Trends in Ceramic Tile

Well, here we are in January in Michigan. So it's cold. I mean really cold. So naturally we start thinking of ceramic tile (huh??). Okay, not really. We are doing a beautiful ceramic job so I thought I would expound on some of the newer trends in ceramic tile.

It looks like the 12' x12" tile may be going the way of the dodo bird. Well, maybe not right away but a lot of the ceramic tile manufacturers are starting to discontinue producing the 12x12 tile. We are seeing so much of the 12" x 24" ceramic tile these days and also seeing a trend to the large ceramic slabs that will sell like a slab of granite that you would use for your counter tops.

So bigger and bigger goes the ceramic tile industry.

One of the advantages of course is that you will have less and less grout lines as ceramic tile pieces get larger and larger. 16x16, 24x24 tiles are becoming common place.

You are also seeing a lot more porcelain tiles being manufactured these days. As the process gets more refined, you are now seeing porcelain tiles that can be manufactured for a price very close to regular ceramic tiles. Advantages of porcelain are many but the biggest advantage is the fact that porcelain tiles are harder than your garden variety of ceramic tile. Porcelain also is much denser than ceramic tile so they are harder. This allows them to be used outside since the density of the tile won't absorb water and so will not crack in the winter time. Porcelain also, because of hardness, is harder to chip or break when something gets dropped on it.

Ceramic tile is still a fantastic flooring choice and is meant to be a permanent floor that you should get a lifetime of enjoyment out of.




Your friends at Dover Floor Covering
Jeff Dean-Owner
http://doverfloorcovering.com

Okay, as we head deep into winter (yuck) I think it may be time to give you some tips for your hardwood flooring. Winter can be trying for your solid hardwood flooring because the humidity levels in your home tend to dip below what is optimal for hardwood flooring. As the humidity level drops your hardwood flooring will shrink as moisture is wicked out of the pores of the floor. That's when you will start seeing gaps forming in your hard wood. This is not a defect but a natural response to low humidity levels.

Keeping your home humidified is critical for the health of all the wood furnishings in your home. Items such as flooring, furniture, casings and just about anything in your home that is made with wood will benefit from correct humidity levels.

Keeping your home between 45% and 55% humidity is optimal for all wood flooring. If your home stays above 45% humidity it will prevent the wood from drying out to the extent that gaps will form. Constant changes in humidity is very hard on the wood itself.

It is a good idea to have a humidistat installed in your home if you don't have one already. You can purchase one online for about $20 to $25. Your home centers will have them also (even though I don't recommend ever going to a home center for anything. :)

Okay, nuff said about humidity levels and hard wood flooring!







Jeff Dean
Dover Floor Covering
www.doverfloorcovering.com