Floor Tile Buying Guide

One of the easiest ways to give your home an updated look is by replacing your floor tiles. Choosing the right floor tiles can go a long way in determining your home’s look, style, and feel.

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As one of the leading suppliers of floor tiles in Perth, Ross’s Discount Home Centre stocks a large range of quality floor tiles at discount prices. We understand how important your floor tile selection is as it is the one constant element that connects all rooms of a home.

Think about that for a second – even your wall colour can change from room to room, but a floor tile remains constant from the kitchen to the dining area and living area to the hallway. Therefore, when it comes time to choose a floor tile, you need to know what you’re looking for before you start looking.

With this in mind, here’s a handy guide to buying floor tiles in Perth. Follow this guide, and you’re sure to find the right floor tiles for your needs.

Types of Floor Tiles

Before you jump into purchasing floor tiles in Perth, you must first understand the different types of floor tiles. Floor tiles can be made out of various materials, including natural stone, porcelain, ceramic, concrete, terracotta, terrazzo, glass, and brick.

Let’s look at the top three types of floor tiles in more detail.

Natural Stone Floor Tiles

Natural stone floor tiles offer unique textures, tones and patterns, and they are more expensive than manmade tiles. Popular choices for natural stone tiles include slate, marble (carrara, calacatta, nero, etc.), quartz, travertine, cobble, sandstone, limestone, and granite.

They may be the most expensive type of floor tile, but their look cannot be beaten or matched by their manmade counterparts. Natural stone tiles provide a sense of opulence that surpasses all other materials. The only real downsides are that they are more prone to scratching and cracking than manmade tiles and require sealing.

Natural stone floor tiles are suitable for indoor and outdoor applications, depending on the finish. Common finishes include natural, polished, tumbled, sandblasted, sawn, and brush hammered. Typically, the smoother the finish, the better suited they are to interior applications. As such, polished natural stone floor tiles are generally preferred for homes, including bathrooms. However, a honed finish is a better option in wet areas due to the slip resistance it offers. Rough natural stone floor tiles are often featured outdoors around pools and patios.

Porcelain Floor Tiles

Porcelain floor tiles are one of the most popular floor tiles due to the many benefits they offer. They are extremely hardwearing and durable, much more than ceramic tiles and provide excellent longevity. They also offer very low maintenance requirements and are allergy-friendly, making them great for kids.

Porcelain tiles are manmade from a mixture of white clay, sand and feldspar, which is fired to between 1,200 and 1,400 °C to reach vitrification. This process is one of the main differences between porcelain tiles and ceramic tiles. Vitrification makes porcelain tiles fully vitrified, meaning they are highly impermeable to water – they have a water absorption rate of less than 0.5%. Thus, porcelain tiles absorb less water than ceramic tiles, making them a better floor tile option for bathrooms.

The vitrification process also strengthens the tiles, rendering them suitable for heavy traffic floor use. As such, porcelain floor tiles are a better option than ceramic tiles for heavy foot traffic areas such as entrances, hotels, offices, retail outlets, and airports.

Porcelain floor tiles are available in a range of designs and patterns and do a great job mimicking the look of polished natural stones. Popular looks include marble, concrete, terrazzo, and many of the other natural stones mentioned above, all of which you will find in our porcelain tile range. Porcelain tiles like those in our timber-look tile range, even mimic the look of timber quite well. However, while porcelain (and ceramic) floor tiles are an economical alternative to natural stone tiles, they do not replicate the character and warmth of authentic natural stone tiles.

Porcelain floor tiles are available in three finishes: polished, honed, and lappato, making them suitable for internal and external applications. Polished porcelain tiles have a smooth, shiny finish, while honed porcelain tiles are only semi-polished, and lappato porcelain tiles are lightly polished to provide some grip. Their versatility makes them an excellent choice for continuing your indoor floor tile to a patio or deck seamlessly.

Ross’s Discount Home Centre has an extensive range of porcelain floor tiles in Perth to choose from, starting at a low price of $35.00 per square metre. Whether you’re after concrete-look tiles, stone-look tiles, or timber-look tiles, polished, honed, or lappato porcelain floor tiles, you’ll find the perfect tile to meet your needs from our large range.

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Ceramic Floor Tiles

For a great ‘all-rounder’ floor tile, you can’t beat ceramic floor tiles. Ceramic floor tiles are just as popular as porcelain tiles due to their affordability and versatility. They’re water-resistant (although not to the same degree as porcelain tiles), come in literally thousands of styles and designs, are easy to clean and maintain, and won’t harbour allergens over time.

Ceramic tiles are manmade from a mixture of red, brown or white clay, which is fired to around 900 °C. As they are not fired to the high temperatures of porcelain tiles, they are not as hard or as water-resistant. Still, they are very durable and suitable for wet areas like bathrooms.

