Where does it work best?
- Floors: Living areas, hallways and whole homes: sand, pets and traffic don't bother it.
- Bathrooms and showers: Floors and walls that get wet every day.
- Kitchens: Floors and backsplashes that wipe clean after dinner.
- Outdoors: Patios, lanais and pool decks, in tile made for outdoor use.
How is porcelain tile installed?
On a flat, solid base, with mortar spread under the whole tile so there are no hollow spots to crack later. The grout joints are sized for the tile, and the floor gets room to move where it meets the walls and across big rooms, because a floor in a sunny room warms up and cools down every day. Certified installers who work with us regularly install porcelain, and delivery is included when we install.
How do you choose porcelain tile?
Start with the finish, because it decides how the floor feels and how it behaves when it's wet. Polished porcelain shines and bounces light around a room, but it gets slick with water on it, so it belongs on walls and dry floors. Matte suits most floors, and a textured face is the one to choose for showers, lanais and pool decks.
Then the size. Big tiles mean fewer grout lines and a calmer floor, but they need a flatter base. Smaller tiles suit small rooms, and floors that slope to a drain.
Look at the edges too. Rectified tile has its edges ground straight, so it can go down with thin grout lines; tile with softer edges looks better with slightly wider ones.
Last, look at several pieces together. Some lines are nearly identical from tile to tile, others vary on purpose, like real stone, and one sample won't tell you which you're getting. For a floor that gets wet, ask us which tiles their makers rate for grip; for a busy kitchen or hallway, which glazes are made for heavy traffic.
