Useful tips for buying & installing tiles./Things to be known before purchasing & installing tiles. ~ PARAM VISIONS

Let us go through some of the points that should be known before buying & installing the tiles.

◆. Tile selection:

When you enter the tile showroom, you will find that the rate of an individual tile is mentioned as per sq ft. of that design.

Suppose, let us say the rate of a particular tile is 75/- per sq ft.

However once chosen, the dealer may make a bill according to the rate printed over the box of the tile.

Many times if you are unaware, the printed rate may cost above the sq ft. rate & it may come to around 85/- to 90/- per sq ft.

The best method is to check the total area of tiles present in every box & multiply them by the rate per sq ft.

Eg. :

Suppose,

The size of a tile 👉 1'х 3'

Number of tiles in a box 👉 4 nos.

Rate printed over the box 👉 1050/-

Rate of tile in sq ft. 👉 75/-

Calculation:

The total area of tile in a box

= [(size of one tile) х no. of tiles.]

= [ (1'х 3' ) х 4 nos.]

= 12 sq ft.

The cost of tile

= [ total area х rate per sq ft.]

= [ 12 sq ft. х 75/-]

= 900/-

But, the rate printed over the box = 1050/-

The cost per sq ft. as per printed rate

= [ Printed rate ÷ total tile area]

= [1050 ÷ 12]

= 87.50/-

The rate difference

= [87.50 - 75]

= 12.50/- per sq ft.

This is how you have to check the rates to save in your budget.

◆. Tile size:

Tiles are available in sizes from 1' х 1' (1 sq ft.) to 4' х 4' (16 sq ft.) having varying thicknesses.

You have to select the tile sizes according to the room area where you need to install them.

Now, let us understand the reasons behind these criteria.

1. If you select a bigger-sized tile for a smaller room area, the wastage will be much higher. It is advisable to select a 2' х 2' tile or of lesser size for a room of up to 100 sq ft area.

2. Every tile lot carries a continual design pattern over them. When you install them adjacent to one another, they complete a particular type of design.

An incomplete design will look odd & this happens when bigger-sized tiles cover tiny-sized rooms.

3. For a bigger floor area like in commercial & public buildings, the larger version of tiles is most suited.

◆. Type of tile:

The main two types of manufactured tiles that we use in building construction are vitrified tiles & ceramic tiles.

Vitrified tiles are impervious, strong, & absorb less water when compared to ceramic tiles. So, it is better to go for vitrified tiles rather than ceramic type.

Ceramic is not suitable in water-prone areas & vitrified is the right choice in the kitchen, bathroom, & toilet, etc.

◆. Bonding material:

In the earlier days, ceramic tiles were popular& the size of these tiles was limited up to 2 sq ft. Mostly, cement mortar is used as a bed material to install these tiles. Ceramic material absorbs more water, and cement mortar is OK for these tiles to provide the required bonding.

Nowadays, vitrified tiles are trending in the market due to their added advantages. They are impervious, strong, & absorb less water. They are available in different sizes & the area of one tile can be up to 16 sq ft.

The size & properties of vitrified tile needed stronger bonding material than cement mortar for their installation. So, different types of tile adhesives came into the picture to suit these types of tiles.

Once you select a tile, your work will not end there. If you have chosen a tile of the best brand, & neglected the bonding material, it won't help you to maintain the required quality.

Therefore, select the specified type of tile adhesives for the installation of tiles according to their given characteristics.

◆. Tile spacing:

When you install big-sized tiles, it is a must to use tile spacers. They come in different thicknesses & you should select the right type of tile spacers according to the tile type, tile size & coverage area.