Ceramic floor tiles offer the most extensive selection of choices in terms of design and patterns and are more likely to feature tending patterns and intricate designs. Ceramic tiles can also mimic the look of polished natural stones, concrete, terrazzo, and timber, just like porcelain tiles, but at a lower price. There is literally no limit to the patterns and designs possible with ceramic tiles. If it can be printed, it can be printed on a ceramic tile. You only have to look at the range of ceramic tiles we offer here at Ross’s Discount Home Centre to see the versatility in design. They range from stone-look tiles to geometric shapes and gorgeous art nouveau designs.

The versatility of ceramic floor tiles makes them an ideal choice for any setting. However, they are best suited for walls and floors in residential settings with low foot traffic. Their only limitation is that they are only suitable for interior applications; they are not suitable for external applications.

Ross’s Discount Home Centre has an extensive range of ceramic floor tiles in Perth to choose from, starting at a low price of $10.00 per square metre. Whether you’re after ‘look’ tiles, patterned, or plain floor tiles, you’ll find the perfect tile to meet your needs from our ceramic floor tile range.

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Tile Hardness

While porcelain tiles are by nature harder than ceramic tiles, another way to determine a floor tiles hardness is by its PEI rating – Porcelain Enamel Institute rating.

Tiles are rated between 0-5 depending on the hardness of their glaze. Most porcelain floor tiles are rated between 3 to 5, while ceramic tiles are rated between 3 to 4.

PEI Class	Usage
0	Light-duty walls only. Not suitable for foot traffic. E.g. residential & commercial walls
1	Very light-duty foot traffic areas. E.g. residential bathrooms and bedrooms without external access
2	Light foot traffic areas, excluding kitchens and entrances. E.g. residential bedrooms and bathrooms.
3	Light to moderate foot traffic areas. E.g. residential kitchens, hallways and entrances.
4	Moderate to heavy foot traffic areas. E.g. residential & commercial kitchens, foyers, hotels, entrances.
5	Heavy to extra heavy foot traffic areas. E.g. Commercial & industrial areas, stores, schools, shopping centres, airports

In addition to hardness, floor tiles are also designed for interior or exterior use. Make sure to consider the application when you are purchasing floor tiles.

Considerations

Consider the size of your rooms

Consider the size of your rooms and choose appropriately sized floor tiles. For example, 600x600mm floor tiles suit large rooms perfectly well, but they may overwhelm smaller spaces. For smaller rooms, you should choose floor tiles that are 450x450mm or smaller in size.

Consider the style of your home

To determine the colour, pattern and style of a floor tile, you should consider the overall design style of your home. Think about whether you want to create a contemporary or traditional space and think of the colour combinations you want to use. When you have a better idea of what you want in terms of your design style, you can start looking for floor tiles that match your style needs.

Consider the tile edges

Contemporary tiling features tighter grout lines of 2-3mm. If this is a look you want to achieve, you need to consider the edges of your tiles. Tight grout lines require tiles with rectified edges as opposed to cushion edges. Rectified edges are cut so that all sides are the same size, making the tile uniform with precision, providing a tight contemporary tile finish. On the other hand, cushion edges (also called pressed edged or soft-edged) are non-rectified tiles. The edges feature a natural soft inwards curve and have not been cut.

Before you jump into purchasing floor tiles in Perth, there are several things you must consider. First of all, understand that floor tiles come in different types, including natural stone, porcelain, ceramic, concrete, terracotta, terrazzo, glass, and brick.

Natural stone is an opulent choice but comes at a high cost. Thus, porcelain and ceramic are by far the two most popular options. Porcelain tiles are hard, low-maintenance and very water-resistant floor tiles; however, they are more expensive than ceramic tiles, which are better known for their cost-effectiveness, durability and versatility.

Floor tiles are graded according to their hardness, and you should always choose a tile based on the application you have in mind. Always choose floor tiles that are appropriately sized for your rooms. And finally, consider the overall style of your home and choose floor tiles accordingly.

For floor tiles in Perth, look no further than Ross’s Discount Home Centre. We offer one of the largest, most extensive selections of floor tiles in Perth. Whether you’re looking for ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, marble tiles, mosaic tiles, feature tiles or otherwise, you’ll find just what you’re looking for with us. Click here to view our complete range.

Purchase our floor tiles in Perth online and take advantage of our free Perth Metro delivery!

Travertine tiles are a great choice for kitchen and bathroom floors and walls. Durable, beautiful, easy to clean, reliable, and cost-effective, travertine tile is suitable for kitchens and bathrooms of all sizes and styles — from modern to traditional decors. Interior designers, homeowners, and builders alike favor travertine floor tile and travertine tile backsplash designs in their remodels and projects.

