Choosing flooring for the home

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The flooring is the substrate on which the entire design sits as well as the largest texture mass. The effect of the flooring on the look and feel is crucial.  Flooring is also one of the biggest expenses when you consider not only the price of the material but also the work component. Choosing the right one will greatly help in creating a successful design.

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When choosing tiles for home flooring, a number of variables and trends must be taken into account:

Tile size

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Whether it is real stone, ceramic tiles, porcelain (or in their popular name porcelain granite) and parquet, the trend is clear - as big as possible!

The demand for floor tiles measuring 60 by 60 cm has decreased significantly in recent years. On the other hand, the demand for tiles measuring 80 by 80 cm or more has increased. The trend is similar in wood flooring, as the parquet boards are stretched to lengths of 180 cm or more.

Why? Just looks better. In a large tile, the feeling of the material and texture intensifies and the surface is cleaner than gaps between the tiles. In ceramics, porcelain and laminated parquet, the pattern of the tile is less repetitive, so it does not feel like wallpaper and the look looks more natural.

Unusual are the authentic Mediterranean style tiles in smaller sizes. These tiles are available in sizes  Measurements of 20 by 20 cm more or less. There is a wide variety of tiles of this type on the market, with patterns and special decorations for the style. The result obtained is charming - for those who like the style. ​​

  20/20 ceramic tiles - contrasting color combinations and decor stripes for a Mediterranean look

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Huge tiles  

Did you think that 80 cm is big? Think again! Porcelain tiles are also available in sizes up to 3 meters per tile! The technology is not new but the patterns are constantly updated and updated. Marble and concrete-like tiles can be found in various shades and matte, super matte and glossy finishes.

Flooring in such tiles gives a very uniform and clean look - very different from the look of classic ceramic tiles. The price accordingly, when the application is also expensive (sometimes additional ceramics have to be installed to serve as a substrate). Also not every professional has a talent  Install tiles of this type and make sure that it will be possible to lead to a tile of this size.  

Another application made in this type of tile is as a replacement for work surfaces. The minimum thickness of the tile (4-6 mm) allows cutting, processing and adjustment to kitchen worktops. This material is also used in the furniture industry as a cover for doors, surfaces for dining areas and the like.  

Finishes

In terms of finishing with the common tiles - ceramic and porcelain, the matte returns to us with a twist. No longer an opaque matte that is very difficult to maintain, but a silk matte with a minimal and delicate sheen that "absorbs" lighting and gives a feeling of freshness and quiet in the space. The lapato (a finish in which tiny dots are polished to gloss and the rest remains matte) remains the most sought-after finish and the manufacturers improve the finish so that the tile looks more uniform.

The brilliant also returned for a few moments but the trend does not seem to be holding up. Tiles with a sleek look surprised with spectacular imitations of glossy marble. However, the Israeli audience seems to connect more to the warm and quiet look of the matte and lapato than to the gloss where the reflections take over the texture of the tile.

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Wood and wood-like - the oak continues to dominate both its natural hue and authentic finishes like the smoky finish. Other finishes in wood are epoxy-painted parquet. You can paint the parquet completely opaque paint or paint only the grooves in the wood texture.  For those who want to tile with opaque white (not bleached) parquet - this is the finish for them.  

And there are also parquet-like ceramics .. A slightly problematic product because the feeling that there are few examples that do the job and simulate wood convincingly. Used mainly in bathrooms and balconies as a waterproof material when real wood cannot be used.  

Shades

"50 Shades of Gray" How cliché that is. The gray continues to dominate but the challenge is to find the gray in the right shade and on the way will be in the finish, if at the preferred price. The warm gray that tends to be slightly stone-colored is the more sought-after gray. Other sought-after shades are oily shades, and earth tones. Those who like contrast and power then black tiles can be a good option. Braver ones could have opted for a sterile-looking white hue that is obviously not easy to maintain.  

​ texture

Natural is the most. The texture to tile the character. In ceramic or porcelain tiles, the higher the quality of the tile, the more convincing the texture and the closer it is to natural stone, concrete or wood.  There are also tiles that do not mimic anything and reinvent themselves out of the limitations of the material. In order to mimic a natural look, the leading manufacturers produce tiles in which the pattern varies from tile to tile so that there is no sense of repetition. A quality tile repeats the pattern once every 8-16 tiles, depending on the size of the tile. To do this you need to see the tile in layout. An ideal view of the tile will be done when it is spread on the floor from a distance of 3-4 meters from the layout and not right above it. Also pay attention to the "depth" of the tile. High-quality tiles excel in several layers of texture prints.  

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Italian, Chinese or rather blue and white?

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The most successful Italian and Spanish tiles and their price  in accordance. There are better and less good manufacturers but by and large it is so.  

Imports from China have greatly improved and there are certainly beautiful tiles that can be found at a significantly lower price than the Italian.  

The Israeli company Novo has started producing series of tiles with very successful finishes and at affordable prices. Of course unlike import tiles the availability is much higher and the selection is wide. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Israelis are also among the tallest ceramic consumers in the world.

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Tips for choosing the tile

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It is recommended to purchase sawn tiles (in the industry are called  Laser saws) with a precise and clean finish around the tile. It is also recommended to see the tile in a neutral light. Leading stores use quality and calculated lighting for this purpose. Sometimes when really undecided it is advisable to take a number of tiles and place in the designated space to see how it is obtained. Do not sequence without pauses at all even if the sequence says it is possible somehow. Without joints, it is not possible to apply a rifle that maintains waterproofing to the concrete ceilings and blurs slight dimensional differences between one tile and another (available in each tile).

Most of the

A rifle shade is usually chosen as compatible with the tile although you can play with the shade to get special designs. An acrylic rifle will be used in most cases. Epoxy gun will mainly be used for sealing in problematic places. The difference in application and price between the two types is very high.  

In conclusion

Good flooring is a significant factor in the success of the design. Choose wisely. Not every tile that salespeople define as a "concrete-like gray patio" will give the same result.  Successfully!

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The above text is an opinion and personal review from the studio's experience. All rights to the text and images on the site, including this page, are reserved to "Yaniv Solomon Studio for Architecture and Interior Design". All or parts of it may not be set on fire or published without permission.