Ceramic Tiles Pros and Cons

cookielady

Thu, Jun 04 2009, 12:06 pm

I love them. They look great. I picked out ones that don't show dirt right away. Easy to clean.
They feel nice and cool under your feet. If you live in a cold weather place, I would imagine it might be really cold in the winter. Another con - if a dish, glass, plate etc drops on the floor, not only will it shatter but you find pieces all over, even where you are sure they couldn't have gone.

A nice touch, if you use them, have them installed on the diagonal. It really adds to a room.

poelmamosh

Thu, Jun 04 2009, 12:16 pm

There are also safety concerns. My SIL tripped on a toy in her ceramic-tiled LR and had a minor concussion. She was holding her newborn, who BH was ok, but it was scary!

If you have little kids (or grandkids) who are learning to walk, like to climb on furniture etc., I would not go that route.

zigi

Thu, Jun 04 2009, 12:17 pm

I lived in apt with stone tile and hardwood floors I think that I like tile better. you don't have to worry if someone spills. it does get dirtier than wood. white sock test, it is darker with a tile floor. I had to put down a rubber mat for my babies b/c it is a lot harder than wood. it is cold in the winter. but you could put in floor heating or wear socks. its cool in the summer though! and we broke a lot of dishes!

OOTBubby

Thu, Jun 04 2009, 12:53 pm

I have very large areas of ceramic through the main floor of my home, with the same tile in kitchen, breakast room, large dining room, office and 2 bathrooms. I love the look, but there are some drawbacks:
1) it is extremely slippery when wet (even with just damp shoes) -- I've come close to major falls numerous times
2) if you drop anything on that is remotely breakable, it will shatter big time
3) the tiles themselves can chip or crack -- my floor is 17 years old and I have a number of cracked and chipped tiles

All in all, though, were I doing it again, it would do the ceramic again.

Kugel lover

Thu, Jun 04 2009, 1:35 pm

Ceramic Tiles are installed into the floor as opposed to vinyl and laminate which can come off the floor easier than ceramic. Ceramic is much nicer than vinyl/laminate. Some people do say that ceramic hurts thier feet if they stand on it too long.
Another note if this is for your kitchen you should put in porcelain instead of ceramic - Porcelain is much stronger

cookielady

Thu, Jun 04 2009, 1:37 pm

Kugel lover wrote:

Another note if this is for your kitchen you should put in porcelain instead of ceramic - Porcelain is much stronger

Good point. We have porcelain in our kitchen and ceramic in the rest of the house. In the rest of the house we have chips and cracks that have developed over many years.

greenfire

Thu, Jun 04 2009, 4:36 pm

anybody with varicose veins will tell you ... standing on a tile floor all day cooking & cleaning - your legs will be in severe pain and agony ... it has no give ...

aside from all the chipping/breaking/falling hazards ...

there are other options ...

what is the floor like now - is there wood hiding underneath whatever is there ...

zaq

Sun, Nov 08 2015, 4:28 pm

Ceramic is a more or less generic term for earthenware, iow anything made of baked clay, but it is usually applied to products made of coarser clays. True porcelain is made from very fine white clay and is lighter, finer and stronger than other earthenware commonly called ceramic. I've never heard of floor tiles made of porcelain, which is normally used for fine dinnerware, ornamental figurines, dental restorations and the like.

Porcelain enamel is a slurry of ground glass, clay and water that is applied and baked on to manufactured items of steel or iron. Thus you have enamelware pots and pans and porcelain-enamelled bathtubs and sinks.

OOTBubby

Sun, Nov 08 2015, 4:59 pm

zaq wrote:

I am presently building a new home and my interior designer told me that today it is primarily porcelain tiles used and that's what I should plan on rather than ceramic.

amother

Rose

Sun, Nov 08 2015, 7:26 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

I am presently building a new home and my interior designer told me that today it is primarily porcelain tiles used and that's what I should plan on rather than ceramic.

We used porcelain throughout except for a couple of out of the way bathrooms. Any high traffic area should be porcelain.

tweek

Sun, Nov 08 2015, 7:29 pm

I honestly feel as though my ceramic/porcelain floors have taken a toll on my feet.

Nowadays, there are some excellent options, but they are a bit more costly.

High end vinyl and laminate wood are very popular.

Rubber Ducky

Sun, Nov 08 2015, 7:34 pm

Porcelain tile is fired at a higher heat than regular ceramic tile. It's denser and should absorb less water. Most indoor floor tiles you see in in stores today are porcelain tiles.

Rubber Ducky

Sun, Nov 08 2015, 7:38 pm

tweek wrote:

Right, tile isn't my go-to flooring choice for people with back, knee, or foot problems. If you love it and have back problems, at least consider covering it with gel mats by the sinks.

etky

Mon, Nov 09 2015, 12:47 am

We've had porcelain tiles on our main floor for 15 years now.
Though they were more expensive than regular ceramic tiles or balatot (the default flooring in Israeli homes) at the time that we were renovating, we chose them for their purported strength, durability and for the fact that they are non-porous.
Overall we are extremely pleased with the floor. Over the years porcelain has come down in price and replaced regular ceramic tiles as the standard here for new construction. There are a choice of finishes to choose from too.

Tablepoetry

Mon, Nov 09 2015, 1:46 am

Yes, porcelain is the standard here in Israel, although lately people do their rooms in wood laminate.
It doesn't have to be slippery, as someone complained. Each tile is rated according to how slippery it is - R8, R9, R10, etc. I believe R9 is the number that's good for the home - rough enough to be safe, but not so rough you can't clean it.
Our house is still tiled in the olden balatot of once upon a time. Things do break, but really, it happens every few months, not every day, even with an active, clumsy household.

The good thing about most high quality porcelain tile today is that it is virtually indestructable.

Do step on a tile in the store and see if it leaves a footprint or scuff. Some do.

And get porcelain, ceramic is much lower quality.