Stone Blog

2008 June 13

Bathroom Tile Design - Material Types for Bathroom Tile Designs

Filed under: Stone News — Stoner @ 6:35 am

Good bathroom tile design should create a floor surface that is attractive, water resistant and safe to walk on. Bathroom tile designs using ceramic tile, rubber flooring or vinyl and linoleum floors are examples of bathroom tile design material choices that should be available nearly anywhere. These types of tiles are easy to clean, water resistant and safe to walk on. If you are going to use natural stone or terra-cotta ceramic tiles on your floors to create a more sophisticated effect, make sure you buy the kind with a non-slip finish.
As you consider which bathroom tile designs to select, each type of tile will have unique properties that may or may not provide characteristics that are good for your bathroom. Here are different material types for bathroom tile design along with advantages or disadvantages of each:

1. Laminate and Vinyl Bathroom Tile Design - these types of tile in bathroom tile designs can be found in a variety of colors, patterns and textures. Some tiles even imitate wood, stone and ceramic. It is not very expensive, is water resistant, easy to install and clean and it is durable.

2. Ceramic Bathroom Tile Design - ceramic tile can range from fairly cheap to expensive and it is the classic choice. Tile is made of clay, shale or porcelain and is formed and fired at very high temperatures until it hardens. The higher the temperature and the more times the tile is fired, the harder and less porous the tile.

If you are using a white or cream ceramic tile for your bathroom, using a different color grout like “blue” will give your bathroom a dramatic look. Grout is the material used to fill the spaces between the tiles. Make sure you apply sealers to grout lines in areas of heavy wear like countertops. Sealers will also preserve grout colors.

3. Stone Bathroom Tile Designs (marble, granite, brick, slate, onyx, travertine and limestone) - this tile can be beautiful, very strong, durable in high-traffic areas, it will last a long time, is low maintainance and easy to clean. However, it is expensive, it’s a cold material, can be slippery and absorbs stains easily.

4. Linoleum Bathroom Tile Design - this tile is made of renewable and natural materials like linseed oil, ground cork, limestone, jute and wood flour. This type of bathroom floor is making a comeback with new marbled and graphic designs, and it is more durable and easier to clean than vinyl tile.

5. Mosaic Bathroom Tile - this wonderful tile was an ancient craft that today can be made of tile, stone, porcelain and colored glass, creating stunning floor patterns. These tiles are small (1 or 2 inches square) and often expensive. What you can do is to add a small section of this type of tile for visual interest to your floor or countertop.

6. Concrete Bathroom Tile Designs - durable, low maintenance, perfect for wet areas and stunning. You can find this type of tile in beautiful textures such as shiny, rough, slick and sandpaper and in various colors and sizes.

7. Hardwood - you can build your bathroom floor using solid wood, parquet flooring or engineered woods (several layers of wood laminated and high-tech materials that are similar to plywood). Hardwoods are wear-resistant, attractive, comfortable to walk on, easy to clean and refinish, not very cold in winter, but they are more vulnerable to moisture when used in a bathroom.

If you want to use a bathroom tile design that includes rugs in your bathroom, make sure you buy the kind that has rubber backing, or add rubber backing strips to the rugs. Be careful with rugs that can slip and slide on a tiled floor or natural stone floor which creates a safety hazard. Rugs can also harbor dust mites and allergens which is a problem for people with allergies.

Whether you’ll be remodeling an old bathroom or creating a brand new one, being active in the design stage helps ensure that your bathroom turns out just like you want. The bathroom tile designs and styles, colors, patterns and sizes you choose can help you have a bathroom that is comfortable, attractive and functional and a room that you will enjoy every day.

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Choosing the Right Bathroom Vanity Design

Filed under: Stone News — Stoner @ 6:33 am

One of the easiest ways to revamp your bathroom is with a new bathroom vanity. The most important feature when picking a bathroom vanity is the design; they really make the space more pleasant. A new vanity under your bathroom sink will not only give you a place to store away items, but can also add more counter space to put all your toiletries on.
Often when people plan a bathroom remodel, they neglect the storage. With several people sharing one home, though, having a vanity to store all the items they need in the bathroom is a good feature. Reducing clutter also adds to the beauty and design of your bathroom space.

When shopping for new vanities, you must first measure the amount of space you’ll be able to devote to the new vanity. Most vanities come in widths of 18 inches up to 48 inches, in increments of 6 inches. There are many different designs to consider, as well. Your vanity should coincide with other fixtures and design features in your bathroom. There are modern, classic, deco, antique, and many other styles to choose from. They don’t just come in wood, either; there are many different materials to choose from.

There are generally a few categories bathroom storage units will fall under. There are those with cabinetry, which could be vanity cabinets, wall cabinets, recessed cabinets and medicine cabinets. Some vanities or storage pieces also have open shelving. Then there are over the toilet cabinets and linen closets. As far as design goes, cabinet vanities are often the most aesthetically pleasing. There are face-frame vanity cabinets, which are more traditional and formal. Then there are frameless vanity cabinets and European style vanities, which are more modern.

It??s a good design choice to match any period-style cabinets with period-style knobs and pulls in your bathroom. As far as vanity cabinet countertops go, you have a few choices. There are laminates, ceramic tile, wood, composite materials or solid surface materials including stone, stainless steel and concrete. Laminates, composites, solid surface materials and stainless steel are easier to scratch, but composites or solid surface materials are very easy to repair or replace. Wood is beautiful, but must be maintained. Stone countertops are the most durable and aesthetically pleasing, but they are more expensive.

Ceramic tile is probably the most common bathroom vanity surface material. It’s durable and doesn’t stain easily. You can also find a lot of choices, because they’re so common. Whatever material and style you choose, making the effort to find a bathroom vanity that suits your storage and design needs will pay off. New bathroom vanities add more storage and a pleasant look to your bathroom.

Author:Groshan_Fabiola

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