option for bathroom sink backsplashes for a softer feel. 

KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS WITH FLAIR AND LUXE

In kitchens and bathrooms, backsplashes are a central focus of the design scheme and a prime example of design camouflaging practical requirements. Backsplashes can be as eye-catching as you desire, becoming the central focus and the hook for the rest of the look for the room. 

A bathroom is an opportunity to be playful with color and pink and purple tiles make for opulent and pretty hues for bathroom walls and luxurious shower spaces, with glass tile adding extra luminosity to these bright and airy spaces. While many still favor the simplicity of plain white bathroom tiles, this can be elevated with a decorative insert, or by choosing a patterned tile or stone that offers a white look overall, but with subtle coloring. Onyx is an opulent addition to shower walls and bathroom backsplashes. Warm neutrals found in travertine and travertine look tiles are a stylish bridging tile for texture and interest without straying too far from a flexible look that will stand the test of time. 

The vast selection of tile available has allowed homeowners to push design boundaries in their own homes. Aesthetics that were once the exclusive arena of high-end, boutique hotels, or in the pages of design magazines, are now in reach of the novice DIYer. A common trend in recent years has seen the embrace of natural materials with juxtaposed textures. Slate and metal look tiles are popular options in the bathroom, playing with natural textures and giving them an industrial feel, with metal and stone as a classic pairing. Stainless steel metal and porcelain backsplash fits with industrial themes, creating an ultra-modern feeling that borders on futuristic.

Kitchens aren’t forgotten in these fashion forward trends. As the heart of the home, kitchens have a magnetic effect, drawing in family and friends, becoming central spaces for entertaining. We see ultra-sleek monochrome looks with black marble countertops and crisp marble floors; and brilliant white cabinetry that are pretty, and radiant. Waterfall edges are on trend in contemporary designs but choose from our selection of bullnose tiles for a neat edge to a more traditional aesthetic, or a mud cap for a clean line. Give your countertops perfect corners with a V cap to complete the look. We also have window sill tiles and wainscot sill trims available, to make an all-round tiled backsplash easier to achieve.

Homely kitchen designs never go out of style. Whether you are looking at traditional farmhouse, contemporary shaker or full-on rustic, stone and stone look tiles never fail to please. Not just available in opulent neutrals, these stone options come in bright, earthy themes with warming orange hued terracotta look tile, and rusty sandstones, a common choice for backsplashes. In a similar vein terrazzo tile offers soft, apricot hues that are popular for walls, backsplashes and flooring and particularly in vinyl options that offer a warmer touch underfoot in these often-times cooler spaces.

For those seeking a particularly individual look our encaustic and encaustic look tiles are the perfect addition for a maximalist boho kitchen theme, with their irresistible designs, color, and textures. This drive for tactility we see further with fabric look tiles. These are ideal for traditionally wall papered spaces such as living rooms and bedrooms, creating a more mellow aspect that is easy on the eye and has relaxing appeal.

MAKE AN ENTRANCE WITH WALL AND FLOOR TILE 

Not forgetting entryways and hallways, these transitional spaces have really picked up on design potential made available by tiling. No longer a route from the front door to another place in the home, these are rooms in their own right; a place to linger a moment, in a well-organized and designed space. Subway tiles, encaustic look tiles and mosaics, are all attention-grabbing options. A delightful addition to entryway flooring is one of our decorative border trims to frame the space beautifully. You can also welcome guests into your home with stark geometrics, in bold colors, or neutrals, to set the tone for the rest of your home. They are a practical option for wet coats and muddy shoes, as well as managing the high traffic of comings and goings of daily life. Whether for floors or wall, tiling deserves a place in any home.

HOW TO REMOVE A TILE FLOOR 

Removing a tile floor produces a lot of dust so it is important to wear a mask and protective eyewear. Crack a floor tile with a hammer and use a chisel to lever up the broken sections. This will create space to align the chisel along the edge of the next tile. Strike with a hammer and it should lift the tile away from the surface. Repeat the process until all tile has been lifted from the substrate.

