Are Porcelain Tiles a Good Idea For Your Home?

Porcelain is one of the top choices when it comes to tiles for its durability and versatility. From patterned to textured, and from small to large, porcelain tiles have options for every project in mind. It’s no wonder porcelain tiles are so popular, their positives far outweigh the negatives. So, what are the positives? And how do you style them?…

– First Though, What is a Porcelain Tile?

There are many people out there that will tell you a porcelain tile is just a glorified ceramic one. There is so much more to it than that. Both ceramic and porcelain tiles start out as clay, and are moulded into a variety of shapes and sizes, glazed, and then fired in a kiln. However, the porcelain used is much more refined and denser than ceramic. Porcelain tiles also get fired at a much greater temperature and under higher pressure, resulting in a stronger, more durable, and water-resistant tile.

– Let’s Look at Some of The Positives

– Firstly, it’s durability. Since porcelain is so hard and dense, it becomes much more resistant to general wear and tear, making it the perfect choice for areas that might get a high amount of traffic. It can be implemented across any area of the home, but also across commercial areas like hotels, restaurants and shops.

– Porcelain tiles also have outstanding water resistance. Because of this, you might find they are heavily used across bathrooms and kitchens, as these are areas that are prone to splashes and spills.

Above, Lounge Ivory Polished Porcelain Floor Tile

– Since they’re waterproof, porcelain tiles are also incredibly resistant to stains and marks. This allows you to let go of your worries about mud and dirt being walked through the house and ruining your beautiful tiles!

– This also means that you’ll find reductions in the number of cleaning products you use across the tiles, as they won’t be visibly dirty.

– They don’t harbour any germs, mould or mildew.

– They’re really simple to look after and care for, unlike natural floorings like wood or stone.

Above, Granito Black Stone Effect Large Outdoor Porcelain Slab Tile

– The possibilities and styles of porcelain tiles are endless. With modern, high-tech inkjet printing, porcelain tiles can be made to look like any natural material, like wood, stone or marble. Tiles like these can be sold at a much cheaper price than the real materials, and come with a fraction of the upkeep.

– It also means you can have wood flooring (or at least wood effect flooring) in areas that you would never dream of using real wood, like in the bathroom.

– Since porcelain tiles are even frost-proof, you can use some of them outdoors! This means you can create seamless transitions between your indoor and outdoor spaces with the same tile.

– Points to Consider

When you’re browsing our wide selection of porcelain tiles, there are a few things you should consider before making your purchase. For example, porcelain tiles can be quite heavy due to their density, so ensure the space you’re installing them in has the right measures in place to support the weight of the tiles. If you need extra help ensuring you have this under control, make sure you contact our friendly team here at Tile Mountain, as we can offer you expert advice!

Porcelain flooring can also become very chilly in the winter months! We’d recommend looking into underfloor heating if you’re looking to install porcelain tiles across your floor space.

Above, Doblo Matt Grey Porcelain Floor Tile

– How Do We Recommend Styling Porcelain Tiles?

With the variety and range of porcelain tiles on offer it’s sometimes overwhelming to decide on one tile, and then style it once it’s installed. We’re here to help! Here are some of our suggestions for styling your new porcelain tiles.

– Marble In The Bathroom And Kitchen

We have an impressive selection of marble effect porcelain tiles here at Tile Mountain, suitable for every colour scheme and budget in mind. Here we have used our Carrara range in gloss in a bathroom space, and carried the same look on in the kitchen, with the matt counterpart. Marble creates a very luxurious and high-end look in the home, and has been used amongst many to create a trendy and modern scheme. Pairing marble with other features that exude class and elegance can enhance the look of expense. Take our gold taps and hardware in the bathroom for example. They complement the gold in the marble, creating a scheme that overall appears much more expensive than it really was.

Above, Carrara Gold Gloss Marble Effect Porcelain Wall and Floor Tile

Above, Carrara Gold Matt Marble Effect Porcelain Wall and Floor Tile

– Victorian Aesthetics With Patterned Porcelain

If you’re more of a fan of the classic Victorian look, look at our range of patterned porcelain tiles. They work effortlessly at creating that beautiful vintage and timeless look, whether you’re looking to redo the walls or the floors. To enhance the Victorian aesthetic we like to style these tiles with pieces of furniture and accessories that are perhaps more ornate and ‘classic’. By this, we mean lots of curved edges and rounded elements. Steer clear of furniture with harsh, straight edges and little detailing as these encourage the space to appear more modern.

Above, Mr Jones Grey Pattern Matt Porcelain Wall and Floor Tile

Above, Brighton Grey Pattern Porcelain Floor Tiles

– Industrial Stone And Concrete Effects

Industrial interiors are a growing trend in design at the moment, and we have a feeling it could be here to stay! These schemes create an especially modern and contemporary space. If this is what you’re looking for, we’d recommend using stone or concrete effect porcelain tiles to enhance the style. Using stone or concrete effect tiles alongside features like exposed brick, copper pipework and hardware or black and grey accessories can enhance the industrial effect even further.

Above, Dunsen Grey Floor Tiles

Above, Lucca Grey Anti-slip Matt Stone Effect Porcelain Wall and Floor Tile

– Homely Wood Effect

Porcelain tiles offer a huge range of wood effects that can create an equally effective and warm aesthetic as real wood flooring. And, as previously mentioned, since these tiles are made from porcelain they can also be used in areas across the home that you wouldn’t normally consider putting real wood flooring, like the bathroom or in kitchens, because it’s waterproof and much more hardwearing. Wood flooring throughout the home can create an incredibly homely and comforting atmosphere, perfect for family homes or traditional styles.

Above, Nordic Wood Pearl Wood Effect Wall and Floor Tiles

Above, Mikeno Honey Wood Effect Wall and Floor Tile

– Outstanding Outdoor Porcelain Tiles

We even have porcelain tiles that are suitable for use outdoors. These tiles will feature the ideal anti-slip rating and weatherproof qualities so you can rest assured that your outdoor tiles will stand up to any harsh weather. Our range of outdoor slabs offers something for everyone, with a wide variety of neutral colours and even patterns available. If you have any concerns or queries about whether your porcelain tiles of choice are suitable for use outdoors, be sure to get in touch with our friendly team who will be able to advise.