Floor tile sizes

When buying materials for repair, we sometimes act impulsively, basing our choice only on external characteristics. Of course, aesthetic attractiveness plays an important role, but it is worth considering other parameters of the material. For example, properly selected tile sizes for wall and floor cladding will greatly simplify the installation process. But buying an unsuitable tile size can easily "kill" the whole design concept.

Why you need to choose the right size tile

The material from which the modern ceramic coating is made is very durable. This is especially true of porcelain tiles so popular today. Cutting floor tiles is a fairly loud and dusty process. In addition, unaesthetic chips can form on the surface of the tile. Therefore, it is logical to choose the size of the floor tiles so that when laying it was necessary to cut it as little as possible. Firstly, this makes the installation process much faster and easier, and secondly, without clipped elements, the lined surface will look much more aesthetically pleasing.

Selection of layout options

In order not to be mistaken with the choice of tile size, it is necessary to think over its layout options in advance. Tiles can be laid directly, diagonally or in the form of brickwork - these are just 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, it is worth making a virtual layout of your future tile. To do this, you can take advantage of special programs, the help of specialists in salons, or, as a last resort, draw all the options on paper.

Important nuance

It is worth considering that the dimensions of the ceramic tiles are inaccurate. This means that the true size of each element may slightly deviate from the declared. And this is not due to the marriage or negligence of the manufacturer, but to the technology for the production of ceramics. The behavior during firing of different grades and even batches of clay may differ, so it is impossible to precisely maintain the specified tile parameters. Large manufacturers are trying to form batches so that the dimensions of the tiles in them are as close as possible to each other. Nevertheless, experienced craftsmen say that ceramics, all of whose elements are exactly the same in size, are quite rare.

To compensate for these deviations when laying tiles provide seams that are filled with a special composition - grout. Therefore, when the coating is laid and the tile joints are jammed, the difference in the size of the tile elements becomes invisible. By the way, sometimes manufacturers indicate the size of the tiles 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 Tile

The floor tiles on the market today can be divided into two large groups: tiles and porcelain tiles. The former is well known to everyone for a long time, but the latter sometimes raises questions. Despite its name, it is not made from granite at all, but from clay, like tile. Porcelain stoneware production technology allows it to be made thicker, stronger and more resistant to stress. It is believed that it is perfect for rooms with high traffic - shops, offices, hotels. Recently, however, there has been a persistent tendency to use porcelain stoneware for flooring and even walls in damp rooms of apartments and houses.

Classic and modern sizes

The most popular sizes of floor tiles are 10x10 cm, 15x15 cm, 20x20 cm, 30x30 cm. A rectangular format of 20x30 cm is also quite common. There is practically no larger tile, due to its consumer properties. Simply put, a large tile breaks easily enough and is characterized by poor resistance to stress. Although if we talk about rooms with low traffic, then the tile on the floor will quite cope with its purpose.

But the strength of porcelain tiles allows you to produce different sizes of tiles, up to very large ones. There are even giants, for example 120x90 cm, 100x200 cm and even 150x300 cm. This format is good for very spacious rooms, most often commercial. At home, more compact models are usually used.

A recent trend has been the emergence of tiles emitting a wooden texture. Outwardly, such a coating resembles parquet or a massive board, while it has all the advantages of ceramics over wood for wet rooms.

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

The specified list does not contain all the possible parameters of the ceramic coating for the floor, but only the most common. Manufacturers are constantly expanding the range, so floor tiles of various sizes and shapes appear on the market.

How to choose tile sizes in the bathroom and in the kitchen

The size of the room plays an important role in choosing tile parameters. Unfortunately, the apartments of most typical houses can not boast of space. In particular, this applies to bathrooms, 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 select the correct tile sizes. In a small bathroom, for example, it is worth staying 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 many seams, and they are the most vulnerable spot, especially in wet rooms.

But a spacious kitchen with a small tile, on the contrary, will make it more comfortable. In addition, she copes better with the task of circumventing corners and ledges. Also, for large rooms, large sizes of ceramic tiles are well suited. It is easier and faster to lay, it implies fewer tile joints and looks more aesthetically pleasing. But if the room has an irregular shape or structural elements, then when using a large tile trim, there can be a lot.

When choosing a tile for the floor, it is worth considering all the 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 quantity! This stock is pledged 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 buy the missing amount during the installation process.