5 Examples of Tile Installation for Your Home

Tile is classy, fun, and elegant all at once. You can use tiles for backsplashes, flooring, walls, and decorative elements. Tile is much like hardwood flooring in that you can put it practically anywhere. 

It makes total sense for many homeowners to decide on tile installations to bring new life to old, tired areas. However, you should know a few things before purchasing a bunch of tiles.  

You should know tile installation costs and what's involved in installing tile floors. It's hard to lay tile flooring well, so you should be prepared for what's likely a hard, messy job. 

We'll also discuss five types of tiles to consider installing in your home. We have a lot to cover; read on to find out more about the nuances of tile installation. 

What You Need to Know About Tile Installation

It's possible to DIY install tiles, but it's not the easiest job to make it look good. One misconception we'd like to clarify is that DIY work only saves money if you have relatively good renovation and carpentry skills. 

Often, poorly done DIY work needs repairing by a professional sometime after the initial job is done. Call a professional if you don't know how to install tile flooring or shower tiles. 

We're not trying to disparage your skills; we're just warning you what happens if you're not prepared for the work. 

One trick to saving money via DIY is to have a professional do the visible areas, and you handle things people won't see much. 

Tile Costs

Tile ranges from $1 to $20 per square foot. Professional tile installation adds about $5 to $10 per foot to your price tag. The average homeowner ends up spending somewhere around $7 to $14 

The cost to install tile flooring in a 150 square foot room can be over two grand. The shower tile installation is even pricier. You can expect to pay upwards of nine grand, including purchasing the tiles and removing old tiles.

Costs fluctuate depending on the type of tile, but these are the prices you can generally expect. 

Types of Tile

Tiles are easy to clean, hypoallergenic, and customizable. There are various tiles you can choose to install in your home. Here's a list of five tiles and their pros and cons. 

1. Porcelain 

The fantastic thing about porcelain is how it can mimic wood, stone, and brick. If you want a natural look without buying and maintaining the genuine article, consider porcelain tiles. 

Porcelain comes in many styles, colors, and designs which offers almost unlimited versatility. You can use porcelain outdoors also. It's durable to withstand nature's volatility. 

Porcelain is often installed in kitchens and bathrooms as flooring and backsplashes. The biggest downside is that porcelain is one of the harder tiles to install. 

2. Cement

Cement seems like an odd material for tiles, but cement tiles have been around since the 19th century. Cement does an amazing job at capturing and retaining colors. 

The porousness of cement allows patinas to form over time, enhancing coloration. Patinas are films (usually green or brown) that form on colored surfaces with age. Patenas tend to create a rusted, metallic aesthetic.

Discolored cement tiles can be sanded and resealed to help revitalize and preserve their color. Cement tiles aren't suited for areas with heavy foot traffic. 

Cement tiles are high maintenance. You have to reseal them once a month, so they stay beautiful. 

3. Granite

This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning granite. Granite tiles are commonly used in households throughout the United States. Granite is a natural stone that looks and feels remarkably similar to marble.

People choose granite because it's durable and less likely to chip or break. A "disadvantage" to deciding on granite tiling is that it is overutilized and comes off as a cheaper alternative to other tiles. 

There's no harm in choosing a cheaper type of tile for your home. Granite is still beautiful and is useful for areas like laundry rooms - places utilized for household chores. 

4. Mosaic

Mosiac is the most "creative" kind of tile you could choose. There are hundreds of shapes, colors, materials, and styles available—the idea behind mosaic tiles is to assemble them like a puzzle of your specific design.

Mosaic is best used as a decorative accent. These tiles may also age poorly depending on the type of tile and design choice. 

5. Marble

Marble is the gold standard of classy tiles. Thanks to the veined patterning, marble instantly adds sophistication and depth to any room it's in. No two pieces look the same. 

Marble is also expensive, and it takes a lot of effort to keep it looking showroom beautiful. The material is prone to scratching and staining and can be hard to clean. 

Marble tiling is best in places with low traffic or as decoration. Use it as backsplashes or shower flooring. You'll save money if you use as little marble as possible. 

Are You Considering Tile Installation? 

Tile installation can be a daunting process if you're unsure of what to expect. Installing tile floors is expensive and best left to professionals if you don't have sufficient DIY skills. 

People choose tiles because you can use them practically anywhere, and they're highly customizable. You can pick many tiles, like granite or cement, to install in your home. 

National Floors Direct has over 70 years of experience with floor installations. Give us a call; we offer free in-home estimates for tiling or other floor installations.