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Ceramic Tile
I'm a big fan of ceramic tile. It can be used for many home improvement projects. It is extremely durable and water proof if installed correctly. General InformationHere is some information you should be aware of when picking out your tile. There are basically two types of tile, ceramic and porcelain. Ceramic is generally made of clay. Porcelain tiles are made of …you guessed it, porcelain. Here is a comparison of the two:A Ceramic tile has glazing over the clay and it is this glazing that gives the tile its color and texture. The glazing is usually a different color than the clay. Therefore if the tile gets chipped, the color of the clay will show through. Porcelain also has a glazing. The glazing tends to be a similar color as the porcelain underneath. Therefore when it is chipped, it tends to be less noticeable, but it is still noticeable. It is wrongly believed that porcelain has the same color and texture all the way through. This is only true of “through body” porcelain. Both ceramic and porcelain tiles have a PEI rating. This rating will tell you how scratch resistant the tile is. A PEI rating of 1 is good for walls. PEI 2 is good for flooring in your home that does not see much traffic. PEI 3 can be used anywhere in your home. PEI 4 is for commercial use and PEI 5 is for heavy commercial use. The main difference is that porcelain is denser than ceramic making it more durable. It is used in heavy traffic applications, such as commercial use. Because it is frost resistant, it is great for outdoor applications. But, there are not as many color and pattern choices available in porcelain tiles as there are in ceramic tiles and porcelain is generally more expensive. Where to install tileBecause tile is basically water proof and stain resistant, it is a great choice for entryways, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, hot tub areas, and pool areas. If you like ceramic tile but hate the cold feeling of tile, check into heat mats that go under the tile. Your floors will be toasty and comfortable. Check out this article and video from HGTV concerning under tile heating. http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/bp_mechanical/article/0,2617,HPRO_20151_4243902,00.html
Where to buy tile in the greater Lansing, Michigan areaThe local chain stores such as Menards, Lowes, and Home depot carry a good selection of tile. They can special order tile for you as well. Their prices are competitive. The down side is their special order items can take up to six weeks to get. Their staff is not very knowledgeable about tile installation and they have a limited amount of tile accessories. In the Lansing area, I would recommend Tile Mart because:They specialize in tile. They have a great selection of tile colors, patterns, and designs. They have a large selections of accessories. They have custom-made tile inserts. They are able to laminate a photo onto a piece of tile. They will let you cut tile at their store if you buy the tile from them. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable concerning tile installation advice. They will load the material for you. I am sure there are other good stores in the Lansing, Michigan area, but I have always had a good experience with Tile Mart. Here is their contact info.
2373 Cedar Park Blvd
If you have any specific question concerning ceramic tile or porcelain tile flooring, just contact us, and we will get you the information.
Paul Phillips installs both ceramic tile and porcelain tile flooring and would be happy to give you a bid. We also offer
consulting
services. We will come out and tell you what you will need to do and what tools you will need to do it. Then you can do it yourself. This is a great way to get questions answered about things you are uncertain about without paying to have your flooring installed.
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