Ceramic Floor Tile for Kitchen with Photos

Ceramic Floor Tile for Kitchen: Pros and Cons

Before choosing tiles, it's important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of this flooring option. Let's start with the positives.

• Eco-friendliness. Ceramic tile is usually made from sand and several types of natural clay — in a classic recipe, toxic substances are absent, so laying it down is safe and won't cause allergies.
  
• Durability. The standard manufacturing process for ceramic tiles involves pressing and firing at high temperatures. This treatment makes the tile a worthy rival to concrete in terms of strength.
  
• Waterproof. It's known that tiles are laid not only in the kitchen but also in the bathroom — the most humid area in an apartment or house. The surface of the tile is made so that it doesn't let through water or fat droplets, which means no mold or odors.
  

Design: Natalia Yanson

• Longevity. A good ceramic tile for the kitchen will likely get boring to its owners before it wears out or gets damaged. Numerous studies confirm that ceramic tile is one of the most durable materials, resistant to mechanical damage and wear.

• Practicality. This point summarizes all the previous ones. A durable, resilient, beautiful, and cost-effective covering — it obviously can't be impractical.

Design: Tatiana Krygina

Is everything so perfect? Of course not. There are also drawbacks, which are discussed below.

• The surface of the tile doesn't heat up. Because of this, the floor is always cold if no insulation is done under the tiles. For some people, this is not a minus at all, but families with small children and warmth lovers will definitely pay attention to this.

• Fragility. Despite its resilience in the laid state, ceramic tile can get damaged during improper transportation.

• No sound absorption. Without an additional sound insulation layer, neighbors below will hear every step taken on the ceramic floor.

• Slipperiness. It's easy to slip on tiles, especially if the surface is glossy.

How to Choose Tiles

• Size and Shape

This is one of the main questions that concern homeowners and apartment dwellers who are renovating their kitchens. The market is full of products in various sizes, shapes, and prices, making the choice very difficult. A few rules and notes can help:

• Large tiles won't suit small kitchens, as they will make the space seem even smaller. Opt for 20x20 tiles or slightly larger, up to 5 cm;

• Large kitchens, on the other hand, require a grand scale. Large tiles will look more substantial;

• A medium size is considered ceramic tiles measuring 30 to 40 cm in length. For spaces of at least 10 square meters, they will work fine.

Design: PARA Studio

Shape depends on the interior and style chosen for the kitchen, as well as the method of tile laying. If you want to create a parquet-like effect, rectangular tiles are better. Choosing ceramic tile with a wood-like finish — also go for right angles. Rhombuses look great in kitchens with Eastern or Arab styles. Floors laid with mosaic and ceramic tiles of unusual shapes will draw attention. Photos of interiors will provide interesting ideas.

Design: Anna Mozharo

• Texture

The construction market offers a vast variety of textures for ceramic tiles. “Wood-like,” ceramic tiles made “like monolith,” patterned tiles with a raised relief, textured surfaces, or “brick-like” finishes. By the way, the last option is often used for kitchens and is called quite amusingly in professional slang — “piglet.”

Textured ceramics fit perfectly into a loft or Provence-style interior. Just looking at photos of interiors with such tiles will show how effectively they look. It should be noted that such a covering creates difficulties in maintenance, as the floor is a place where small debris, crumbs, and pet hair accumulate constantly.

Ceramic tile that imitates natural stone will fit into an eco-style or stylized historical interiors. It’s also possible to create an ethnic style with such a covering, which is popular today.

• Color and Style

Decorative tiles for the floor are quite hard to choose, as they must fit into the planned interior and look harmonious. If you read and consider a few rules, it becomes easier:

• Color and design of the tile should be chosen to match the kitchen cabinet and countertop color;

• Two paths are acceptable — contrast between the tiled floor and the cabinet or similarity of shades with no more than a 2–3 tone difference;

• It’s necessary to find at least one bright accent — a wall panel or cushions on chairs, which will transform the kitchen and the tiles as well;

• White is considered a universal color — it's easy to adjust to the backsplash and update or improve with interior stickers;

• Neutral beige fits perfectly into a wooden kitchen;

• Black ceramic tile is often used for creating a “chessboard” floor and other contrasting patterns;

Design: Tatiana Kazantseva

• The Eastern style “loves” blue and green shades;

• A convenient and stylish tile with a wood-like pattern is perfect for Provence, vintage, and classic styles;

• Ceramic tiles with flower patterns are made for Provence;

• The fusion style requires patterned brick-like tiles, just as well as the loft style;

• On the contrary, minimalism allows for playing with metallic finishes or mosaics.

