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Ceramic tile benefits & drawbacks

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Ceramic tile benefits & drawbacks

The main benefit with a ceramic tile is choice, and really what more can you ask for when looking for a new tile? Tiles are quite a permanent feature, once they go on you probably won't be bothered to take them off again for quite a while. Therefore, you really want to pick the best tile you can, and to do that you need choice. Ceramic tiles are available is so many styles and patterns that getting your head around it all can be a real challenge. You'll find a massive range available of glazed patterns that are young and trendy to more traditional and conservative patterns. Sizes are wide ranging, with everything from 3 x 3” tiles through to larger format tiles that can be 30 x 30”. The sky really is the limit.

One of the other massive benefits with a ceramic tile is price, in short they are cheap and affordable. Ceramic tiles can be made cheaply but still look great, so you shouldn't really have many problems picking one to fit your budget. Installation is the same routine whether on walls or floors, and because they come with a glaze you can use them in kitchens and bathrooms.

There are drawbacks

But there are drawbacks! Ceramic tiles can chip easily, especially floor tiles. I could not even begin to tell you how many times we've been called out to fix a chipped ceramic tile, it happens so easily. Many people like to install them in their kitchen because they look stylish and it's easy to find a tile that matches their kitchen cupboards. Then somebody drops a metal knife or fork onto the floor and it chips the glaze, allowing the dull clay beneath to show through. This can ruin a floor, especially if you have been going after the whole contemporary cool look. Take this into consideration when you are buying, you might need to go for a porcelain tile that is more resistant to wear and tear.

If a glazed tile does succumb to damage, and it will happen at some stage, there really is very little that can be done about it. If you are in luck you can contact your tile supplier and buy another tile to replace it. However, many suppliers will only stock a limited supply of a certain tile and may not be able to source it again. So please be aware that if you chip a glazed ceramic tile you may have to live with it, or cover it with a rug or a piece of furniture.

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