Out on the Tiles
Ivy Ngeow RIBA
2003
Copyright reserved, see legal statement

Tiles have been around as long as people have been baking bread. Tiles baked in the kiln were used as a basic building material and had a variety of applications, from roofing to flooring. Nowadays, tiles are mostly used in kitchens and bathrooms due to the fact that tiles are hard-wearing and waterproof.

The most hardwearing and impervious of all tiles is the glazed ceramic tile. They are almost indestructible; a point to note when having them removed. They are mass-produced and easily obtainable in such a variety of colour, texture and size that you are not really limited by anything but time. You can certainly find one to suit your budget. They are unfortunately slippery when wet and cold to the touch. The grout can be unhygienic as it discolours or stains in time. Underfloor heating can be used to counteract the effect of cold tiles but could be an inefficient way of heating the room. Glazed ceramic tiles are popularly used for walls due to the thin grouting and therefore ease of cleaning. As they are also heat resistant, they are suitable for cooking areas. The key to using glazed ceramic wall tiles is colour. Darker colours are less hardwearing. This is because they contrast more with the grout lines, and darker colours show up irregularities and damage more. Too much wall tiling can look offensive and detract from the character of a room. Wall tiling should be used as an accent in a practical area.

The unglazed ceramic tile could be used for floors in wet areas such as bathrooms and swimming pools. They provide slip resistance and tend to be less garish. They may be used for a larger expanse of floor area. Unglazed tiles may require sealing so that they would not stain easily. Terracotta tiles are warmer than stone and come in a variety of interesting shapes (such as hexagonal and rectangular) but have to be sealed to be waterproof and stain-resistant. Old or reclaimed tiles have a natural beauty, but are quite hard to match. New terracotta tiles, which although look dull due to their uniformity, will acquire the aged patina in time if you have the patience.

Mosaics were fashionable with the Romans, who used ornate marble mosaic decoratively. Today's glass mosaic tiles, when used creatively, add character and appeal not just to a surface but to a room. They can be incorporated into the overall interior design. They are hard to lay if the surface is not perfectly level, but it is very rewarding to see a completely well-laid mosaic pattern. Mosaic tiles are very popular in the bathroom, but due to the hard nature of London water, the grout can harbour soap, limescale and dirt. An entire room tiled in mosaic can look municipal. Once again, less is more.

Natural stone tiles such as limestone, marble and granite are the most expensive types of tiles. They have the timeless quality of excellence and glamour. They are also low maintenance and hardwearing and their natural beauty is enhanced by age. Marble and limestone tend to stain, so they would need to be sealed. All stone flooring is cold to the touch, therefore many people would consider underfloor heating. Granite and marble are slippery when wet, but you could have alternate finishes like honed or waterjet finish rather than a polished finish. You would need to make sure that the floor is strong enough to take the loading. Your architect or marble supplier can advise you before you purchase your stone flooring. Slate has always been a bone of contention. Although it gives the impression of good colour variation, the rough surface makes it hard to lay. Even the smooth finish tends to be slightly textured, therefore hard to clean. Having said that, slate is long wearing if you don't mind the ingrained dirt.

The trend at the moment is for glass tiles, which come in many wonderful colours and sizes. The rules for wearing see-through clothes and matching underwear would apply: make sure the adhesive is laid well and is in a compatible colour. The tiles are quite thick so they could be used for the floor as well as the walls.

The simple rule when tile shopping is that large rooms suit large plain tiles and small rooms suit small patterned tiles. If you only have small rooms to tile, don't despair. The good news is that there is currently a craze for everything ethnic and global. Think Hideous Kinky in a Smeg kitchen. Handmade tiles, such as Moroccan or Spanish, are very popular for celebrating pure geometry and colour. Marble mosaics, laid in Greco-Roman style, are also painfully fashionable, so there is never a better time to design your own unique flooring pattern.

See also Building DIY tiles and tiling >