Strong and Durable Kitchen Tiles

As one of the busiest rooms in a home, tiles should be strong and durable while being easy to maintain.

Tile manufacturers have provided numerous options to meet these needs, with two categories of kitchen tiles being either natural or manmade, each offering distinct choices.

Ceramic

Ceramic tile flooring is one of the most economical and flexible kitchen flooring options. Comp ceramic tiles offer various colours, sizes and patterns, with simple designs that resist spills and moisture-related messes, providing stylish versatility. Thanks to modern printing technology, ceramic tiles mimic marble, travertine, concrete, or wood for more traditional aesthetics.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles differ primarily in water absorption properties and resistance. While both fall under the broad category of “ceramics,” which refers to rigid tiles created from natural clays that harden in heat, porcelain tiles have a specific classification because they meet stricter water absorption specifications.

Porcelain tiles are much more complex and less susceptible to cracking or breaking than ceramics due to being denser, making them an excellent choice for bathrooms, kitchens and other moisture-prone spaces due to their durability and low maintenance needs. However, ceramics may also be less durable due to being more porous – this may necessitate additional grout lines being placed around their edges. When considering glazed ceramics, though, be mindful that chips in their surface colour may be more apparent than on porcelain.

Porcelain

Porcelain flooring and walls make a fantastic combination for kitchen floors and walls, offering radiant in-floor heat and an array of finishes, textures, patterns, and colours that suit radiant in-floor heating systems. Thanks to its toughness, it provides resistance against low and high temperatures, flame, frost penetration, water penetration, acid spillage and various acids; plus, its nonporous nature prevents fat build-up and bacteria growth.

 Porcelain https:/aureestiles.com.au tiles Adelaide are commonly coated in the glaze to protect the dense tile body and resist staining, but unglazed varieties also exist. In addition, some tiles feature through-bodied colour runs that help hide chips or scratches in their body (known as through-bodied).

Porcelain comes in various colours and surface finishes ranging from matte to glossy, featuring textures resembling leather, fabric or animal prints. Innovative innovations have included anti-slip properties combined with soft finishes for comfort underfoot.

Sweep or vacuum your ceramic and porcelain floor at least twice weekly and wipe it down using a mop, cloth, and tile-friendly commercial cleanser once per month to eliminate grime, grease and other forms of build-up. When doing so, avoid oil-based products, waxes, scouring pads or any products with bleach or ammonia, as these could damage its glaze.

Natural Stone

Natural stone comes directly from Mother Nature in various textures and colours sourced from quarry sites, such as slate, travertine, granite or limestone. Each unique slab quarried will add character and warmth to your kitchen space; however, they tend to be more costly than other flooring materials and require regular sealing to protect against water damage and staining.

Slate stone tiles are an increasingly popular choice in kitchens due to their hardwearing nature and ease of cleaning, offering visual appeal and easy maintenance. Ranging in hue from blue-grey to deep coal-black hues, slate offers unique visual patterns within each piece that add visual interest and perfectly match any colour scheme. In high-traffic areas like kitchens, it hides marks more effectively than other materials while remaining durable against spillages and wear-and-tear marks better than many.

Travertine tile offers another stunning natural flooring option with its pitted holes and troughs, adding texture and dimension to your kitchen and looking particularly impressive paired with classic cabinetry. Available in multiple colours and finishes – smooth matte tiles are great for walls while glossy glazed travertine floor tiles work as kitchen floors – or for something more subdued, opt for stone effect porcelain or ceramic tiles engineered to mimic real stone’s look.

Hybrid

Kitchens are busy places, requiring flooring that can withstand wear and tear while being comfortable underfoot. We strongly recommend opting for hybrid flooring in your kitchen; its characteristics mimic vinyl, such as being resilient material. But its installation requires no gaps between floorboards (unlike traditional vinyl), making for quicker and cheaper installations.

Consider choosing darker hues when selecting kitchen floor tiles; darker tones make the room feel smaller. Also, patterned tile may become outdated quickly and is difficult to keep clean if used on kitchen floors, so instead, opt for neutral colours or more subdued designs on walls and backsplashes for optimal results.

Stone and porcelain https://aureestiles.com.au tiles Adelaide are popular for kitchen wall and backsplash tile applications, though other materials such as glass, metal and shell offer unique options. Resealing every ten years may be required depending on which materials you select – it is wise to do your research when researching your options carefully. Hybrid products combining multiple materials on mesh backing are often accessible for do-it-yourselfers to install, creating unique and beautiful designs while still offering durability benefits.