Five things you should know about tile

Here’s the first thing you should know: Tile is much more than a kitchen or bath flooring. It’s a design tool.

For instance, the layout of tile is just as important, if not more so, than the pattern itself. It can even make your floor the focal point of the room. Do this with grout; remember when it was only a beige or off-white substance used to fill in the gaps? No more...and it now comes in a wide range of colors that can highlight your design.

So don’t be shy about using tile flooring; go ahead and design those unique backsplashes and accent walls. Use tile to create spa-like atmospheres, organic wood-looks, or Italian palazzos for your kitchen, bath--and basically any room in the house (and sometimes even outside).

The sky’s the limit because it now comes in an assortment of colors, patterns, shapes, and styles. Even the subway ones, those typically 3 X 6 white rectangles now come in various hues, as well as shapes like circles, squares, and triangles that can be mixed and matched.

Legacy Flooring America is part of America’s leading flooring group, which means that while we’re still independently operated, we have the backup, buying power, and pricing options of a major national chain. All of those benefits filter to you, the consumer. A lot more than just a place to buy flooring, our experts are trained in sales and design.

Our showrooms are in San Marcos and Encinitas, CA and we service San Diego, Vista, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Escondido, and Encinitas, CA

• They’re often all referred to as ceramics, but that’s not quite right, because there’s both porcelain and ceramic. The differences are subtle, but one type may be better suited for some rooms than others.

Porcelain is completely waterproof and heavier. Inside, it can be used for high traffic areas, such as the kitchen. Since it is waterproof, it can be used outside on walkways, decks, and patios.

Ceramic is thinner and, as long as it’s glazed, it, too, can be waterproof. It’s better for walls and low traffic areas, like the bedroom, or the bathroom where people usually don’t wear shoes.

• It’s low maintenance. Sweep and damp mop with a manufacturer-approved detergent.
• It’s durable. Almost impossible to crack. If you do, you only need to replace the broken one, not the entire floor.
• It’s good for health. Allergy and asthma sufferers have nothing to worry about because pollutants and dirt don’t have any place to hide and are just swept away.

Always tell your pro if you plan to use it on the floor or walls, and have it professionally installed. Cutting is difficult and there are no “do-overs” if you make a mistake.