The World of Wall Tiles

When we say tiles, the first thing that strikes our mind is Floor. But, today, we

have moved past the conventional concepts and a highly popularised concept of

the utilisation of tiles to garner then wall has come into existed. We use them in

bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms. However, the purpose here is a little

different. It is used not to because it is a requisite (like in case of flooring) but

because, it adds to the aesthetics. The wall tiles are coloured or designed or

sometimes, plain simple tiles are collated to form an abstract form.

Decorating the walls of our home has been a ritual, especially in India. Even

today, many rural households paint and decorate their walls. Contrasting this,

the urban living has seen the advanced ways of making it possible. Beautiful

readymade material are utilised to solve the same purpose. Wall tiles give new

interpretation to then space that they are installed in. These four and a quarter

inch squares make a room look more personalised. This is made possible through

the varied array of tiles that is available to us. Some of the very widely used and

available tiles have been discussed below to inform you about the characteristics

of each tile and its advantages and disadvantages.

Glazed Ceramic

Glazed Ceramic Tiles are usually made of clay. Once then clay dries, the glaze is

applied on top. You can have highly glossed tiles which are very shiny. Matte

glazed tiles are another category which is less shiny than the first and slip-

resistant glazed tiles are shiny but not slippery. These tiles are available in

almost every colour and design. It is also the most popular type of wall tile. One

reason for this is also that, ceramic tiles are completely water proof. This

property makes it viable to be used in a variety of locations like showers and

swimming pools. Bathroom wall tiles are ceramic.

Mosaic

This is also made from clay, but from an amalgamation of different kinds of clay.

The distinction here is in then colour. Different clay tiles are taken and coloured

with different pigments, which is the reason for the colour prevalent throughout

then tile. Then point to be noted here is that mosaic tiles are pigmented. This

means, if you cut through the tile, the entire tile will be of the same colour.

However, if you cut through a ceramic tile, you will not notice any colour as the

glaze is applied only on the face of then tile. These wall tiles can be used to form

designs on the walls, in the living room or the bedroom. It is typically

representative of the murals that people in the ancient past drew on their house

walls. You could also cover the borders of the wall using mosaic tiles.

Marble

Marble tiles are made from marble. There is also a class distinction linked to it.

It is perceived to be for the economically well off classes. However, this is just a

misconception. In fact, marble tiles are considered to give a bold, masculine look

to the room and yet look elegant. It is proven to be beneficial to health. Marble is

very dense and does not trap allergy producing irritants into it, which a few

other tiles are capable of harbouring due to their porous nature.

Glass

Glass wall tiles come in frosted glass and bubble glass formats. Frosted glass is

effective to create opaque, flat surfaces and bubble glass adds to the character

and design to then tile’s appearance. Glass tiles are most used in the

contemporary times. It adds a shimmer to the room and also makes a room look

big. They enhance places like your study, passageways and smaller rooms on the

house.

Vinyl

Vinyl tiles are tiles made from synthetic materials and available in all shapes

and designs. The advantage of this type is that it is cost effective. However, they

need to be installed properly. If not, then, they tend to produce glare from the

lights and peel off. However, if you’re budget is tight, then this is an ideal choice.

If you want to decorate your walls with something appealing and cheap, vinyl is

the best suggestion.