Download - The world of wall tiles
The World of Wall Tiles
When we say tiles, the first thing that strikes our mind is Floor. But, today, we
have moved past the conventional concepts and a highly popularised concept of
the utilisation of tiles to garner then wall has come into existed. We use them in
bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms. However, the purpose here is a little
different. It is used not to because it is a requisite (like in case of flooring) but
because, it adds to the aesthetics. The wall tiles are coloured or designed or
sometimes, plain simple tiles are collated to form an abstract form.
Decorating the walls of our home has been a ritual, especially in India. Even
today, many rural households paint and decorate their walls. Contrasting this,
the urban living has seen the advanced ways of making it possible. Beautiful
readymade material are utilised to solve the same purpose. Wall tiles give new
interpretation to then space that they are installed in. These four and a quarter
inch squares make a room look more personalised. This is made possible through
the varied array of tiles that is available to us. Some of the very widely used and
available tiles have been discussed below to inform you about the characteristics
of each tile and its advantages and disadvantages.
Glazed Ceramic
Glazed Ceramic Tiles are usually made of clay. Once then clay dries, the glaze is
applied on top. You can have highly glossed tiles which are very shiny. Matte
glazed tiles are another category which is less shiny than the first and slip-
resistant glazed tiles are shiny but not slippery. These tiles are available in
almost every colour and design. It is also the most popular type of wall tile. One
reason for this is also that, ceramic tiles are completely water proof. This
property makes it viable to be used in a variety of locations like showers and
swimming pools. Bathroom wall tiles are ceramic.
Mosaic
This is also made from clay, but from an amalgamation of different kinds of clay.
The distinction here is in then colour. Different clay tiles are taken and coloured
with different pigments, which is the reason for the colour prevalent throughout
then tile. Then point to be noted here is that mosaic tiles are pigmented. This
means, if you cut through the tile, the entire tile will be of the same colour.
However, if you cut through a ceramic tile, you will not notice any colour as the
glaze is applied only on the face of then tile. These wall tiles can be used to form
designs on the walls, in the living room or the bedroom. It is typically
representative of the murals that people in the ancient past drew on their house
walls. You could also cover the borders of the wall using mosaic tiles.
Marble
Marble tiles are made from marble. There is also a class distinction linked to it.
It is perceived to be for the economically well off classes. However, this is just a
misconception. In fact, marble tiles are considered to give a bold, masculine look
to the room and yet look elegant. It is proven to be beneficial to health. Marble is
very dense and does not trap allergy producing irritants into it, which a few
other tiles are capable of harbouring due to their porous nature.
Glass
Glass wall tiles come in frosted glass and bubble glass formats. Frosted glass is
effective to create opaque, flat surfaces and bubble glass adds to the character
and design to then tile’s appearance. Glass tiles are most used in the
contemporary times. It adds a shimmer to the room and also makes a room look
big. They enhance places like your study, passageways and smaller rooms on the
house.
Vinyl
Vinyl tiles are tiles made from synthetic materials and available in all shapes
and designs. The advantage of this type is that it is cost effective. However, they
need to be installed properly. If not, then, they tend to produce glare from the
lights and peel off. However, if you’re budget is tight, then this is an ideal choice.
If you want to decorate your walls with something appealing and cheap, vinyl is
the best suggestion.