Wall Tiles Philippines

Ceramic tile is a type of tile that is made of clay that has been cooled and heated in a kiln. It can used as floor tiles, counter tops, or wall tiles in the Philippines considering that its surface and appearance can be modified to various sizes, hues, textures, and shapes.

Although it is also sometimes referred to as porcelain tiles, ceramic and porcelain tiles are completely different. Porcelain tile is denser and has a lower absorption rate.

Consequently, ceramic tile is less durable and will chip off more easily. It is usually coated with a unique coating for added protection and seal. This coating helps improve the sturdiness and stain resistance of the tile. The coating can also be utilized for creating designs and textures on the tile.

Ceramic tiles are more suitable for walls or for floors where there is not much foot traffic. In addition, they have a higher water absorption rate. If you try to put some water on the back of a ceramic tile, you will notice that the water will seep into the tile. Above all, the advantages of ceramic tiles are that they cost less and are easier to install.

Porcelain tiles can be used for both indoor and outdoor due to its strength and durability. As a result, they are more suitable for floors where many people cross such as the hallway, bathrooms, commercial areas, kitchen, hospitals, schools, patios, or car garage. Compared to ceramic tiles, they are less prone to chipping and scratching.

There are two types of porcelain tiles, namely, homogeneous and glazed tiles.

1. Homogeneous Porcelain Tiles

One type of the most commonly used porcelain tiles is known as homogeneous tiles (commonly misspelled as homogenous tiles). To clarify, homogeneous tiles are strong full body porcelain tiles. In other words, the whole tile has a consistent uniform color from the surface right up to its core. Due to this characteristic, designs available for homogeneous tiles are very limited to solid colors or speckled designs.

The advantages of homogeneous tiles are they are stronger, more resistant to scratches, chipping, and abrasions, lower water absorption rate, resistant to stains, and not porous. Certainly, their non-porous and sip resistance characteristics make them ideal as flooring for wet areas such as kitchen, shower, and bathroom. Moreover, they can be cleaned easily, and can even be chemically treated.

2. Glazed Porcelain Tiles

As the name suggests, these tiles are glazed on the top layer of the tile. Hence, they do not have a consistent uniform color right up to its core. Consequently, they are less durable compared to homogeneous tiles. However, glazed tiles are more flexible when it comes to design availability. For instance, these tiles can have a marble, stone, or wood effect.

Vinyl tiles are usually available in many variations of colors and designs. They are installed with a soft padded backing such as felt underneath. As a result, this soft layer makes it more comfortable to step on compared to hard tiles.

There is no need to remove existing flooring, vinyl floor tiles can be put directly on top of them. However, do make sure that the existing flooring is smooth and flat. Certainly, uneven flooring can protrude or damage the vinyl tiles.

You also don’t have to scrub or wax them. Just sweep the dirt away or mop to clean them. As a result, they are ideal for use in kitchens and bathrooms due to its water resistance.

Some carpet tiles need to be glued to a backing while others have a sticker-like peel off adhesive on it. They can be put on top of concrete or wood flooring. If a particular tile is stained or damaged, that specific tile can be removed to be cleaned or replaced if needed. They can be arranged in a creative way to produce a beautiful pattern.

These tiles are different from wall to wall or rolled carpet which is bulky and produce more waste because more carpet is cut off to fit properly. However, carpet tiles need to be installed more carefully so that they would be flat without any edges protruding. If any edge is uneven, then it might pose some danger as someone could trip over it.