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Is all tile ceramic?

 
No. There are two types of tile: ceramic and porcelain. Both are made of clay and fired, but porcelain also includes sand and sometimes glass in its composition.

This makes it denser and suitable for those high traffic areas like the kitchen, bath, or hallway.

At Value Discount Flooring we know that a home is more than walls and a roof, and our family has been serving the Chicagoland area for over 50 years. You'll be amazed at the variety of colors, patterns, designs, shapes, and sizes available. Tile is also easy to maintain. You can mix and match to create a custom look.

We have a large selection, so feel free to come into our showroom ceramic & porcelain tile store to learn more. Our showroom is in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois and we service Richmond, Antioch, Twin Lakes Wisconsin, McHenry IL, and Burlington WI, and surrounding areas.

Call us for a free estimate.
 

About porcelain tile

 
Gazed or unglazed, it’s always waterproof. Porcelain is also resistant to frost, so use it outside with no worries about those cold and snowy Chicagoland winters.

Large format means fewer grout lines, so if you want to create a high end, spa-like atmosphere for the bath with marble, wood, or some other stone-look, it is possible.

Milky white, it has a translucent quality with the cache of Italian porcellana or fine china. That does make it more expensive than ceramic. Remember, however, it comes with an assortment of patterns and various shapes, and you can customize it to make it look like whatever you want.
 
 
 
 
 

Lots of design options

 
Mix and match colors, shapes, and sizes to create your unique style and a ceramic tile can also be printed to mimic hardwood or stone.

Ceramic is a little thinner than porcelain and it needs glazing to be waterproof, but that glazing creates a hard surface that makes it almost impossible to break.

Use it on the floor, or backsplashes, accent walls, and borders. Never use it outside.

Both ceramic & porcelain are very easy to care for: Just sweep or vacuum (use the soft brush attachment) and for a more thorough cleaning, mop with water and a manufacturer-approved soap.

Ceramic tile offers timeless beauty, extraordinary durability and unlimited design possibilities. If you have never considered ceramic tile before or even recently, you will be amazed at the variety of colors, patterns, sizes, shapes, and textures available for you to select from. Today’s ceramic is much easier to maintain, much more affordable, and can compliment any interior design.

Below you will find some general information about ceramic tile to help you better understand your options. Stop by Value Discount Flooring and we will be happy to help guide you with your ceramic tile selections.

Tile Basics – There are many different materials from which tiles are made. The three main groups are ceramic, porcelain, and stone. Ceramic tiles are almost always glazed. Porcelain tiles can be glazed or unglazed. The glazed tiles have a special coating that is applied to the body of the tile and then fired under tremendous heat. The glazing becomes hard and non-porous, and it is the glazing that gives us so many choices of color and look.
 

Ceramic tiles offer many benefits, including:

 
  • Stain Resistance
  • Scratch Resistance
  • Fire Resistance
  • Fade Resistance
  • Slip Resistance
  • Easy Cleanability

Unglazed Floor Tile (Pavers etc.) – There is no glazing or any other coating applied to these tiles. These tiles may sometimes be porous, in which case it is recommended that a special penetrating sealant be used to help prevent staining of the tiles. The color is the same throughout the body as well as the face of these tiles, resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic.
 
 
 
 
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The main stone tiles are marble, granite, limestone, and slate. Below is a short description of each. It is necessary to seal the stone in order to protect and enjoy them for a long time. Marble is a natural stone product, and when veining is present it’s hard to find two tiles that look exactly the same. There are special marble sealants to help protect from staining. Extra care should be used when cleaning and all abrasives and acidic cleaners should never be used on marble tile. Even colas, some juices, and possibly ammonia may destroy the marble finish.

Granite is the strongest and the densest of almost all stone tiles. Granite tile is commonly delivered with a fine finish and withstands staining better than any other type of stone tile. It is commonly used on countertops and backsplashes. Limestone is a very popular stone, it is the most used stone in any area. Limestone tile has a distinct beauty and warmth and our prices are very competitive in the local market. Its color hovers around beige, which a lot of people find very attractive and easy to match.

Slate is very unique and colorful, it usually has a very rough surface, has extreme color and thickness variation, and more than any other type of stone brings home the natural beauty of stone. Because it is a soft multi-layered stone, you may see flakes coming out from some of the tiles. Getting a few extra slate tiles than normal helps in avoiding the installation of visibly weak tiles. Most slate tile is not recommended for heavy traffic areas.

Grouting the tiles is the process of filling the lines between the tiles. Grout is a mixture of cement and a color additive. When the grout line width (the gap between the laid-down tiles) is over 1/8″, sand is added to the grout for texture and durability. Also, a liquid latex additive can be added to some grouts for stain protection. For ease of maintenance, a penetrating sealant should be used. It should be noted that you may see a change in the color of your grout over time. Some other things to consider when selecting ceramic tiles are tile size, grout colors, tile thickness, height variations between existing floors, subfloor suitability, and patterns and borders.