By the way, about mosaics. Today, manufacturers offer ready-made panels with a pattern that can be applied to the floor in the same way. This is a variant for kitchens in Arab and Eastern styles, as well as European interiors or Provence.

Methods of Laying Floor Tiles

If someone still thinks that ceramic tiles on the floor are banal, they just don’t know how many laying methods designers use today. A skilled hand can separate the working zone from the dining area just with the way tiles are laid, and it will look beautiful and interesting. Moreover, non-standard laying methods themselves serve as decoration.

Design: Irina Uzhintseva

• “Chessboard” Method

Everyone has seen a chessboard at least once, and this tile laying method comes from it. You’ll need two contrasting tile types. Ceramic tiles laid in a “chessboard” pattern will fit almost any interior: from pompous classic to restrained Scandinavian.

• Patchwork

This style can be used to “lay” tiles in vibrant combinations not only on the floor but also on the kitchen backsplash. Ethnic patterns for corresponding styles are made exactly this way. It’s better suited for spacious kitchens.

Design: Masha Gudukina

• “Christmas Tree”

A well-known, even “grandfather’s” method, but still popular. It’s also called parquet-style. Ceramic tiles laid on the kitchen floor in this way look interesting and attractive.

Experts identify two main schemes:

• Simple “Christmas tree”;

• With inserts — when additional tiles of a different color or mosaic type are added.

Design: Studio “One-Room”

The “Christmas tree” pattern looks best with monochromatic tiles or wood-like imitation. Stone texture will look bad and unnatural.

The method of laying is simple: each tile must be turned left and right in turn, following a diagonal layout. By the way, this method practically leaves no waste or excess materials.

Design: Pavel Naumenko and Alexander Kozlov

• Mosaic

A decorative laying method, suitable for specific styles — East, Arab style, Provence, or countryside. Mosaics are often found on kitchen backsplashes but designers know how to apply them to the floor as well. Photos of real projects will show interesting variants.

Tip: A bright backsplash with a mosaic implies a subdued floor and vice versa, don’t try to lay the same pattern in both places.

The method of laying involves manual “assembly” of the pattern, but some manufacturers offer ready-made sets in mosaic form.

Design: Julia Kharitonova and Natalia Maslova, Bureau 3L Decor

• Traditional

This method has no special name — it’s just traditional. It implies that tiles are laid closely together in rows. The key to success and quality of the covering is flatness and proper grouting. Usually, square or rectangular tiles are used for this method.

Design: "Belyakova&Karaiani"

The traditional method is the simplest and fastest, but quality depends on several factors:

• The tiles must be in perfect condition, without any defects or chips;

• The appearance of the floor seems ordinary and even boring without proper interior design and furniture;

• It's best applied with seamless laying method.

In principle, the traditional method doesn't even require professional involvement, as long as attention is paid to even grout lines.

Design: VAE design & architecture

• Diagonal

This is a beautiful but also the most complex option. If in the previous case one could handle it as a beginner, here it's not worth risking the beauty of the floor covering.

What is the complexity? It’s necessary to properly mark axes along which the tiles will be laid. Proper tile cutting also requires some skills, and more material is used.

The main advantage of the diagonal method is the ability to hide an uneven surface. Often, designers apply this method in small kitchens or rooms of non-standard shapes.

Photos of projects can be seen to confirm that it looks beautiful.

Design: Studio ZE-MOOV HOME

Features of the diagonal pattern — it must be placed at a 45-degree angle to the floor. For this purpose, it's better to use square tiles; an attractive look is achieved with monochromatic tiles. Be prepared for a lot of waste from the diagonal laying method.

• Join Seam to Seam

A relatively new technology, but also accessible and simple. This method requires sufficient "wetting" of the floor with water. The "seam to seam" method implies continuous seams, creating an impression as if one large tile lies on the floor. On one hand, it simplifies the quality of the tiling, but on the other — it requires a professional approach, and a beginner will find it hard.

• Brick-Like Pattern

Brick-like pattern is a method that suits well for a kitchen in the loft style or European interior. Compared to the previous method, here the joints are needed, as they create the desired effect. The technology is quite simple: tiles for brick pattern are laid one after another, joints are filled and treated with special compositions.

Design: Julia VeselovaDesign: Julia VeselovaDesign: Valeria Belousova Design: Valeria Belousova Design: Julia Chernova and Alina AnufrievaDesign: Enjoy HomeDesign: Enjoy Home

Ceramic tile for the kitchen floor is beautiful, reliable, and diverse — just a little imagination is all you need. Photos of real projects can provide inspiration and ideas for a beautiful interior.

The cover design project by Anna Gorskaya.