HOW TO TILE A BATHROOM FLOOR 

To tile a bathroom floor, you must first prepare the substrate. Fill any gaps or holes to create a level surface. Alternatively, lay an underlayment such as backing board which will provide you with a sound, solid, surface that will provide full support for your tiles. Once the substrate has been prepared, spread adhesive mortar onto one section and comb over with a notched edge trowel to create ridges. 

Back butter the tile and press into place firmly to ensure good contact and adhesion. Insert plastic spacers and repeat the process until the floor is complete. Leave to set for up to two days, depending on the size of the tile. Smaller tile has greater airflow than large format tile as there are more joints and as such will set faster. Once set, use a grout float to press grout deep into the joins between tiles. Grout up to the surface level of the tile and leave to set for up to half an hour before wiping the surface with a damp cloth until all traces of grout have been removed from the tiles’ surfaces.

HOW TO GROUT A TILE FLOOR 

A tile floor should only be grouted once the adhesive mortar has set thoroughly. If using a colored grout, we recommend using ready-made as using powdered grout requires precision to obtain the correct consistency every time. This can also affect the color of the grout between batches even when only slightly different quantities of water are used. 

When you are confident the tile has set, remove the spacers, and spread the grout into the tile joints with a grout float, pressing down deeply to ensure it goes all the way down to the substrate. Fill the joints up to the surface level of the tile, which prevents grooves that will trap moisture. Once the grouting is complete it is imperative that you remove all grout residue from the tile surface. This dries quickly, and hard, and is incredibly difficult to scrape away without damaging the tile surface. 

To wipe down the tile, use a damp cloth and several changes of fresh water as you go. For the first two washes, work in a circular motion to loosen and lift the residue before wiping diagonally for a third and final time after another water change. 

HOW TO COMBINE TILE AND WOOD FLOORING 

Combining tile and wood is an attractive pairing and is often seen where one room goes into the next such as a kitchen to dining room or entryway to living room. To do this effectively with a tidy seam you can create an interlocking pattern or choose a trim that links the two materials together. Using a cover strip or ramp door bar threshold allows the join to be covered, avoiding unsightly dirt particles to accumulate.

HOW TO SEAL GROUT ON TILE FLOOR 

Apply grout seal only when the grout is fully dried. This will be at least 48 hours after fresh grout was applied. If applying to old grout, clean thoroughly beforehand so that you are not sealing in old debris and stains. Once satisfied that your grout is clean and dry you can begin to apply the sealer with a brush, small roller, or foam sponge. 

It is important to cover all the grout evenly. Allow the sealer to rest for ten minutes before wiping any excess away with a damp cloth. Allow to dry as per the manufacturer’s instructions and then test by putting a few drops of water onto the grout. You are looking for the water to form beads on the grout, meaning that the sealant is doing its job. If the water doesn’t bead up, wipe it away, leave to dry for thirty minutes and then reapply sealant.

WHAT SIZE TROWEL FOR 12x24 FLOOR TILE?

For a 12x24 inch floor tile, a ½”x ½” notched trowel will deliver a good coverage of adhesive to the substrate surface. This will allow you to maneuver the tile into position more easily and adjust tiles closer together as required.

HOW TO REMOVE STICKY TILE GLUE FROM FLOOR

For small areas a heat gun or a hair dryer can soften and loosen glue enough to allow it to be scraped from the surface. It isn’t recommended for large areas as it is time consuming. A wallpaper steamer can be used to a similar effect, or hot water, but caution must be taken near electrical outlets. If the adhesive isn’t water soluble you can use a commercial adhesive remover. It is important to follow the instructions carefully and wear protective clothes and eyewear as these products are often caustic. It is usually a good idea to apply to only a small area first to ensure that the product won’t damage the substrate.