Vitrified tiles are gaining popularity among new homeowners and those that are renovating their homes as a replacement to other types of tiles like ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone tiles. These tiles are versatile and can be used in almost any space in or around the house including kitchen floors, the floors of living spaces, and even in exterior spaces.
Given the popularity of vitrified tiles, it is obvious that these tiles have many uses. They are used for the floors of our living spaces. These tiles are sturdy and can withstand heavyweight and strain. They offer durability, value for money, and the aesthetic that you are looking for.
These tiles come with a glossy finish that makes them easier to clean than natural stones or even natural or ceramic tiles. Vitrified tiles find their purpose in flooring and also as part of wall coverings, in order to keep your exterior walls looking as good as new.
The reason behind the longevity that these tiles afford is the vitrification that they undergo. This makes these tiles scratch- and water-proof. Owing to it being water-proof, these tiles can be used as the kitchen back-splash, in the toilet, and also in external spaces such as walkways and external walls that could be exposed to the elements.
These tiles are also more consistent in pattern than natural tiles, making them the ideal choice for your home. They have various patterns that can deliver the exact effect that you are going for from plain and elegant to loud patterns to cater to your wishes for every space in your house.
For the Living Room
The living room is the most public place in your house. This is where guests are entertained and are the first place that they form an impression about your house. Owing to the glossy finish of these tiles that last a long time, installing vitrified tiles in the living room will ensure that the living room looks as good as new for quite a number of years, with proper maintenance and care. These tiles, unlike marble or granite, do not need periodic polishing to stay spotlessly clean and glossy.
Vitrified tiles are available in a variety of finishes and can lend a very appealing aesthetic to the living room, whether modern or classic. The design finishes that these tiles are available in will match any decor, and lend themselves to be matched or contrasted with any paint that you might want to finish your walls in.
Since they have very low porosity, spills can be managed very well in the case of vitrified tiles. All they require in terms of maintenance are wiping off with a wet cloth or mild detergent, and they will be as good as new. This is also the reason why the high-gloss finish of these tiles lasts as long as they do.
The living room also has heavy furniture- the sofa or couch, tables, side tables, lamps, and so on. These can cause quite a strain on the floor tiles. Vitrified tiles are also resistant to scratches. So even when you need to move your heavy furniture around by dragging it around, your flooring will not suffer if you use vitrified tiles.
For the Kitchen
The non-porous nature of vitrified tiles makes them perfect for installation in places like kitchen backsplashes and walls. The backsplash is a very important part of the kitchen sink and countertop setup, and it is important that the backsplash be easy to clean for the risk of it appearing stained and dirty. Again, the low porosity comes in here, as any splashes can easily be wiped away for a clean look.
These tiles are a definite upgrade from the paint that we use on our walls. Tiles ensure that your wall is not subject to splashes from the various kitchen activities and from water that splashes during washing. These tiles can be wiped down easily with a wet rag, or with a damp cloth soaked in some soap water. This means that there are no stains on the walls of your kitchen. There are also no oil stains.
With the variety of designs available, they can make a bold contrasting statement or complement the tiles already laid on the countertop, depending on how the final design of the kitchen is meant to be. The versatility of vitrified tiles also makes them an excellent choice for kitchen floors, as this is the place where the most spills and splashes occur in the house. The vitrification process makes them stain proof, and they do not absorb anything that is spilled on the surface, compared to natural stone like marble that is highly absorbent.
For the Bathroom
Vitrified tiles also lend themselves very well to installation in high moisture areas like the bathroom. The only thing to be kept in mind is that these tiles tend to get quite slippery when wet, and tiles with an anti-skid coating must be chosen for the bathroom flooring. For the bathroom walls and backsplashes, these tiles can be installed. They will continue looking like new for years to come, with minimal maintenance.
For High-traffic Areas
High-traffic areas like hallways and corridors demand highly durable tiles. These areas see heavy footfall, and tiles that are installed in these areas have to be able to withstand this high footfall. Vitrified tiles are hardened and extremely durable due to two factors: the composition of the raw materials used to manufacture these tiles and the vitrification process. Also, tiles used in high-traffic areas tend to get dirty a lot faster, as with anything that is used and under duress most of the time. Since cleaning and maintaining these tiles is easy, they make a very sensible choice for high-traffic areas.
For the Outdoors
The same vitrification process that hardens these tiles makes them stain and weather-resistant as well. This makes vitrified tiles a viable option for installation on many kinds of outdoor surfaces, like patios, garden walkways, walls, terraces, and even roofs. A simple water spray can keep them looking new, and the finish will last for years. When installed as flooring in areas like patios and terraces, care has to be taken that these tiles are anti-skid coated, similar to those used in the bathroom.
These tiles are more durable than natural tiles when used in external spaces. They are less susceptible to the formation of fungus. They also do not absorb water. This makes them less prone to breakage because of water absorption.
For walls and roofs, vitrified tiles are available in smaller dimensions, and these can be mixed and matched with various designs to achieve a unique look to the house. Talking about designs, vitrified tiles are available in finishes that mimic natural stone, and make an excellent option for garden walkways.
As can be seen from the places that vitrified tiles are good for, they can be used anywhere throughout the house, from the indoors to the outdoors. Minimal cleaning and maintenance can keep them looking new, and the durability makes sure that they last for quite a number of years. These great properties make them a little more expensive than other types of tiles like ceramic or porcelain. Still, this higher premium is negligible compared to the savings in the long run, both monetary and in terms of effort. Although a little is more expensive than ceramic and porcelain, they still come at a fraction of the cost of natural stone.
To sum up, these are some of the major advantages of using vitrified tiles in our homes.
Scratch-resistant
Stain-resistant
Glossy
Durable
Long-lasting
Easy to clean
Easy to lay and maintain
Consistency in patterns
Variety in designs and textures
Anti-skid coating
With all of these advantages, it is no wonder that vitrified tiles are a preferred choice of many homeowners. Due to their versatility and advantages, these tiles have become the material that is selected to complete homes and commercial spaces alike.
Vitrified tiles are made by a variety of manufacturers due to their popularity and are available at most stores that sell tiles. Visit Beautywares for our extensive collection of vitrified tiles if you think this is the best option for your new home or renovation project.