Tile Style guide

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN DESIGNING WITH TILES

BY LESLEY TAYLOR BIID

MEMBER OF THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF INTERIOR DESIGN

The Tile Style Bible, for anyone buying or selecting tiles.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TILE TYPES, LET DISCUSS THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND WHERE THEY ARE BEST USED.

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TILE STYLE BIBLE

But first a little something about the Baked team!

The experienced Team at Baked is made up of both interior

Baked Tiles Ltd, is the brainchild of interior designer

designers and procurement specialists, with a combined 50

Lesley Taylor.

years experience within the tiling industry. The whole team

Lesley who is a working member of the British Institute of Interior design and Honorary Member of The Society of British and International Design, is an Award Winning designer,

are focused on bringing exciting products to the UK and to be at hand to help their customers create beautiful interiors with their Baked Tile products.

with many years of experience within both domestic and commercial design.

Lesley is the only child of one of the first families in the UK to import ceramic tiles from Europe back in the 1960’s and whilst her passion and chosen career was in interior design, she has always been exposed to the complexities of the tiling industry through her parents tile company.

Lesley is the author of 10 books on Interior Design and also writes an interior design column for the Trinity Mirror Newspaper group.

A tile combination design, created by one of the Baked Interior designers, for a client’s bathroom.

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TILE STYLE BIBLE

Creative tile layouts are a big trend. Here are our Chevron Wall matt black and Perspective Hexagon matt black, in an interesting layout.

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TILE STYLE BIBLE

SO LET’S TALK TILE TYPES CERAMIC TILES These fall into two categories, ceramic wall tiles

successfully. Avoid using them in extremely high

and ceramic floor tiles. Both are made with a

traffic areas, as they do not have the wearing

ceramic biscuit and a glazed surface that adds

quality of porcelain based tiles, however they are

pattern colour and texture. Many people do not

more than suitable for most interior domestic

appreciate that matt finish ceramic tiles are still

settings.

glazed, it is just that they are finished with a matt glaze rather than a shiny one.

Ceramic floor tiles can be used on the wall or floor. There is one major rule to remember, whilst

Ceramic tiles are not as hard wearing as

you can use floor tiles on the wall you must never

porcelain, but have been used for centuries very

use wall tiles on the floor.

PORCELAIN TILES Tiles made of porcelain are less porous and

and colour is applied to the surface. Both these

absorbent than ceramic, meaning they are more

types of product are ideal for use in domestic

robust and can cope in very high traffic areas.

and commercial settings. If you are working on a

Most of the porcelain tiles currently on the market fall into two categories, through-body also known as through-colour porcelain tiles,

commercial project and require technical data, please just contact Baked and they can send this through and offer any advice you may need.

where the body of the tile gives it its colour, and

Shiny tiles will be either through-body porcelain

often any pattern or veining within the product.

tiles that have then been mechanically polished,

And glazed porcelain, where the pattern, design

or porcelain or ceramic tiles with a shiny glaze.

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TILE STYLE BIBLE

RECTIFIED TILES When tiles are made, the manufacturing process

However, rectified tiles go through a secondary

results in a certain amount of tolerance from one

manufacturing process that carefully cuts the

batch to another and this is normal within the

overall porcelain tile down to a calibrated size.

industry. So you will find all ceramic and non-

This means that rectified tiles will be exactly

rectified tiles have a very slight size variation, this

the same size within each batch. You should be

is monitored and falls within British and European

aware however that if you are purchasing rectified

standards.

tiles, the size advertised for that product will be a

The joint selected for grouting will allow for the small tolerances that are to be expected within certain tile types. Either the team at Baked Tiles or your tiler will be able to offer you advice if you require.

nominal size, meaning a 60cm tile may in fact be 594mm by 594 mm . If you are working on a project where the setting out is critical, please contact the team at Baked tiles and they will be able to inform you of the exact calibrated size of your selected rectified product.

