All About Shopping For Ceramic Floor Tile

Friday, February 20th, 2009
Beauty and toughness are just a few of the reasons most people would like to have ceramic floor tile in their homes. Yes, the up front cost are higher but the look of the designs, the feel of the texture and the durability of  ceramic floor tile make the cost to the homeowner completely worth the time and investment.

Ceramic floor tile is more expensive to purchase but the cost will be worth it if you are planning to sell your home, re-financing or getting a home equity loan. Vinyl or other types of flooring are not always a bad choice but ceramic floor tile will add value to your home and last much longer.

Selecting The Right Stuff

If you are planning to install ceramic floor tile yourself, the shopping process can be a bit confusing and overwhelming. Start with selecting a tile with neutral colors. You will be making a large investment so you do not want to select a color or pattern that you do not like after the job is completed.

Ceramic floor tile is made in batches called dye lots. From batch to batch, small differences in the colors can make a big difference in the look of your new floor. Ask your salesperson to check that all of the tiles you are buying has the same dye lot number.

Buy enough tiles to do the job and then some. You will make mistakes when cutting ceramic floor tiles to fit around corners, cabinets and along walls. Even new tiles may have small chips, cracks or blemishes so ask your salesperson about the return policy for defective tiles. Most retailers will refund your money for full, unopened boxes but don’t return all of your tiles. After some years, a few of your tiles may have cracked or chipped and having a few extra tiles of the same pattern and dye lot will keep your ceramic tile floor looking as good as the day you installed it.

You will also need the right tools for installing ceramic floor tile. Tile cutters, nippers and ceramic saws are needed for a professional look to your project. If you are only doing a small area, then consider renting these tools at your local rental shop as this will save you money. If you have a large project or find you enjoy the look of ceramic floor tile and want to do other areas of your home, then the cost of the tools will only be a small part of the total cost of your project.

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