HOME DECORATING : Color, Durability Give Tile Its New Style

When used appropriately, tile can be a relatively inexpensive way to add style and flair to a home; when used without regard to its durability, it can become a remodeling nightmare.

Tile, traditionally found in just kitchens and baths, has now wandered into family rooms, hallways, patios and nooks and crannies in Southern California homes.

Although the color of tile is what captures the imagination, the question of how it will be used is one consumers should answer before they fall in love with a particular style, tile merchants say.

Problems that can develop include cracking when a tile is not strong enough to take the pounding of a high traffic area and the wearing away of the finish or glaze when it is used in conditions it wasn’t designed to weather.

Most tile is still imported from Spain and Italy, and some comes from Mexico. Manufacturers in this country and abroad are responding to consumers’ desire for a wider range of size, finish and color. One reason for tile’s increased popularity is the availability of faux finishes that give the look of imported marble and expensive granite.

The wider range of choices is nowhere more evident than in Orange County: Anaheim has the largest concentration of tile outlets in the West. Within a two-mile radius of State College Boulevard, between Ball Road and Katella Avenue, are nearly 50 stores filled with tile and all its accessories.

Dubbed the Tile Mile, the area has attracted attention nationwide for its selection and competitive prices. Most of the tile distributed in the Western United States is shipped first to the Tile Mile.

When the boulevard emerged as a tile mecca during the ‘80s, it was primarily populated by distributors, each specializing in only one manufacturer. But as the economy lagged, the dynamics of the mile changed, resulting in distributors branching out to carry multiple lines of tile. This resulted in lower prices and the expansion of services at many of the stores.

“That’s what this business is about now, service and color,” said Robert Mausharot, sales representative for Orion Bath and Ceramic Products Inc., tile manufacturers with an outlet in Anaheim.

“People come in here and they may not know anything about what type of tile they want, but they know what color they want, and if we don’t have it we lose the sale,” he said.

Whatever the chosen color scheme, it is important to match the type of tile to its use. The consumer does not have to be an expert in glazes to buy tile, but it is important to understand the differences in tile durability. Tile is generally rated by the hardness of its glaze.

Most European tile is rated on a scale of one to four, with four being the best. Ceramic tile manufactured in the United States can be rated by the American National Standard and Specifications scale, according to Tom Domenici, technical manager of the Ceramic Tile Institute of America.

The American standard is a series of tests to ensure the tile is moisture-resistant, heat-resistant, flat and squared. Because testing is costly and voluntary, not all American manufacturers bother with it, according to Tony Beber of Anaheim Centsible Tile. Beber says the American standard is the most reliable because tiles are actually tested.

European manufacturers rate tile by the method used to make it.

Italian tile maker Marazzi patented a firing technique about 10 years ago that allows each tile to be fired only once. Previously, tile had to be fired twice or more to set the color, each time weakening it. Marazzi’s technique has now become the industry standard.

“The thing is, any reliable salesman can tell you what tile is appropriate for certain areas,” Beber said.

Rory L. Cotnam, sales representative for Glomati Globe Marble & Tile Inc. echoes that comment:

“Communication between the customer and the salesman is probably the most important thing. A customer may fall in love with the look of a certain tile and never stop to consider its appropriateness for the area they want to use it in. So it’s up to the sales rep to ask where the tile is going to be used and then explain why that tile may not be a good choice.”

The most common types of tile are ceramic, porcelain and paver.

Ceramic tile comes in either a white or red bisque. The white is preferred for flooring and other high use areas because it is stronger than red bisque.

Paver, a clay tile mostly imported from Mexico, is not strong enough for high use areas unless it is treated with a sealant after installation, Beber said.

Porcelain is the strongest tile. It also has the advantage of having its color in the bisque instead of just on the surface, as with ceramic tile, making chips and cracks less noticeable. The drawback is that it can cost three times as much as ceramic tile.

Whether tile is purchased from a manufacturer or a distributor, the more established the firm, the greater the likelihood your tile will still be available later if you decide to use it again in another area.

One thing distributors and manufacturers agree on is the value of using a licensed contractor to install tile.

“There are always people who want to do it themselves,” Beber said. “But I’ve found that a lot of them end up stopping mid-project and calling me in to finish. It’s just not as easy to lay tile as people think.”