Dimensions of floor tiles

When buying materials for repair, we sometimeswe act impulsively, basing our choice only on external characteristics. Of course, aesthetic appeal plays an important role, but other parameters of the material should be taken into account. For example, properly selected tile sizes for facing walls and floors will help to significantly simplify the process of laying. But the purchase of unsuitable size tiles can easily "kill" the whole concept of design.

Why do I need to choose the right tile size

The material from which produce modernCeramic coating, very durable. This is especially true of today's popular porcelain. Cutting floor tiles - the process is quite loud and dusty. In addition, unaesthetic chips may form on the tile surface. Therefore, it is logical to choose the size of the tile for the floor so that when laying it was necessary to cut it as little as possible. Firstly, it makes the installation process much faster and easier, and secondly, without trimmed elements, the lined surface will look much more aesthetic.

Choice of layout options

In order not to be mistaken with the choice of tile size,it is necessary to think in advance about options for its layout. The tile can be laid directly, diagonally or in the form of brickwork - these are only the most popular ways. You can use decorative inserts or panels. Sometimes manufacturers in the same collection offer different sizes of tiles, so that you can put an interesting ornament from them. The choice is huge, and before you decide, you should make a virtual layout of your future tiles. To do this, you can use special programs, with the help of specialists in salons, or in extreme cases, draw all the options on paper.

Important nuance

It is worth considering that the size of ceramic tilesare inaccurate. This means that the true size of each element may slightly deviate from the declared. And this is not connected with marriage or the manufacturer’s negligence, but with the technology of ceramics production. Behavior when roasting different grades and even batches of clay may differ, therefore, it is impossible to withstand the specified parameters of the tile. Large manufacturers are trying to form batches in such a way that the dimensions of the tiles in them are as close as possible to each other. Nevertheless, experienced craftsmen say that ceramics, all the elements of which exactly match in size, are quite rare.

To compensate for these deviations when layingtiles provide seams that are filled with a special compound - grout. Therefore, when the flooring is laid and the tile joints are wiped, the difference in the size of the tile elements becomes imperceptible. By the way, sometimes manufacturers specify the size of the tile, taking into account the recommended thickness of the seam. This means that with the declared parameters of 33x33 cm, the tile can have a real size of 32.8x32.8 cm.

Tile and porcelain tiles

The tile presented at the modern market forthe floor can be divided into two large groups: tile and porcelain. The first one is well known to everyone for a long time, but the second one sometimes raises questions. Despite its name, it is made not from granite, but from clay, like tile. The production technology of porcelain stoneware allows you to make it thicker, more durable and resistant to stress. It is believed that it is great for rooms with high traffic - shops, offices, hotels. Recently, however, there has been a persistent tendency to use porcelain stoneware for cladding floors and even walls in wet rooms of apartments and houses.

Classic and modern sizes

The most popular tile sizes forthe floor is 10x10 cm, 15x15 cm, 20x20 cm, 30x30 cm. A rectangular format 20x30 cm in size is also quite common. A larger tile is almost absent, due to its consumer properties. Simply put, large tile breaks fairly easily and is weakly resistant to stress. Although if we talk about the premises with a small cross, then the tile on the floor will cope with its purpose.

А вот прочность керамогранита позволяет produce different sizes of tiles, up to very large ones. There are even giants, for example, 120x90 cm, 100x200 cm and even 150x300 cm. Such a format is good for very spacious premises, most often commercial ones. At home, usually use more compact models.

The recent trend has been the emergencetiles that emit a wooden texture. Outwardly, such a coating resembles parquet or solid board, while it has all the advantages of ceramics over wood for wet rooms.

The dimensions of floor tiles offered by modern manufacturers can be seen in the following table.

The specified list does not contain all possibleparameters of ceramic flooring, but only the most common. Manufacturers are constantly expanding the range, so the floor tile of various sizes and shapes appears on the market.

How to choose the size of tiles in the bathroom and in the kitchen

The size of the room plays an important role in choosingtile settings. Unfortunately, the apartments of most typical houses can not boast of space. In particular, this applies to sanitary facilities, which are sometimes simply disastrously small. However, the visual parameters of the room are easy to adjust due to design tricks. So, you can slightly increase the space, if you choose the correct size of the tile. In the bathroom of a small size, for example, it is worthwhile to stay on the middle tile. The fact is that small floor tiles can visually narrow an already small area. In addition, it implies the presence of multiple seams, and they are the most vulnerable spot of the coating, especially in wet areas.

But the spacious kitchen is a small tile,on the contrary, will make it more comfortable. In addition, it copes better with the task of bypassing corners and protrusions. Also for large rooms, large sizes of ceramic tiles are well suited. It is easier and faster to lay, it means a smaller number of tile joints and looks more aesthetic. But if the room has an irregular shape or structural elements, then using a large tile trimming can be very much.

Choosing a tile for the floor, it is worth considering allthe above factors. Finally, I want to remind you of an important rule - do not forget to purchase tiles at least 10% more than the calculated amount! This stock is laid in case of marriage, battle during transportation, damage during cutting, flaws in the calculation and other troubles. It is easier to think about this in advance than to purchase the missing quantity in the process of laying.