ENCAUSTIC TILES Encaustic products are made up of layers of

certain amount of maintenance to ensure they

concrete and are created using a variety of

do not absorb stains etc. The Baked Tile Company

colours, that combine together to create a pattern.

does not promote encaustic products, however

Encaustic products have a wonderful matt finish

we select a number of ranges manufactured in

that also feature slight variations expected

porcelain, that replicate these characterful tiles

within handmade products. This type of tile is

but require no maintenance, are also more cost

however absorbent and requires sealing and a

effective and equally as beautiful.

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TILE STYLE BIBLE Image of one of our customers bathrooms, featuring Tuscany Tropical. Credit Instagram @jessicajordan1992

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Generally matt finish dry tiles are not slippery, however once you introduce a lubricant such as water, a tile can become a slip-hazard . Therefore, if you are using tiles in a wet area, you must ensure they have the correct anti-slip properties.

Here are guidelines for PTV ratings.

0-24 PTV is considered a high slip potential.

You will also note that we have a +36 PTV section on our home page, where you can

The UK health and safety executive, has a preferred anti-slip

25-34 PTV is considered

find all the tiles that

rating that is known as the Pendulum test.

moderate slip potential

fall into that category.

+36 PTV is considered Low Risk slip potential.

FROST PROOF TILES Porcelain tiles can cope with the temperature variations we

they also have the anti-slip qualities required for that setting.

experience within the UK and as they are non-porous, they

A patio area for example, that is never used in wet conditions

will not absorb moisture which then expands when frozen,

could be clad with a porcelain tile that has a moderate PTV ,

meaning the tiles will not crack.

however areas that you will be walking on in the rain should

Porcelain is therefore classed as frost-proof, but a note of caution, please ensure if you are tiling external areas, that

always have an adequate slip resistance of +36.

TILE STYLE BIBLE

ANTI-SLIP RATINGS

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TIPS TO REMEMBER!

TILE STYLE BIBLE

If you are mixing tiles from different ranges their thickness and overall size may vary . As we touched on above, tiles have a tolerance, so a tile advertised with a nominal size as 45cm may not be exactly the same size as a tile from another manufacturer advertised as the same nominal size.

NOTES XX XXX XX

Whilst it’s not always ideal to mix two tiles within one room that are approximately the same size, if the tiles are very different in appearance, you can always stagger the joints where the two tiles meet therefore hiding the fact that there is a slight variation.

It is also very important to remember that you should never mix different batches of tiles. Not only may each batch be a slightly different size, but it is likely there will be a shade variation within the colour. So never be tempted to buy tiles in two batches, always ensure the tiles for one room come from the exact same batch.

If you are designing a whole property and you wish to use different tiles on different floor areas, always make a note of the thickness of the tiles. This is important so that your builder can accommodate any variation when laying the concrete slab or levelling the floors prior to tile installation.

Also be aware that you have to allow for cutting and waste when calculating the number of tiles to buy. The amount required varies depending on the layout you choose e.g. the size of the tile and the shape of your room.

Generally, 10-15% is adequate, however you might require more if using a repeating pattern tile or extra large tiles within your design.

When selecting what tiles to use on your walls, bear in mind certain types of wall can only support up to a certain weight of tile. If you are thinking of using a heavy floor tile on your walls, please check with us to ensure it is suitable for your particular room.

A FIRST ISSUE MG REVISION DETAILS

DATE

TILE LAYOUTS

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It is not just the tiles you choose that will have an impact on your room but the size of tile and the way you lay it will also have a huge effect. Certain tiles will make a room look smaller and certain tiles will make a room look wider. Here a few visual examples. Many of you may be surprised to hear that large tiles can make a room look larger than it actually is, whereas the smaller tiles, that you may think would be more suited to the space, can in fact make a small room look even smaller.

Lay tiles horizontally to made a room look wider

Lay tiles vertically to make a room look longer

Smaller tiles make a floor feel smaller as the joints make the floor look busier

Larger tiles make a room look more spacious

Patterned tiles or creative layouts have the same effect as a patterned carpet on a room. Adding detail and the appearance of texture.

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TILE LAYOUT DESIGN IDEAS With so many wonderfully varying shapes of tiles

texture and pattern to truly reflect our personalities

now on the market, it gives the designer and you an

and design preferences.

opportunity to add a bit of personality to your tile scheme. Gone are the days where rooms were just clad in simple stone effect tiles, now we can add

Here are some of the most commonly used layouts chosen by interior designers at the moment.

