In a perfect recipe for a beautiful home, Tiling is a major ingredient. Tiling not only adds practical value to a home construction but also enhances the aesthetic allure of a place. As Melbourne Homeowners, your decision for tiles will not only show your taste or style rather it’s going to affect your house’s longevity too.
Melbourne’s varied and agile housing market offers a range of choices to select the perfect tiles for your home. With such diverse options, you can enjoy unique features and advantages for every type, meeting all your preferred needs.
We’ve designed this comprehensive guide to walk Melbourne, homeowners, through the valley of perfect tiling. We’ll dive deep to understand the different types of tiles available, famous styles and patterns, and key tips that will help you make the right decision.
Types of Tiles
The very first step is selecting the right tiles for your Melbourne home from a myriad of options. Every type of tile will have its amazing merits and charm. Let’s explore some of the popular options here:
Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tile is at the top of the list due to its popularity among the masses. With Ceramic tiles, you have versatility and a large number of styles. These tiles are made up of clay at high temperatures, and present in a number of patterns and colors. It’s better to consider these tiles for low-traffic spaces and walls. Ceramic tiles are an easy-to-go choice as they don’t require much effort in cleaning and maintenance. However, if you live in high-traffic areas, they’re not the best choice because their lifespan is shorter than porcelain tiles.
Porcelain Tiles
The second type is Porcelain tiles, famous for their vigor and longevity. These tiles are more robust and less porous, built from more refined clay at higher temperatures than ceramic tiles. This high temperature makes them completely resistant to stains, moisture, and wear, the best choice for both outdoor and indoor use. High-traffic areas like living rooms and hallways are the spaces that need porcelain tiles. Their availability in both glazed and unglazed forms will let you choose from matte to high gloss.
Natural Stone Tiles
If you want to make your home a symbol of grandeur and uniqueness, go for Natural stone tiles like granite, slate, marble, and limestone. As natural stone tiles have their own distinctive pattern and texture, they will give your floors or walls a completely exclusive touch. If you’re looking for something that’s both natural and elegant, these tiles are for you but need high maintenance. Your most important areas of the house like kitchens and bathrooms are perfect for natural stone tiles, enjoy both value and beauty.
Glass Tile
Glass tiles are here to give your house a modern stylish look, often used for accent walls, decorative purposes, and backsplashes. These tiles give a delusion of space for any room by adding brightness and reflecting light. Glass tiles have a variety of colors and finishes, an ideal choice to create a contemporary look. However, they’re not as robust as other tiles, better to use in low-traffic spaces.
Tile Patterns and Styles
Your choice of pattern and style has the power to change the look and feel of your room. Let’s explore some of the best tile patterns and styles in Melbourne:
Herringbone Pattern
The herringbone pattern is known for its vintage and cool design, best if you want to give your walls and floors an aesthetic appeal. It resembles the bones of a fish, as it is created by putting rectangular tiles in a zigzag arrangement. Another amazing feature of this pattern is that you can use it with a range of materials, consequently adding depth and texture to your area.
Subway Tiles
Subway tiles are considered a symbol of timelessness, having a rectangular shape and glossy finish. As the name indicates, these tiles were first used in subway stations but later they became famous among ordinary people for bathrooms and kitchens. Their stumbled brick pattern makes them simple yet sophisticated. You can trust subway tiles as an ideal choice for both modern and classic decors and can get in any color and finish.
Mosaic Tiles
Next, that you can consider are Mosiac tiles, small in terms of size. These colorful tiles are ideal if you want to create complex patterns and designs. Mosaic tools are the best choice for shower floors or decorative borders and feature walls. They are available in different materials like ceramic, glass, and natural stone, giving you an edge for endless creativity in design.
Tile Selection Tips
Making a perfect decision of tiling for your Melbourne home is not just limited to choosing a color or pattern. For this let’s go through some essential tips that will guide your selection process:
Consider the Room’s Function:
The very first thing to consider before making a choice is to consider the function of your room. For instance, when it comes to high-moisture spaces like bathrooms, always go for water-resistant tiles like glazed ceramic or porcelain. For living areas, people find the texture and warmth of natural stone a perfect choice.
