| By :
Nick Messe
Carpeting is a key decorative and functional element in every home. During a flooring carpet selection process, you need to keep in mind factors such as the aesthetic and technical functionalities. Carpets come in a variety of textures, constructions, designs and colors, opening the door to countless interior and exterior design opportunities. The right combination of color and texture compliments the decor of both casual and formal environments, while bringing continuity to the overall design. For the areas of your home that are not carpeted, ceramic tile is very popular and great for purposes of renovating your home or even making fittings to a new home. This is because it is incredibly versatile, capable of installation anywhere in your home including showers, walls and entry ways. Ceramic tiles present many beneficial qualities, presenting a look identical to the more traditional and luxurious stone tile floor, yet with simple maintenance and a much lower cost. While both ceramic and laminate wood flooring are imitations of nature, ceramics is basically an artificial stone created by firing clay and other materials at high temperatures. Laminate wood flooring on the other hand is generally particle board topped with hardwood laminate to make it look like solid hardwood. Laminate flooring generally has a lifespan of twenty years while ceramic tiles can last almost indefinitely. Ceramic tiles come in three varieties namely porcelain, glazed and unglazed tiles. Porcelain tiles are generally resistant to moisture, stains, bacteria, odors and even harsh cleaners. This makes them ideal for use in entryways, corridors and other high traffic areas. Their moisture and bacteria resistant property definitely makes them a perfect choice for both your bathroom and swimming pool. Glazed tiles on the other hand have special ceramic coating that is applied to the body of the tile. The glazing hardens resulting into a floor that is resistant to stains, scratch, fire and slip. This feature makes this tile pretty easy to clean. The coating also makes it resistant to fading from sunlight, therefor a perfect choice for outdoor use. Unglazed tile however has no coating or glazing applied to its surface. Its color is the same on the surface of the tile as it is on the back resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic. They too are ideal for entryways and corridors. As versatile as ceramic tiles are, they have some shortcomings. They are very difficult to repair or re-surface once damaged since they are permanently fitted onto the surface. The color on the glazed tile is often removed when chipped or scratched leaving them quite unpresentable. Ceramic tiles look a bit plastic thus taking away that natural beauty of a surface. Depending on the level of style you are trying to achieve with your bath or kitchen tile design, ceramic tile flooring can be an excellent choice. It is not often considered high end or top scale flooring, but it certainly presents well with minimal cons. So, for the price, ceramic floor tile is hard to beat.
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