Ceramic

Ceramic tiles are made from hardened clay – normally mixtures of red or white – and usually feature a decorative glaze. They are baked on the top only, meaning that colour does not run all the way through the tile.

Ceramic tiles are less expensive than other options, and they’re also extremely easy to install. This means they can be purchased and laid down with no need for employing additional labour. However, these tiles are far less durable than stone or porcelain, both breaking and taking stains much more easily. It’s generally best to use them in interior spaces with low levels of foot traffic.

Porcelain

Porcelain is technically a ceramic as well, but is made of white clay using a dust pressing method. This produces a smoothly finished tile which is both denser and more durable than ceramic.

Unlike ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles can be used in both interior and exterior locations due to its strength, and holds up far better in busy areas. Its density makes it less absorbent, and therefore more stain-resistant, and people generally prefer the more upscale look compared to ceramic. However, it is trickier and more expensive to install. This is not a material which is suitable for a DIY job.

Stone

Stone tiles are made from a variety of natural materials, usually either slate, marble, or granite. Easily the most sought after tiling material, stone has a timeless beauty whichboth porcelain and ceramic usually attempt to mimic.

Stone is notably more durable than ceramic, and, while porcelain is technically harder, it’s worth remembering that chips in porcelain will be far more apparent. Of course, stone tiles are extremely heavy, making them the most expensive to install by a wide margin. You’ll certainly need to employ additional help, and may even need the stone to be reworked.

Each material has its own benefits, so all you need to do is decide which benefits are going to benefit you.

It may seem unlikely, but some of the best floors we’ve ever seen are those that have employed unusual materials rather than your standard wood, tiles, carpet or linoleum. Here’s some of the most outlandish we can think of, and we think you’ll agree that the creativity behind of these ideas is off the scale!

Old Leather Belts
TING is a design company that creates luxury products from salvaged materials. Recently they’ve been sourcing old leather belts, removing the metalwork, hand-cleaning them and then processing them as flooring. What you’re left with is an attractive, subtle and hard-wearing floor, with the colour and pattern balance predetermined before a single one is laid down. Ideal for a clothing store!

Bottle Caps
Take a look at the Bone House in Texas, an artists’ studio with an eye-catching bathroom floor created from thousands of colourful bottle caps. As an example of sustainable architecture this is hard to beat, very low-cost, zero carbon use, and removing waste from the environment. But given the amount of time you’d need to spend finding all the caps, it’s probably only suitable for very small rooms. A similar but more neutral effect could be gleaned by using pennies.

Paper Bags
Tearing old brown paper bags into shapes and laying them down allows for beautiful patterns. You simply arrange them however you want and then put a thin layer of polyurethane over them to seal the floor. Owners of floors such as this reckon they look like a hybrid of cork, hardwood and leather, and we’d imagine they’re pretty pleased with the price-tag as well!

Wine Corks
The perfect flooring solution for a vineyard, or anyone with a passion for the fruits of the vine, wine cork floors look lovely, and feel great beneath your feet too. A floor of this was created for another room at the Bone House, with around 72 corks per square foot needed, so if you’d like to follow suit, better start drinking.

A ceramic tile floor can be a beautiful, eye-catching design solution for many homes, however because it is a hard tile, it can be unsuitable for certain applications.

If you’re considering a tile flooring option then here are some aspects to keep in mind:

Water-Resistance
Ceramic tiles are most often found in the kitchen or the bathroom, where their glazed finish protects them from humidity, water, and stains, seeping in. This also makes them very easy to maintain – if a liquid spills, just wipe them clean. Anyone carpeting a kitchen will have cause to regret it at some point! Remember that whoever is laying your tiles must treat them, and the grouting in-between, if they are not pre-glazed, to prevent water incursion and the accompanying risk of mould.

Long-Lasting Ceramic tiles have a good reputation for durability and can last for years before they need to be replaced, even in rooms like kitchens and bathrooms which see heavy footfall. The other big advantage here is that if a tile does crack, it can be switched without too much difficulty. A collection of spares can be stacked in a small space, ready for application if needed. Do remember though that because of their weight, ceramic floors are often unsuitable for upper floors, and you will need to check with a professional installer before going ahead.

Advantages over other floorings If any of your home’s occupants suffer from allergies then tiles are a good idea. Although tending to be more expensive than carpet, they harbour far fewer dust and pollen particles. They’re also usually less pricey than wooden floors. Usually tiles are wipe-clean with just the odd light hoovering needed to keep them looking attractive. Note also that tiles are available in many shapes and designs, so just as with carpets, you’re in no way restricted if you want a particular style in a room.