On the long journey of decoration, choosing indoor ceramic tiles is a crucial step. A suitable tile can not only enhance the overall appearance of your home but also affect your living experience. Today, as an experienced blogger who has gone through numerous decoration pitfalls, I'm here to talk to you about indoor ceramic tiles.

I. Types of Ceramic Tiles

There is a wide variety of indoor ceramic tiles on the market, which can be quite dazzling. First, there is the glazed tile. Its crystal-clear glazed surface is rich in color, and its imitation stone and wood effects are extremely realistic, making it easy to create various high-end styles. Whether it's modern simplicity or European luxury, it can fit perfectly. Moreover, the glazed tile has good wear resistance. Daily walking and furniture dragging usually won't leave ugly scratches.

Similar to it is the polished tile. It is finely polished and as shiny as a mirror, with extremely high hardness, especially suitable for high-traffic areas such as living rooms and corridors. However, the polished tile has relatively weak anti-slip properties. If there are elderly people or children at home, you need to be cautious when choosing it for wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens.

Antique tiles, as the name suggests, follow a retro style. Their unique textures and aged colors create a sense of time-honored charm, which literature and art lovers will surely adore. They are mostly used in Mediterranean, pastoral, industrial and other styles of decoration. They have excellent anti-slip performance and a comfortable feel underfoot, but they are a bit troublesome to clean as the gaps tend to accumulate dirt.

There is also the stone tile. Its crystal structure makes its surface dazzling and luxurious, and it is often used for decorative parts such as feature walls to enhance the grade of the space. However, due to its delicate surface, it is afraid of being scratched by sharp objects, so you need to be more careful during daily use.

II. Key Indicators for Selecting Tiles

Water Absorption Rate: This is of the utmost importance. Simply put, the lower the water absorption rate, the better the quality of the tile. Place the tile face down and pour some water on it, then observe the speed and amount of water penetration. High-quality tiles absorb water very slowly or not at all, while tiles with a high water absorption rate are prone to moisture, deformation, and mildew in the future. Especially in humid environments like bathrooms and kitchens, you must choose tiles with a low water absorption rate.

Hardness: You can gently tap the tile with a hard object. Tiles that produce a clear and crisp sound usually have higher hardness; if the sound is dull, the hardness may be insufficient. Tiles with high hardness are less likely to be damaged during transportation, installation, and subsequent use.

Wear Resistance: This determines the service life of the tile. Scratch the tile surface a few times with a hard object like a key to see if obvious marks are left. In areas such as living rooms and hallways where there is frequent walking and friction, tiles with poor wear resistance will soon become “scratched all over”.

Anti-slip Property: For areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and balconies where water stains are likely to occur, anti-slip property is crucial. Pour some water on the tile surface and then walk on it wearing slippers to feel the friction. Never judge the anti-slip performance only by looking at the texture of the tile. Some tiles with seemingly textured surfaces can actually be very slippery when wet.

III. Tile Selection for Different Areas

Living Room: The living room is the face of the home, and the choice of tiles should balance aesthetics and durability. Glazed tiles or polished tiles are common choices. The size can be determined according to the area of the living room. For a large living room, 800×800mm or even larger 规格 tiles can be selected, which will make the space look more spacious and magnificent visually; for a small living room, 600×600mm tiles are suitable to avoid making the space look too cramped. In terms of color, light colors can make the living room brighter and more transparent, while dark colors are more calm and elegant. By matching the furniture and soft furnishings well, you can create the desired effect.

Bedroom: The bedroom pursues warmth and comfort. You can choose soft-gloss tiles or ceramic tiles with the texture of wooden floors. Soft-gloss tiles have a soft light reflection that is not dazzling, making people feel relaxed; imitation wooden floor tiles have the warm texture of wooden floors and also possess the advantages of being easy to clean and moisture-proof. In winter, stepping on them won't be as cold as on real wooden floors.

Bathroom: Waterproof, anti-slip, and easy to clean are essential requirements for bathroom tiles. Antique tiles and anti-slip floor tiles are the top choices. For the walls, glazed tiles can be used for easy wiping of water stains and dirt. In terms of color, cool colors can make the bathroom look cleaner and fresher and also have the visual effect of enlarging the space. For a small bathroom, you can choose vertically striped tiles to visually stretch the height of the space.

Kitchen: The kitchen has a lot of oil fumes and water stains, so the tiles need to be resistant to dirt, wear, and easy to scrub. Glossy glazed tiles are the best choice as oil stains can be wiped off easily. The floor tiles also need to be anti-slip to prevent accidental slips. Considering the layout of kitchen cabinets and electrical appliances, the tile size can be flexibly selected. Small tiles are convenient for cutting and fitting into corner spaces, while large tiles reduce gaps and enhance the overall integrity.

IV. Brands and Prices

In terms of brand selection, first-tier brands such as Marco Polo, Dongpeng, and Nobel have guaranteed quality, exquisite craftsmanship, trendy flower and color designs, and relatively complete after-sales services, but their prices are relatively high. Second-tier brands like Mona Lisa, Guanzhu, and Xinzhongyuan have outstanding cost performance, and their product quality should not be underestimated, which can meet the needs of most families. Of course, there are also some niche brands that may have great price advantages, but when purchasing, you must carefully distinguish the quality, look at more samples, and compare more parameters.

In terms of price, there is a large price difference among different types, specifications, and brands of tiles. Ordinary glazed tiles range from dozens to hundreds of yuan per square meter, while microcrystalline stone tiles may cost several hundred yuan per square meter. When on a tight budget, don't blindly pursue high-priced brands. You can make a reasonable combination. For example, use medium-priced tiles in the living room and bedroom, and choose cost-effective styles for the bathroom and kitchen. This way, you can ensure the overall effect and control the cost.

All in all, choosing indoor ceramic tiles requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors. Do more research, visit more building materials markets, and look at more actual cases to select the most suitable tile for your home. I hope this article can help you avoid some pitfalls in the tile selection process during decoration and successfully create your ideal home!