Aug 
16

Tile Kitchen Backsplash: Ceramic vs. Metal

Kitchen backsplashes are more than functional, these days a kitchen backsplash can also be a work of art. Backsplashes protect your kitchen walls, but they also serve as a beautiful compliment to your kitchen décor. There are many options for backsplashes, ranging from tile to metal, in a variety of surfaces, hues, and themes. With all of the great ideas, sometimes the most difficult part is deciding which one to install.

One of the most popular backsplash ideas for a kitchen is ceramic tile. A tile backsplash is not only highly durable, but beautiful. The tiles come in such a wide variety of colors and textures that it is difficult to imagine that if you look long enough, you won’t find the exact tile to complete your kitchen in just the way you want to. You can even find kitchen tiles to create hand-painted pictures.

However, there are several things to be aware of when shopping for ceramic tiles. The first is that the nature of a backsplash exposes it to food and grease from cooking surfaces. A porous or unglazed tile will often become discolored or stained from these exposures.

A glazed tile will solve these problems, as the glaze becomes a barrier between the potential staining agents and the tile backsplash. Another thing to pay attention to while shopping for tile is if there are any special tools or instructions that will be needed for installation or cutting the tile.

Ceramic Kitchen Tile Mosaic

Metal is another popular choice for backsplashes. Metal is generally easily cleaned and still can offer a large amount of good design options. Metal is also widely used as accent tiles. Stainless steel is frequently used for a modern look, or in restaurants as they can be used frequently and harshly and still withstand beautifully.

When looking into metal backsplashes, bear in mind that it may take longer to find exactly what you are looking for as there are fewer carriers of metal tiles. Also, while metal withstands cleaning and heat very well, it is also easier to scratch or dent. If you are using a metal other than stainless steel, such as zinc or brass, it will need to polished. These same metals also may show oxidation through time.

One further note, metal tile tends to be far more expensive and somewhat more difficult to manage than ceramic tile. However, both will create a useful backsplash that will be a fantastic touch to your new kitchen.

Aug 
9

Glass Kitchen Tile

Glass kitchen tiles will provide a beautiful appearance to your room. It is believed by many that these tiles will provide a kitchen the most appealing appearance, compared to any other type of tiles.

These tiles are extremely hard and they are non-porous solid tile. Glass tiles come in a large variety of sizes, starting as small as one inch by one inch squares. The extensive variety of shapes and sizes, allows the installer to create large and small designs within the overall job.

Glass kitchen tile is recommended for backsplashes and decorative accents in a kitchen. They are not typically recommended for flooring or counter surfaces because they are a more expensive tile choice.

Although it is not commonly recommended to use glass tiles on flooring, some glass is suitable for residential floor traffic. In order to use it for a flooring surface, you must first have the tiles rated before it is installed.

These tiles are considered the most beautiful choice because they contain the largest variety of color. The colors can be anything natural or unnatural in appearance, and they usually contain a high gloss finished appearance.

Glass tiles can also be mosaic in design, allowing a home owner to have a beautifully decorative accent included in their kitchen. Glass tiles are not porous, which makes them resistant to mold, mildew, and other stains.

Glass Kitchen Tile

This type of kitchen tile is extremely easy to clean and maintain when used as backsplashes or decorative pieces within a kitchen area. These tiles also reflect light, giving the appearance of a much larger space. Some homeowners also find these a very eco-friendly choice because, when compared with ceramic tiles, glass tiles take half the amount of energy to produce.

These tiles may be beautiful, but they require extensive expertise to install. Due to this factor, a glass tile project is not typically one you can do by yourself. Glass tiles require an experienced professional to install them.

These tiles are rather expensive when compared to other types of kitchen tiles. The reason a professional will be needed, is because these tiles are extremely hard to cut. Another reason is, most glass tiles show grout, so a grout job that is not good, will show horribly on the surface.

Glass kitchen tiles will cost between seven and thirty dollars per square foot. These tiles are able to be scratched, and the scratch is very obviously shown.