Floor Tile
Tile is one of the most functional and versatile flooring choices. Tile flooring can withstand the wear and tear of everyday life, spills, splashes, dirt, grit, and more. Tile floors are also an aesthetically pleasing option, ranging from high-end marble and European-style encaustics to intricate mosaics and beyond.
Tile is one of the most functional and versatile flooring choices. Tile flooring can withstand the wear and tear of everyday life, spills, splashes, dirt, grit, and more. Tile floors are also an aesthetically pleasing option, ranging from high-end marble and European-style encaustics to intricate mosaics and beyond.
Floor Tiles: Why We (and Our Customers) Love Them
Form, or function? Design, or durability? Pretty, or practical? Tile flooring is proof that you can have it all.
From entryways and mudrooms to kitchens, bathrooms and more, tile offers long-lasting durability without sacrificing style. With our extensive selection of floor tile, it's easier than ever to create the look you want in your home. (Need a little inspiration? These floor tile design ideas are a great place to start.)
Selecting the Right Material
With tile flooring, there is a way to achieve the look you want for any lifestyle. Luxurious can be kid-friendly, gleaming floors can share a house with four-legged friends, and warm wood-look tile planks can be water resistant.
Here are just a few of the materials you can choose from when it comes to selecting tiles for your floor:
- Natural stone, including marble, travertine and slate, is a perennial favorite for its beauty and durability. From luminous white marble to the dark matte slate, the range of colors and textures of these natural materials never ceases to amaze.
- Porcelain: One of the most impressive features of porcelain floor tiles is their ability to replicate the appearance of other materials, like wood and stone, with stunning realism. Porcelain’s natural density also holds up well to moisture and humidity, and resists stains, scratches and other signs of wear.
- Luxury vinyl tile is a popular option for those who want to create the look of natural wood or stone floors on a budget. While less realistic than porcelain, luxury vinyl flooring is particularly good in spaces like finished basements, where there is the potential for flooding but you still want the appearance of wood floors.
- Cement and ceramic floor tiles deliver big on style and family-friendly function. They come in a variety of shapes, patterns and colors; will stand up to years of wear and tear; and are easy to clean/maintain.
Express Your Style: Color, Shape and Pattern
- Color: Color can define the look and feel of a room, and in the case of flooring, color literally creates your space from the ground up.
- Shapes: From large-format rectangles to small-scale penny rounds, shapes allow you to make tile floors all your own. Mosaic tiles create unique patterns through shapes, and offer additional visual interest when they combine multiple materials, such as a mix of glass and stone.
- Pattern: Whether you add in just a few tiles as accents around a hearth, or do wall-to-wall pattern in a powder room for big impact even in a small space.
- Styling: One of the wonderful things about tile is that even the most “basic” option is packed with possibility (case in point: white subway tile). From herringbone to straight-stacked, offset and brick lay, arranging the same tile in different ways during the installation process is an easy way to add layers of texture to a space.
Ask The Flooring Experts
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We never recommend installing tile over materials other than the proper underlayment. Visit our How to Lay Tile article to answer all of your floor installation questions!
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Every tile project is different, so the cost can and will vary widely. The cost of your floor depends on the size of your space, the material, the style and size of tile, if you’re installing the tile yourself and numerous other factors. Bring measurements for your space and any inspiration into one of our stores, and talk to a store associate about your options. They’ll be able to work with you and help you get a beautiful tile floor in your price range.
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There are so many options for floor tile, you’re sure to find one you love. Ceramic tile that is floor rated (check with your Tile Shop associate to make sure) is perfect for your home and comes in many different shapes, sizes and styles. Marble and other natural stone floor tiles offer a unique and beautiful appearance. Keep in mind that many natural stone tiles need to be sealed and may require different maintenance from other materials. Porcelain is perfect for exterior and commercial spaces because of its durability and strength.
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Absolutely! Generally, your design is only limited by your imagination. Stop into a Tile Shop to speak with an employee about what you have in mind.
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Since subway tile is a simple and timeless choice, it can be paired with almost anything on the floor. Feel free to opt for a patterned tile or a bold color to offset a white subway tile. You might choose to create a modern farmhouse space and use a wood-look tile on the floor. Or perhaps you want to elevate your subway tile by installing a marble floor. The options are endless, and simply depend on the style you want to achieve.
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Start with the size of your space. A very large tile may be too big for a small space and vice versa, so it’s important to get the scale right. Larger tiles can also make a space feel bigger, creating an optical illusion in your favor. You may also want to consider your other tiles in the space. It can be a fun design choice to play with contrast between wall and floor tile sizes. Installing your tile in a unique pattern is another way to add interest and personality. Beyond that, you can choose whatever size and style speak to you.
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In a dry space, any tile that is rated for floors can also be used on walls. Check with a store associate or online to see if your floor tile is rated for wet spaces, like showers or tub surrounds.
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We recommend using our Superior Grout & Tile Neutral Cleaner for everyday maintenance because it can be used on any material. This nonacidic, antibacterial cleaner is perfect for man-made tiles like porcelain and ceramic as well as marble and stone. Superior Natural Stone Deep Clean is great for deep cleaning set stains on stone tiles. Ask a store associate what type of cleaning product is best for your needs.
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Grout that is sealed should also be regularly cleaned to maintain its appearance. We recommend our Superior Grout & Tile Neutral Cleaner for everyday maintenance because it is pH neutral and nonacidic which means it is gentle enough to use on your grout daily. For deeper cleaning needs, ask a store associate for a recommendation.
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We do not recommend installing floor tile without grout. Grout is there to serve as a buffer to help absorb shock and protect the tile so it doesn’t crack.
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Stone and encaustic tiles and most grout should be sealed. Not all grout needs sealing, so check in a store to see what your options are. Porcelain and ceramic tiles do not need to be sealed.