Hot Trends in Tile: Picking the Right One

By Theresa Coleman Sahara Designs offers a different type of skin-inspired treatment, with its Fish Scale series, offered in two sizes. The bare bones of building haven't ever changed all that much. Sure, we have fancy new materials to build with, and seriously cool equipment that would leave DaVinci and Michelangelo in a wide-eyed stupor. But beyond the basics of wood and stone, there really isn't much else in a modern house that is the same as it was thousands of years ago, right? Well, you may not realize this, but you'll need to add tile to that list. Tile has been showing up in residential construction almost since the primitive hut expanded into a subdivision. Oh, okay. It probably didn't show up until the first primitive hut owner decided to remodel. It was a good choice, too, for a lot of reasons: Durability. Tile is one of the most durable finishes you can spec. According to a recent study of flooring durability, ceramic tile has an expected life span of 50 years—the same as natural hardwood. Compare that with carpet at six years and sheet vinyl at 10 years. Selection. There are tons of selections, too, ranging from stone and clay to ceramic and glass. With recent tile makers producing everything from faux-reptile skin tiles and every type of metallic I can personally name, tile isn't just the basic white squares typically found on bathroom walls and floors. In fact, the right tile can make any semi-spec home totally posh. And if you haven't been using tile, your competitors sure have. For just the ceramic tile industry, more than 3 billion square feet were sold in 2006. More than 692 million square feet that were produced in the United States. Artistic Tile’s Goldstone, with etched circular patterns filled with metal leaf Speccing. When speccing tile in your projects, there are a few basics on tile types and tile terms that you must know before delving into the latest-and-greatest that your client is raving about. Not all tile is made for all uses. The first thing you have to do is narrow the universe of types based on the intended application. For example, tile is rated by ANSI based on its water penetrability (or porosity) from non-vitreous (absorbs water) to impervious (almost waterproof). If your client lives in a climate where there are a freeze-thaw cycles, and there's a need for tile outside, you (or your client) will have to pick from the universe of exterior tile. (Or just know that some day your phone will ring with the callback.) You also want to spec the right tile (and thinset and grout, for that matter) for the amount of water it'll receive. A hot tub surround, bar, counter, shower or shower room is going to receive way more water (liquid and vapor) than a kitchen, mudroom or foyer, and be drowned in comparison with a decorative wall application such as a mantel, fireplace surround, or even backsplash. Seriously, if you're drowning your back splash with water, please be more careful with the sink sprayer.) When you select tile for a flooring application, make sure it is made for flooring. Wall tile is thinner and might not hold up to the wear-and-tear of foot traffic. And stylish tiles are getting larger by the minute. 12"x12" are practically old hat. Think 18"x18" and 24"x24" in some homes. That means not only a beefed-up wet saw to install it but beefed-up framing (maybe; you should check) to carry it. All that tile is seriously heavy. On the other end of the spectrum are the classic mosaics — small tiles. Some people hear the word mosaic and think lots of random little pieces that require assembly into a cohesive whole. Not here: Mosaic simply refers to size. It just means that the tile is 2 inches or smaller. And these tiles are generally pre-spaced and adhered to fabric mats in the factory, so you end up with 12"x12" sheets rather than 12 million little pieces. Much easier to work with. Florim’s Rex division rolled out Croco Tabac as part of its launch of Matouche, a collection of tiles with pronounced textures. ANSI grading. When you see the label standard grade, you can be confident that the tile meets minimum requirements from the American National Standards Institute. Tile that doesn't make that first-string standard classification is second grade. It isn't always structurally inferior to standard-grade, but it is just outside of ANSI standards and is typically less expensive. Tile trivia Italian tiles are revered for their quality and selection, but not all tile comes from there. According to the Tile Council of North America, the top five countries from which tile was imported (in millions of sq. ft.) in 2006 were: 1. Italy – 661 – down 4.1 percent from 2005 2. Mexico – 452 - increased 10.6 percent from 2005 3. Brazil – 430 - decreased 4.8 percent from 2005 4. China – 346 - increased 53.9 percent from 2005 5. Spain - 346- decreased 5.0 percent from 2005 For more information about tile, visit these websites: Ceramic Tile Education Foundation Tile Council of North America National Tile Contractors Association Ceramic Tile Distributors Association Ceramic Tile of Italy (Italian Tile Producers) Theresa Coleman is formally trained in architecture. She illustrates, photographs and writes about the residential industry, and is an author of Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement, Black & Decker Complete Guide to Shelves & Built-Ins and Build It!, the card game. RELATED ARTICLES: Building a Waterproof Ceramic Tile Shower 10 Tips for Topnotch Tile Installations Types of Membranes for Tile Installations Backerboards: Properties and Installations Installing Tile Surfaces That Won't Crack Choosing the Right Substrate Design Tricks: Bring Style To Your Tile Sustainable Design and Natural Stone The Right Tools for Tile Work Tile Trends and Tricks