Embark on a journey through timeless elegance and natural beauty with our travertine tile guide. As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of interior design, travertine tile emerges as a classic yet versatile choice for elevating your spaces. This comprehensive guide is your compass through the myriad options, offering insights into the characteristics, applications, and trends that define travertine in 2024. From luxurious flooring to stunning countertops, discover how travertine seamlessly blends rustic charm with contemporary sophistication, transforming any room into a showcase of timeless style. Whether you’re a seasoned homeowner or a first-time buyer, join us on this exploration of travertine’s enduring allure and find inspiration for your next design endeavor. This guide is your key to making informed decisions as you bring the enduring beauty of travertine into your home in the year 2024.

Suitable not only for kitchens and bathrooms but also for any other part of your home, these tiles present the material that you can count on and expect to last and serve you well for many years to come.

When looking to find the best floor or backsplash tile, make sure you have all the information you need to make a well-thought choice. In this blog post, we will give you all the information you need — from travertine tile pros and cons and tips on how to clean travertine tile to travertine floor tile ideas, travertine tile backsplash ideas, travertine tile colors range, and travertine tile cost.

Read more to learn all that you need to know about travertine tile before you start your remodeling project.

What is Travertine Tile?

Travertine is a natural, terrestrial sedimentary rock stone considered to be a type of limestone deposited in mineral, hot springs. The stone’s primary purpose continues to be in construction and building throughout history. It is commonly available in tile and most commonly used for floor and wall installations.

The main characteristics of this stone are pitted holes and troughs in its concentric texture and porous surface. However, travertine can be polished to a highly shiny and smooth finish. The stone comes in many various colors, from beige and white, to gray, brown, and coral red.

The name of the travertine tile is derived from ”travertino”, the Italian word that comes from the Latin tiburtinus ‘of Tibur’ or the origin of an area near Rome — Tivoli. This comes as no surprise because Italy is well-known for travertine.

Travertine Tile Colors, Finishes, and Sizes

This stone comes in many colors and shades which is no wonder as it is a natural material. Unpredictive, travertine tile colors are exciting and offer many interesting choices.

Travertine Colors

The most common travertine tile colors range from white and beige to brown and red. However, there are many precious varieties in between.

Ivory or pale cream; Navona — almost white, very light beige with a rustic look; Onyx Light – yellow color in honey tones with onyx veins on a white background; Beige – ranging from the lightest ivory tones to pale beige; Durango – light khaki, cloudy ivory tones speckled with small black spots; Emerald – pale shades with faint green hints; Emerald Light – dim green veins on white background; Walnut – many mid-range brown tones; Chocolate – profound, intense, rich brown color; Gold – strong tones of honey golden; Classico – a classic color and pattern of travertine tile that looks much like natural cork; Rosa – an intense rose pink shades flecked with cream tones; Silver – light ivory tones with hints of gray; Scabos – stone with many varied colors that range from dark red rust to very light honey shades; Philadelphia – travertine stone with earthy shades, and medium tan colors with a lot of natural striations; Mina Rustic — beige and walnut with some black and yellow veining; Mina Dark — often described as light walnut, it is a bit darker than Beige; Noce — walnut shades, from gold to dark coffee color.

Various travertine colors will fit perfectly and complement modern kitchen cabinets colors.

Travertine Finishes

• Honed travertine tiles boast a flat and satin-like smooth surface with a matte finish. This finish is most commonly used for residential applications, in kitchens and bathrooms.
• Polished travertine tile has a shiny surface that resembles marble. This finish is most commonly used in commercial applications.
• Brushed travertine tile is characterized by a matte finish and somewhat rough texture. It has an antique appearance and it is especially convenient because it’s less slippery compared to other finish types.
• Tumbled travertine tile looks the most natural of all other finishings. These tiles have rich texture but no shine. The edges boast a worn look to resemble an ancient stone look. This type of finishing is the most commonly used in outdoor applications.
• Saw Cut travertine tiles are the most matte finish of all because it doesn’t include honing or polishing.

Polished travertine tile will give a better light reflection and introduce a fresh, new look. They are especially suitable for modern, contemporary kitchen designs. Depending on your taste, current trends, and the decor style of the rest of your home, you can choose any of the finishing options. The overall theme of your home will finally determine the travertine tile style, finish, and color.

Travertine finishes make this beautiful tile suitable for many kitchen styles and designs, but it perfectly suits and is a part of many farmhouse kitchen ideas.

Travertine Tile Sizes

These natural stone tiles come in many sizes, all accommodated for commercial and residential use,