Color Coordination:
Secondly, never ignore the overall color scheme of your room. Your selected tiles should complement the overall color scheme. Why? Let me tell you an interesting fact about colors. Light-colored tiles can make your small room look brighter and larger, while dark-colored tiles will add depth and warmth.
Size Matters:
Another important factor that is often overlooked is size. Always make sure that the size of your tiles is in proportion to the size of the room. For a small room, large tiles can make it look bigger, but too large are just going to clog the space. Conversely, A large room will feel busy with small tiles.
Texture and Finish:
The next thing is texture and finish. Texture and finish not only affect your look but also have an impact on functionality. For the floors on which you want to prevent slipping go for matte finishes. Glossy tiles are considered ideal for easy-to-clean wall surfaces.
Preparing for Tiling
To make your tiling project an utter success, do proper preparation. For this consider the following things:
Surface Preparation:
The very first thing to do in the preparation process is to ensure that the surface is clean. Before laying tiles make sure that the surface is dry, clean, and level. To avoid any issues in the future, check if there are any cracks or unevenness and address them.
Measuring and Layout:
Secondly, your measurements play a crucial role, so they should be accurate. For this make a plan beforehand for the overall layout. In this plan decide how many tiles are needed with their arrangement pattern, more specifically around edges and corners.
Waterproofing:
Next, always consider waterproofing to prevent any potential damage to wet spaces like bathrooms and kitchens. Before tiling make sure that a proper waterproofing membrane is applied.
Choosing the Right Adhesive:
Another crucial thing is choosing the right adhesive. So, for this, you’ve to consider the type of tile and the surface on which adhesive will be applied. Different adhesives are used for different tiles like there are certain adhesives for heavy tiles like natural stone.
Hiring a Professional Tiler
If you want to make your tiling project successful in Melbourne, a professional tiler’s expertise can turn the tables for you. Let’s find out why hiring a professional is an intelligent choice:
Expertise and Precision:
The first reason to go for a professional is their expertise. Yes, the level of expertise and precision of a professional tiler is not a match with DIY efforts. Their skills will make sure that the tiles are evenly laid, with persistent grout lines, and are properly leveled.
Time and Cost Efficiency:
Unlike a layman, a professional will be able to do this job effectively and quickly. Their work will be perfect, as they will never make any mistakes and want to do costly repairs again.
Access to the Right Tools:
Tools play a crucial role in the tiling project. So, a professional is most likely to have the essential tools and apparatus that you may find difficult to buy or rent. These tools are trowels, tile cutters, and leveling systems.
Knowledge of Materials:
Professionals can help you get the right tiles for your home. Their comprehensive knowledge of different tile materials will guide them toward the best choice based on factors like traffic, moisture, and overall beauty.
Understanding of Local Climate:
Another important factor to consider before making a choice is the climate of Melbourne. Why? Because climate has a significant impact on tiling choices and installation. To make sure that your tiles withstand these weather patterns and temperature changes, a professional can help you with his expertise and experience.
Guaranteed Workmanship:
Lastly, the professional’s work is always guaranteed, so you don’t have to worry about anything. If you find any issues after installation, you can call back the professional without any charges.
Conclusion
In short, Tiling has a central place in the home design process, dominating both functionality and aesthetic areas. To make your dream house in Melbourne, the Melbourne homeowner needs to know the different types of tiles, the patterns, and the significance of proper installation. Whether you’re selecting the tiles for the bathroom, kitchen, or living area, or making sure that the installation is properly done, each decision in the tiling process affects the overall look and tenure of your house.
Get Started with Jet Tiling: Your Melbourne Tiling Experts
Ready to transform your Melbourne home with stunning tiling? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Jet Tiling. Our team of experienced professionals is here to guide you through every step of your tiling project, from selection to installation. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote, and let us help you bring your tiling visions to life. Call us at 0455 544 552 or email us at info@jettilinggroup.com.au to get started!
