Floor Tile Options and Metal Ceiling Options For Your Home
Have you been considering re-tiling a floor in your home but wondered if there are any good alternatives to the traditional ceramic and porcelain tile that everyone seems to use? These days the answer is absolutely, yes. Here are just a few of the more unusual floor tiling options you might want to consider.
Saltillo tiles originated in Mexico and they differ from more conventional tiling types because they are air dried rather than kiln fired. The unique appearance of Saltillo tiles make them perfect for adding an earthy rustic charm to a kitchen or bathroom.
The fact that they are not fired does make them a little less durable than their kiln fired compadres but, if they are well sealed when they are being installed and treated with care, the difference is not too noticeable.
Glass tile for flooring? That idea surprises some people who would not have imagined that glass tile of any kind would be tough enough for flooring use. The fact is though that floor grade glass tile is just as tough as ceramic and when you chose to go with recycled glass tile it is a very eco friendly flooring choice as well.
Recycled glass floor tiles tend to be extremely attractive and unique since they are made up of so many different types of glass, often in the brightest and most attractive of colors. Is there anything that laminate flooring cannot pretend to be? Possibly not. Because laminate tiles are man made and their appearance depends solely upon the photograph that is embedded in the top layer they can be created to mimic almost any tile type usually for a fraction of the cost of the real thing.
Whatever type of tile you eventually opt for, the finished tile floor will only be an attractive and functional one if the person who installs it knows what they were doing, however much the tile itself cost. Tiling a floor is nowhere near as easy as they make it look on television so, unless you are a very experienced handy person, it is just one of those home remodeling projects best left to the pros.
These days it often seems like a lot of new houses just, well, look the same as every other house on the block, both inside and out. Homeowners eventually end up looking for new ways to make their homes stand out from the crowd of identikit homes, for both aesthetic and resale purposes.
One trend that is making a bit of a surprising comeback in the remodeling business is the installation of patterned and/or textured metal ceilings to replace all those dull and boring flat white painted ones that most new homes come equipped with as standard these days. Back in the late 1800s and the early years of the 20th century, metal ceilings were everywhere. Here in the USA stamped tin ceilings were the most common type of metal ceiling found in homes but more ornate brass and copper ceilings were not unusual.
Metal ceilings died out for common use as the 20th century progressed as they were replaced by cheaper and easier to install popcorn ceilings or that flat drywall that is above so many people’s heads. Now that metal ceilings are making a comeback, there are a number of options available for homeowners to choose from. The wonderfully ornate designs of long ago are still available but there are also plenty of ways a metal ceiling can be incorporated into the most contemporary of décor schemes to great effect.
Modern metal ceiling panels come in a huge variety of different patterns, colors, sizes, and finishes, which include traditional tin, steel, aluminum, copper, brass, chrome, and powder-coated finishes which will harmonize with any design scheme. If you choose a powder coated finish you can probably find any color you like, a great way to add a very unique twist to the ceilings in your home.
Metal side wall plates and other accessories like metal moldings, cornices, coves and miters are also popular choices for use with metal ceilings in home décor. These stamped metal ceiling panels also offer a great and very attractive alternative for kitchen back splashes or for installation behind wood stoves or fireplaces. The benefits of having a metal ceiling installed go beyond the merely aesthetic though. Metal ceilings won’t flake or chip or show dirt that easily. They have great sound absorption properties and will help keep in the heat in in the winter time and the cool in when summer comes around. They are also far easier to clean and won’t need repainting every couple of years to maintain their beauty.
Installing a metal ceiling is very unlike installing other types of ceiling though. In order to find a contractor who has experience in installing metal ceilings you may have to do a little more research than you might when looking for a “regular” ceiling installer. And because it is a less common type of installation it is even more important that you get those three (or more) estimates before you make a final hiring decision, just to make sure you really are getting a fair and reasonable price.