What tiles to choose for the kitchen

Ceramic tile as a facing material for the kitchen is an absolutely logical choice. Such a surface perfectly withstands different temperatures, humidity, and is resistant to household chemicals. In hardware stores, a chic assortment of tiles is presented, but not everyone is suitable for the kitchen. Before buying, arm yourself with our instructions to choose a really worthwhile option.

For the kitchen, a large load on the surface and frequent cleanings are natural. Therefore, here the materials must be of particularly high quality. According to the international PEI classification, tiles vary in strength. For kitchen walls, level III is required, and for the floor - IV-V, that is, the maximum levels. If the manufacturer indicates the strength of the product according to the GOST scale, be guided by a class not lower than the fifth. How hard ceramic is and how it resists scratches, the MOOCA scale will tell. Quality here is determined in ascending order, using marks 1-10. The kitchen requires level 5 and above. Also pay attention to the indicator of resistance to chemicals. The values ​​"A" and "AA" indicate a high tolerance of alkalis and acids. Stain resistance is identified by numbers 1-3: fewer stains are formed on tiles with designations 1 or 2.

Designers recommend choosing the color and style of tiles at the moment when you already clearly imagine the interior of the kitchen. It is desirable to decide on the furniture, its range and direction. Kitchen walls can be designed in a single palette with the rest of the elements, or you can create an interesting, lively contrast that will give the room a bright character.

Today, large-format glossy tiles with large-scale decorative images are in fashion. However, it will look good only in a spacious kitchen. The fact is that a shiny surface visually reduces the space, and a large drawing suggests a fairly roomy area, otherwise it will simply be “lost”. In rooms with a quadrature of 5-7 meters, it is better to put a matte tile in pastel colors.

The so-called apron - the area between the work surface and wall cabinets - requires special attention. The main problem here is tile joints, because they quickly become dirty, difficult to clean, and the grout also loses its original appearance. The conclusion is obvious: from the point of view of hygiene and practicality, such a cute, purely kitchen 10x10 tile is completely irrelevant. And in the decorated textured elements, a greasy coating is constantly collected, which only complicates the life of the hostess.

If you want to decorate with ceramic tiles and countertops, the latter should be combined with an apron. That is, the entire working area will be lined with one type of tile, which will create the effect of a solid, stylistically complete object. In this case, along with aesthetic harmony, you will need periodic processing of seams.

For floor kitchen tiles, present other requirements:

• maximum wear resistance;
• matte surface instead of gloss;
• slightly ribbed texture, designed to ensure the safety of the finishing material;
• granular or variegated colors that hide small impurities.

In general, kitchen tiles should meet the basic needs of a cook: they should not cause trouble in maintenance and be sufficiently resistant to all sorts of impacts and damage. These properties will be present in samples with minimal porosity, with a dense and uniform enamel coating.