GRID

OFFSET SQUARE

OFFSET VERTICAL

DIAMOND

CHECKERBOARD

HORIZONTAL STACK

VERTICAL STACK

OFFSET BRICK BOND

OFFSET VERTICAL STACK

BRICK BOND

HERRINGBONE

VERTICAL HERRINGBONE

BASKETWEAVE

BASKETWEAVE VERTICAL

Vertical Herringbone layout featuring Baked Lava Range.

CORRIDOR HORIZONTAL

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Add detail by using different coloured grouts in different areas. (your tiler won’t like it, but it will be worth the effort)

TILE STYLE BIBLE

GROUT COLOURS Whilst there is a lot of information available from the Baked

From a design perspective the colour grout you choose can

Tile Company regards the types of adhesives etc that one

give a completely different atmosphere when used with the

should use when installing your tiles, this document is

same tile. A simple subway or brick tile in a light colour, will

designed to be more a guide for the aesthetic impact the

have more of an industrial vibe if grouted in a dark grey for

tiles can have on a space. It is fair to say that the correct

example. If however you choose to grout the same tile in a

colour grout you choose will have a huge impact on the way

white grout, it would give a more traditional appearance to

your finished tiling appears.

the room.

If you want a space to look as expensive as possible, try to

The designers at Baked love getting creative with the 50

match the grout to the tile colour. That way the grid layout of

different colours of grouts that are available in store. So

your tiles will be more subtle, than if you choose to contrast

please if you have any questions just contact the design

the tile with the grout colour and make the grid layout more

team, they will help you choose the perfect colour for your

apparent.

particular setting. And for a perfect professional finish, ensure you use the best matching silicone, to seal all internal angles and where the floor tiling meets the wall.

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TILE STYLE BIBLE A

B

C

D C REVISION DETAILS

Floor Tile:

Textures Brick Dark 7.5 X 30 CM

Layout:

Herringbone with Perimeter Border

Grout Colour:

10 Dark Grey

DATE

BAKED TILE CUSTOMER

Wall Tile:

Town and Country Matt White 7.5 X 30 CM

Layout:

Vertical Stack

Grout Colour:

05 Shadow

Suggested Silicone:

05 Shadow

B

D

TILE LAYOUTS 1:20 @ A1

A

DISCLAIMER PLEASE NOTE: ALL THE TILE SIZES ARE NOMINAL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH BS STANDARDS. IF WHEN USING A RECTIFIED PRODUCT, AN EXACT SIZE IS REQUIRED, PLEASE CONTACT US.THE LAYOUTS PRODUCED ARE BASED ON INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE CLIENT. WE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ISSUES ARISING DUE TO INCORRECT INFORMATION BEING RECEIVED.PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK THE EXACT MEASURMENTS ON SITE BEFORE YOU PROCEED IF WORKING FROM ARCHITECTS PLANS.

DO NOT SCALE FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES. ALL DIMENSIONS TO BE CHECKED ON SITE. NOTIFY TAYLORS OF ALL DISCREPANCIES. THE DRAWING IS COPYRIGHT

FINALLY, HOW CAN WE HELP FURTHER? Free Video consultation with one of the design team.

These are the perfect tools for you to communicate your

You are obviously spending a lot of time choosing the

chosen design to your installer. Please contact us for more

right tiles for your project, but if you are in the slightest bit

information.

concerned, why not book a video consultation with one of the Baked Tiles interior designers. They will happily give you any guidance or inspiration you may require.

Guide to buying tiles online.

So now you are ready to create the room of your dreams with a bit more confidence, please make sure you check

2D plans and elevations.

out Baked Tiles video guide to buying tiles on-line, if you

Also, to ensure your project goes to plan and your room is

haven’t purchased tiles this way before it will give you all

exactly as you imagined when complete, Baked Tiles can

the information you require, regards kerbside deliveries etc.

also help you with 2D CAD based plans and elevations.

Click here to make an appointment. www.bakedtiles.co.uk